I’m cuckoo for cookie cutters!

Are you crazy about cookie cutters? Me too! If you’re like most people, you probably have a ton of cookie cutters that don’t see much action. I don’t make cookies that require cutting very often but that doesn’t mean I don’t use my cookie cutters.

Using a pretty shaped cutter can make lots of foods look fancy without costing an extra penny. And cookie cutters are a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. It’s lots of fun to take a simple sandwich like peanut butter and jelly and cut it into a fun shape.

What else can you do with cookie cutters? I’m glad you asked. You can make beautiful desserts by cutting shapes out of cake or brownie slices and serving with whipped cream and berries.

Make an appetizer tray by cutting slices of cheese and deli meat into pretty shapes. Make a fruit salad look like a million bucks by cutting thin slices of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melons with small cookie cutter shapes.

Make designs on toast by pressing a cookie cutter gently on the bread to make an impression but not cutting through. Toast as usual. This shows up best on white bread.

You can also use cookie cutters for decorating cakes by placing the cutter on a frosted cake and pouring sprinkles or colored sugar inside the shape, like a stencil. Remove carefully for a pretty decoration.

Here’s a simple recipe to turn eggs and toast into an event. So go grab a kid, or a kid at heart and enjoy a fun breakfast.

Framed Eggs

Yield: one serving

Time: 10 minutes

1 slice of bread

1 egg

butter or margarine

cookie cutters

Preheat a skillet on medium heat. Let your child pick a cookie cutter in their favorite shape, just be sure it will fit inside your slice of bread. Have them butter both sides of the bread.

This part is a little messy but messy is fun and if you cut the bread first it makes it very hard to butter the frame.

Place the buttered bread on a plate so the butter doesn’t get everywhere and have your child cut their shape out of the middle of the bread.

With an adult’s help, have the child put the bread with the cut out into a skillet and break an egg into the center. The egg can be scrambled if you prefer.

Cook over medium heat until the first side sets, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the bread and egg over and cook until it is set.

Remove from the pan, place the cut out piece into the pan and toast on both sides. Enjoy!

Frugal Family Fun contributed by Patti Diamond author of Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com Join us on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom.