Oreo Pudding Poke Cake

Ingredients:

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix

Ingredients needed to make cake (usually eggs, oil and water)

2 (4 oz.)packages of Instant Oreo pudding

4 cups milk (2% or higher)

Crushed Oreo Cookies (optional)

Directions

Make cake mix according to directions and bake in a well-greased 9x13 pan (I use the nonstick spray that has flour in it).

Just before cake is done, start making pudding. 
In a medium bowl, add milk to pudding mixture and continue to whisk until most of the lumps are removed. 
Let pudding mixture sit for about 2 minutes. 
You want it to thicken slightly so it isn't overly runny but not fully thickened into pudding.

When cake is finished, while still warm, poke holes all over cake (about 1-inch) intervals
 using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. 

Pour pudding mixture over warm cake, making sure to aim for the holes.

Spread it out with a spoon and gently push down on the pudding to help get it into the holes.
Then put the cake in the refrigerator to allow it to cool completely. About an hour.

Once it is set, top with crushed Oreo cookies
Keep cake refrigerated

Cook’s Note: Also, feel free to add whipped topping (Cool Whip) onto the top of the pudding later once the cake has cooled. Then top with crushed cookies.

Read Across America Day

Read Across America Day is March 1, 2013, it is a reading event to celebrate Reading and Dr. Suess' birthday(March 2nd)!!! This event is held on the first Monday of March every year. Celebrate the joy of reading by reading for the day!

Usually on this day, there are places where local authors will come for a "meet and greet" or for a "book talk" . Check out your local library or bookstore for events that might be happening that you and your kids can enjoy!

OR

If you want to just stay at home and celebrate the day together....here are some sites to visit for some ideas....

Reading Rockets

Reading Activities

List of Books by State --book titles relate to the 50 states. You also can find quizzes for these books at Book Adventure. Book Adventure is free, just sign up and get access to over 7,000 book titles, and you can do multiple choice quizzes on the books that are read!

Article with Resources

List of Dr. Suess activities

Flight/Aviation Unit Study

National Museum of the USAF

History of Flight Unit Study

Flight Resources

Aviation Unit Study

FAA Teacher resources experiments & activities

Aviation resources book lists, websites, projects and writing assignments

Flight Exploration Unit activities, websites, experiments

AOPA Youth Education  activities, modules with worksheets

Reading Book Lists

Book Adventure --along with lists of books there is quizzes that kids can take on the books.

PPS Leveled Books Lists

1000 Good Books List

Carol Hurst' Children's Literature Site --collection of book reviews for kids and more

Children's Literature Web Guide

Teacher's and Families Reading Ideas -- reading lists by grade levels, along with a reading theme section for middle and high school students.  There is also a "lifetime reading list" link with a list of books that one should read at least once in their lifetime.

Teenreads.com Ultimate Reading List -- over 400 titles of young adult to adult books that should be enjoyed by teens. List is compiled alphabetically and in a downloadable PDF file

**updated list with additional links added!

Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast Mix

Ingredients: 
6 cups Rice Chex cereal (or Corn Chex)
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (8 oz)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup candy coated peanut butter candies (Reese's Pieces or M&Ms)
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Instructions: 
1. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or waxed paper. Place 3 cups cereal in large bowl. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Pour melted chips over cereal in bowl; stir to evenly coat. Spread mixture in single layer on one of the cookie sheets. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.


2. Repeat the above using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips; refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.


3. Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl. 


4. Add candy and peanuts; stir gently to combine or just sprinkle on top of the mixed coated cereal. Store in airtight container.


Sonshine's Notes:  I made this twice over the holiday weekend and both times it was gone before I could get a picture of it or have any of it myself.  The reviews of teenage boys and my hubby are phenomenal considering they are known for being picky eaters.  They told me that I could make it on a consistent basis and they would not complain about having to eat again!    


The first time I made the mix I just switched things up by using mixing together Corn and Rice Chex and switching out the Reese's Pieces for milk chocolate M&Ms, I still used vanilla and peanut butter chips for the coating. The second time I made it I ended up burning the peanut butter chips during the melting process, so I melted milk chocolate chips with about 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter for part of the coating. Also the second time I didn't have enough cereal to round out the 3 cups for the second half of the mix so I broke up some pretzel sticks in half and put them in with the cereal to coat.  As for the candies and peanuts, I didn't measure these items, I sprinkled them on top after mixing the coated cereal on one of the cookie sheets.