The Lemonista: Holiday Oreo Cookie Pops & More Festive Bento

These Oreo Cookie Pops are no big secret but they sure make an adorable handmade holiday favor! I did these last year for Elyse's preschool class and they were such a hit, I decided to do them for her Kindergarten party today. I wanted mine to look like little Christmas ornaments, but only your imagination holds the limit as to how you could decorate these. They could be made any color and adorned with nuts, shredded coconut, colored sugar or sprinkles. Even crushed candy canes would be great (thanks for the idea, Jen). Just be creative and have fun!

*I bought this vintage looking snowman at Cost Plus for $14.99 ~love him!

Separate desired amount of Double Stuff Oreo cookies, being careful not to break the cookie. ( Have a cup of milk handy to dip and eat any poor broken souls..)

Gently insert a lollipop stick into the icing side of the cookie.

Add a dab of melted chocolate (Wilton's Chocolate Melts in any color)

Place the other half of the cookie on top and apply slight pressure (again being careful not to break the cookie). Put the cookies in the frig a few minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Spoon or dip cookie pop in melted chocolate, being careful to cover all sides and then lightly tap cookie on the side of the bowl to remove extra chocolate.
*Important tip* Do not get the chocolate too hot! It will lump up and there is no fix. Place the melts in a microwave save bowl and microwave for 20 secs, then stir like crazy, then microwave for 10 secs more, then stir like crazy. Continue microwaving in 10 sec intervals until the chocolate is smooth and melted, touching with your finger to be sure it never feels more than WARM to the touch.

While chocolate is wet, apply your decorations.

Lay on a parchment or foil lined cookie sheet and refrigerate just until set.

Once set, wrap with lollipop bag and twist tie.

I added gift tags to the pops, wrapped an empty box like a present, and then poked the sticks threw the top to display the pops for her class.

Oreo Cookie Pops

Double Stuff Oreo Cookies
Wilton Melts, one bag does around 15 pops
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E310A5F-475A-BAC0-513EBB4AAC195A7E
Desired decoration: sprinkles, nuts, etc..
Lollipop sticks, bags and twist ties
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E31032B-475A-BAC0-5E6F8E3A02BDC865&killnav=1
I used these bags and ties but longer sticks.

For a quick holiday Bento Lunch today, I've made a simple cheese sandwich, cut it in triangles, and then arranged in a leaf lettuce lined rectangular Bento box (I think this is my favorite shape box for Bento--very versatile). Next I sprinkled the sandwiches with edible glitter and decorated with cute royal icing characters from Fancy Flours.

For a veggie/fruit side, I made good 'ol ants on a log. Grin. These celery logs are filled with fresh honey roasted peanut butter from Safeway's peanut butter bar. Instead of raisins, I've used dried currants here. They look, smell and taste like raisins but they are tiny. My kids call them baby raisins but today we call them ants.

Throw in a Santa straw for the juice box (found at Target) and a cute festive holiday napkin by Paperchase (found at Borders Books) and we have a cute lunch.