Love Bugs

Valentines Day is coming and we've been "bitten" by the Love Bug! Well, actually, WE were the ones doing the biting.:) I had a hard time getting a good picture, the kids were eating them too fast! These are a fun after school project, we just used candy from the pantry and let everyone get creative. Have fun!

Love Bugs
Ingredients:
6 C. breakfast cereal (we used Corn Pops)
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 bag (about 40) large marshmallows
red food coloring
Frosting (any kind)
aluminum foil or wax paper
Cooking spray
assorted candies (circus peanuts for feet, peach rings for eyes, licorice and hershey kisses for anteanne, runts candies for mouths and inside of eyes)

Directions:
You are basically making "rice krispy treats" for the bug's bodies. We just used a larger cereal for a fun texture. In a large bowl, microwave butter and marshmallows for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir well. Mix in the breakfast cereal, stir well. Let cool for a minute or two until it is cool enough to handle.

Spray hands with cooking spray then take about 1/2 c. mixture and form into a ball. Squeeze it together firmly to retain shape (if it starts to fall apart, wait until mixture cools a little more). Place balls on wax paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray until cool and completely set.

When set, take two circus peanuts, add a dab of frosting to the top, then attach to the ball to make the "feet". Add various candies to decorate your bugs and enjoy the love!