Kids Bored? Have A Leap Year Frog Party!

I knew that I had to write even just a short post on this 'unique' day!  We won't see another one for four more years and it is incredibly complicated to explain the whole February 29 phenomenon - so just click on the link - Wikipedia does a good job.  But suppose you just have a bunch of kids and you're stuck home with them while the rotten weather does it's thing outside...why not entertain them with a kid's 'Leap Year Frog Party'! 

When my kids were little I was constantly on the lookout for activities that would entertain them during the cold weather months.  This would have been fun.  Everything fun involves a little bit of work but in the end it's worth it.  Green would be the primary color for this event and anything 'froggy' would do along with Lily pads, ponds or a garden theme.  Because we're all looking forward to Spring and the entire year is referred to as 'Leap Year', I think that if you're the mother of a pre-school or young elementary child this would make the perfect theme for any sort of school celebration.  And if you happen to be stuck with 'snack week' (I hated snack week) this might just work!  I found a fun web site that provides plenty of inspiration.  Just click on this frog inspired site for a few ideas! 

If middle school students are what you're stuck with (sorry...I meant 'leaping with joy' over) then maybe you might want to fondue some frog legs!  Seriously, they will eat anything if they can fry it in a fondue pot.  I've seen it.  Here's a simple recipe from allrecipes.com that can easily work with a fondue pot.  Of course if you 'chicken out' you could always use thinly cut chicken tenders and pretend!  But don't - you'll regret it.  One of the most fun food things my boys did was to fry soft shell crabs in the fondue pot and put them on a bed of lettuce on a roll with some tartar sauce!  They wanted to try it, it looked super creepy and gross and even though they didn't eat it all they had a blast! 

For those of you that visited this site today looking for a really fantastic retro or heirloom recipe - I won't disappoint you.  I do not have a recipe for frog of any kind but I did find something odd.  And isn't this what this day is all about?  Try it if you're brave or just have some kids to amuse.

Rock work Pudding

1 qt. milk
6 eggs
1 cup sugar and vanilla flavoring

Sweeten the milk slightly and set over the fire in a rather wide mouthed sauce pan.  Beat the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth with a tablespoon or two of sugar.  When the milk boils, put in the froth a tablespoon at a time turning each little heap as it is cooked on the lower side.  Take out the cooked froth carefully with a skimmer and lay on a sieve.  When all are done set in a cool place while you make a custard of the yolks beaten up with the sugar and the boiling milk poured on them.  Set over the fire and stir until it begins to thicken and pour out to cool.  When cool, flavor, fill a glass bowl with custard, and pile the rock on the surface.

If you were extra creative you would add a little 'froggy' to the rocks in this recipe!  Think about how much work that one dessert recipe took.  Wow.

If you're a grown-up and are looking for a movie to watch, well then, try this.

Happy Leap Year!