SNACK TIME:
Cheese Umbrellas

(I found this idea on Pinterest from Cutefoodsforkids.com, check here for the original link: http://www.cutefoodforkids.com/2011/06/easiest-party-food-babybel-umbreallas.html)

Ingredients: Babybell (cheese in wax), bendable straws, sun flower seeds for rain

Step 1: Keep the cheese in the wax and cut it in half.
Step 2: Cut a bendable straw just after the bend (be sure you’ve bent it to make a “J” shape already) and stick this into the cheese to be the umbrella handle.
Step 3: Serve on a plate with sunflower seeds as rain drops!

BREAKFAST:
Snowy Pancakes or French Toast

Dust pancakes or French toast with powdered sugar to create a snowy effect. I tried to make the snowflake shaped French toast using cookie cutters but they look more like flowers than snowflakes.

DINNER:

Twister Pasta:

Twister Pasta: Serve some twisty rotini or fusilli for dinner with your child’s favourite sauce and point out how the shapes are like mini tornados!

FOODS

LUNCH:

Pop -Up Sunny Egg:

When I was little my mom called these Pop-eyes (I think they are really called Egg-in-a-hole). For this Theme Day I’ve given them a new name and a new twist.

Ingredients: slice of bread, a small circle cookie cutter or a small cup (that’s what I used), an egg, shredded cheese, a slice of orange cheddar (large enough to be cut by the same cookie cutter or cup), slices of yellow or orange bell pepper.

Step 1: Heat a frying pan on medium (spray with cooking pray or use butter or margarine to prevent sticking).
Step 2: Use the cookie cutter or cup (I use a thin plastic cup) to cut out a circle from the centre of the bread.
Step 3: Butter one side of the cut out bread and the circle bread and when the pan is hot enough set the bread onto the pan butter side down.
Step 4: Crack an egg and gently pour it into the centre of the cut bread. Put a lid on the pan or use a cookie sheet if you have no lid (that’s what I have to do).
Step 5: Keep checking the egg for readiness and lower heat if the bread is getting too toasty. Flip over the small circle of bread to fry the other side (you can butter that side before flipping if you desire).
Step 6: Use the same cookie cutter/cup to cut out a circle of orange cheese.
Step 7: When the egg is cooked to your child’s liking, take it out of the pan and plate it. Set the circle of bread on top of the egg and then set the circle of cheese on top of that. Tuck in pieces of orange and yellow pepper to be the sun’s rays.
Step 8: Enjoy!

Weather

Weather Cupcakes:

My boys had a lot of fun with this one. We made some Chocolate Chip cupcakes (used Marian Keyes's recipe from her cookbook Saved by Cake) and then I cheated a bit and we used store bought icing (I usually make my own as I LOVE homemade butter cream but I knew the cupcake recipe only made twelve cupcakes and my butter cream recipe makes WAY more icing than I ever need!) and I separated the icing into different bowls and then coloured it with both liquid food colouring and gel food colouring (I have quite the collection from Birthday Parties and Theme Days!). Then we had fun coming up with different weather related ways to decorate the cupcakes! We used dried fruit bars for the sun’s beams and also used Scribbler’s icing tubes for details like the umbrella and the lightning bolt.

DESSERTS:

Cloudy Sky Jello:

I found this idea Pinterest (check here for the link I used: http://www.hawaiikawaii.net/2011/cloudy-sky-jello-tutorial/). You simply make some homemade whipped cream (beat half a 500 mL container of whipping cream with 1/8 cup of granulated sugar) and keep it chilled in the fridge as you make the blue Jell-O. Add 1 cup of boiling water to a bowl with the powdered blue Jell-o in it and then mix until dissolved. Then add an overflowing 1 cup of ice to the Jell-O and stir. If the ice melts and the Jell-O is still not thick enough you can put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Once it is firmer but still moveable you can then layer whipped cream and blue Jell-o in a tall glasses, parfait cups, or even a jars. You can then set it more in the fridge or eat as is!