RECIPE: MINI MINT BURGERS!

RECIPE - Summer is coming to a close as school is revving up and free time is growing short.  So what better way to hang on to the last leg of warm weather, barbecues, and bike rides than with a quick and easy little summer-inspired treat?  That's right... Mini Mint Burgers!  There's no nuts, no meat, but yes, chocolate!  These creative little cookies are the perfect after dinner (or after real/veggie burger) snack for the whole family! ...and best of all?  No baking required!  Fun for all ages!

The ingredients are simple and all store bought, so there's no cooking necessary!
You can get the kids involved in safe hands-on cookie making & decorating experience with clean-up limited to your counter top, three knives (or spoons if you've got little ones), and three small bowls... which could actually be reduced down to one big plate for your clean-up convenience.  NOTE: You'll want to keep the Grasshoppers in the fridge so they don't melt!


SHOPPING BAG:

• 1 box Vanilla Wafers (your brand of choice)
• 1 package Keebler Grasshopper Fudge Mint Cookies (or Thin Mints!)
• 1 container Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting (it's lactose-free!)
• 1 package of food coloring (you'll need red, green, and yellow!)
• Honey (local or  your brand of choice!)
• Flax Seeds (found mine at whole foods!)
  

FROSTING PREP:

• Divide the Funfetti Frosting into three bowls.
• Drop red, green, and yellow food coloring into respective bowls and stir, making sure to carefully read the directions on the package for how to achieve the most true color.  (I know that I needed 50 drops of red to actually GET RED instead of various shades of pink, so read carefully!)  Also be careful not to get the food coloring on your hands, clothing, or counter top.  It will stain!  If you have an apron or mess towel, I'd advise you use it.
• Stir until icing is evenly saturated to desired color.

ASSEMBLING THE COOKIES:

BOTTOM BUN & "LETTUCE"
Place a Vanilla Wafer flat-side up on your workspace.  Make sure you get a nice one that doesn't have any cracks in it or pieces broken off.  You'll have more than enough left over at the end, so you can afford to be picky here.  Then, use your knife or spoon to scoop up a tiny bit of your "lettuce" (green frosting) and smear it onto the wafer somewhat generously.  You can always remove the excess carefully later, but it's easier to have more than less.

THE "BURGER"
Remove a Grasshopper cookie from the package you've had cooling in your refrigerator and lightly place it in the center of the Vanilla Wafer, pressing down lightly to make the "lettuce" ooze out.  Now is the time to remove any excess lettuce cleanly and carefully, remembering to wash your hands after so that you don't leave little green fingerprints everywhere.

THE "CHEESE" AND "KETCHUP"
Scoop up a bit of yellow frosting and either place it on the center or at 3-4 corners of the "burger" and do the same (with a separate utensil!) for the red frosting, adding slightly less red than you added yellow.  This is going to look like cheese and ketchup when you're done, messy as it appears at the moment.  You can choose to add these two colors of frosting directly to the burger or you can add it to the flat side of a second Vanilla Wafer... your choice, it will get on both anyway... it just depends on what you find easiest and less messy.  Picking up the wafer first is much less sticky.

UPPER BUN & SEEDS
Whether you added your cheese and ketchup to the burger or bun, place your second Vanilla Wafer (even more carefully selected) flat-side down in the center of the Grasshopper Cookie and press gently.  The cheese and ketchup should gently ooze out under the bun and slightly down the burger.  From a side view, you should see (from top to bottom) Vanilla Wafer, red/yellow frosting, Grasshopper, green frosting, and Vanilla Wafer.  Now, to top it all off, gently squirt or spread some honey across the center of the top-most Vanilla Wafer.  (be careful not to get any moisture into your honey or to contaminate it... it would be a shame to waste it!)  Sprinkle or lightly dab flax seeds on the top for a garnish... and voila!  Dessert is ready!

I like to assemble these one by one, but feel free to develop any system you wish for putting them together.  The recipe is simple and takes about a minute (2-3 if you're ultra meticulous) to make each cookie and clean-up is a breeze.  I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy way to keep the spirit of summer alive!  They make great party favors, too!!!