Colored popcorn balls decorated with candy make a really fun and easy treat for kids to make and share with friends.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 cup popped corn or one bag micro. popcorn
• 1 bag of miniature marshmallows
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 box jello, any color you choose
• various candies for eyes, legs, horns, tails or whatever details you want
• black string licorice for legs
• gum drops to smash and shape for horns, bumps of dinosaurs
• candy corn for bumps of dinosaurs and horns

Directions:

Pop the popcorn, melt the butter then add the marshmallows to the butter and stir in the jello of choice. Consider the color of the jello to the kind of animal you are making. May add food coloring to darken or change the color. Omit the jello for white ghosts.

Add to the popcorn to the marshmallow mix and stir well. Grease hands and shape 1/4 to 1/2 cup of popcorn into desired shape. Push down on greased surface or waxed paper to flatten their bottoms. Quickly adhere candies to decorate.

We made orange spiders, used black licorice strings for legs by inserting a toothpick into the popcorn ball where we wanted the legs. Some of the legs stuck out and some laid down but it doesn't matter as long as the kids have fun doing them, right! We cut gum drops in half and made a hole with the end of a wooden spoon to insert the gumdrop eyes.

It is good to have a can of frosting on hand just in case the candies don't stay in place. We obviously made these for Halloween but you could do the same for Christmas wreaths, 4th of July firecrackers, Easter crosses and eggs. The options are endless.

Source: This is my own recipe, something I like to do with my grandchildren.

By Latrtatr from Loup City, NE