SPRING BREAK Special of the Week: Dirt Cake

It's spring break week for the kiddos, and we had the privilege of having our six-year-old twin grandsons spend a few days with us. It amazing how much they've grown and seeing their little minds at work. Reading, drawing, swinging at golf balls in the back yard (the plastic practice ones), trying new foods. But when I announced we'd be making dirt cake, complete with worms, they said, "No way. People don't eat dirt. And we hate worms."

So while they took their evening baths, I got everything together and invited them to help me make the cake. They wrinkled their noses at the dirt (crushed oreos). "We're not eating that."

"How about a taste and see if you like it."

"Mmm. This is good. But no worms."

"We'll see. I think you'll like them."

So when we'd finished mixing and letting them make individual servings, I opened the bag of gummi worms and passed them out.

Of course, they loved it. And I think you will too. This is a fun dessert to take to a spring dinner, and I've seen it presented in a flower pot (please buy a new one) with plastic flowers "planted" in the top. We skipped the flowers and got right to the eating of our creation.

DIRT CAKE

1 16 oz box Oreos, crushed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1 12 oz. container Cool Whip
Gummi worms

Cream butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in large bowl. In separate bowl, blend pudding and milk (I use the blender for this). Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in Cool Whip. Add 1/2 of cookie crumbs to creamed mixture. Put in foil lined flowerpot. Put rest of cookie crumbs on top to look like soil. Add plastic flowers and gummi worms and you’re ready to eat!


We can all use a spring break once in a while. Time to change our routines, look at the world through a child's eyes, try new things, and have a few laughs. The boys have gone home now, but I feel ready to tackle the writing project that I've been dodging for weeks. I'm ready to get my hands dirty and take a few swings at the characters who've wandered into my head.

How about you? Have you tried anything new lately? Ready for spring break?