Muffin Tin Monday - Oh, Kimmens Tree!

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree! 

How yummy are your branches!

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree! 

How yummy are your branches!

O-ornaments, and presents too,

How I can't wait to nibble you!

O Christmas tree! O Christmas tree! 

How yummy are your branches!

For this week's Muffin Tin Monday, I wanted to do a Christmas tree theme. Tree. Presents. Ornaments. Etc. I couldn't find my handy, dandy notebook [Blue's Clues reference] with all my ideas and list of what foods I could do what with, so I had to wing it. I was also at a disadvantage in that I decided to do this on a weekday, since we were home sick with a cold, rather than on the weekend like I normally do, when I have a back-up adult to confine the toddler when she starts getting grabby.

Left to right, top row: PBH stocking, strawberries, cheese with strawberry "candy
cane," Cracker Kimmens tree, dessert and lunchy ornaments, PBH hobby horse.
Bottom row: Triscuit present, star crackers, PBH and Brownie Bite presents with
strawberry accents, cheese train, strawberry toy soldier, cracker present.

Kimmens Tree: Last year, Little Z had only been talking for around 6 months. When prompted, she would wish her teachers a "Mirry Kimmens" which I thought was just too adorable. So I started saying "Kimmens." And then she'd call the tree a "Kimmens tree" and it sounded like "Chemistry." Just. Too. Cute.

I used the last of our large triangle rye crispbread crackers from Ikea with a Laughing Cow Mozzerella, Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil wedge cheese spread. I cut up some green pepper and carrot decorations. Plus my finger. I can't be trusted with sharp things! We got a bandaid for my finger. (I let Nurse Little Z "help." She chose the bandage out of the box, peeled open the wrapper and pulled off the sticker-backs. I helped her put it over the right spot, and she helped me wrap it around.) 

I used a star cracker from a Chio Maxi Mix to top the tree.

Presents: I had originally planned to just use Triscuits again, but as I was rooting around I found a Pepperidge Farm cracker assortment left over from Thanksgiving, with more shapes to choose from. I used the last of the Laughing Cow cheese on the rectangle sesame seed cracker, and used some onion and chives cream cheese on the Triscuit. More carrot and green pepper fun ensues.
We were out of red pepper, and I was a little sad at the primarily green-orange-white motif that was happening with the presents and tree and such before I spiced it up with the strawberries!
I got a killer deal on some Pillsbury Sweet Moments Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites (on markdown to $1.25/bag, and buying 2 got me an additional $2 off a future Safeway purchase with some other stuff I was buying.) So I thought it would make a nice present, and add some color.

She chose the present cutter, and although I had vetoed it originally, since I had lots of presents already planned, I decided to go for it, since I like to incorporate her requests whenever possible.

For the bow, I just used the top part of the cutter on a strawberry slice, then rotated it upside-down to cut the bottom of the ribbon. All my other strawberry accents were just little slivers, except for the most-of-a-toy-soldier, who aaaaaalmost fit onto a strawberry half.

Trimming the Tree: I used one of the Pepperidge Farm crackers (a fairly bland flavorless one) and some vanilla frosting (left over from my Cake Balls) to have a platform for more strawberry accents to add more color. I added mini chocolate chips for fun. The other ornament is a Whole Grain Ritz with onion/chive cream cheese; and green pepper, carrot and frozen corn accents.

Toys and Such: I had really wanted to use more of my mini Christmas cutters, because if not now, then when? But nothing was big enough for most of them. Even slices from my Monterey Jack cheese end was too narrow for many of the ones I wanted to use. And the green pepper train I made at first just blended in with the tree muffin tin. I re-made it in cheese. I love my candy cane cheese, even though it looks sloppy. At this point I was rushed and had a hungry, whining, sick toddler begging for her 'chokklit present.' I decided to make a sandwich, just to have something big enough, and made a stocking, hobby horse and the present. (I had originally felt that the crackers were enough from the 'grains' family for this meal.)
I tossed in some more sliced strawberries just to have something actually in the muffin tin, and to add more fruit. I also tossed in some star crackers, to look festive.

She's telling me she wants to eat the 'taz-ssert or-na-ment' first.
[dessert ornament]

After peeling off anything remotely resembling a vegetable, she ate all the cheese and crackers. She had most of the strawberries, and both the desserts.

I couldn't find the awesome Wilton Christmas cutter set I got on super sale at Joann's. It was a 40-pc set, with 20 different shapes, 1 each in regular and mini sizes. For $5.99!!! Regularly $20-something. It had a lot of shapes I haven't found elsewhere, like the toy soldier and a little elf.
I culled out all my duplicates, so hopefully there'll be a Muffin Tin Swap next winter! *Hint hint*