Happy Friday to you!  Do you have any fun plans this weekend?  If you are going to the grocery store, you may need to add a few items to the shopping list … I’m sure you will want to make some silly reindeer!  Do you have Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, candy canes, Sixlets, candy eyeballs and pretzel sticks in your pantry?  I’m kind of embarrassed to admit, but really happy that I actually had all of those items in my kitchen!  I couldn’t resist temptation … ignored my “to do” list and made Peanut Butter Cup and Swiss Roll Reindeer for you …

You know that saying … it takes a village to raise a child … believe me when I say, it took a village to create these reindeer!  Here’s the story … I was browsing Pinterest and saw these cute chenille stem reindeer and thought that someday I should make something similar, using some sort of candy.  Then Trish over at Sweetology 101 made these HoHo Reindeer and a light bulb went off in my head!  I found four Swiss Rolls in my freezer … shocked that someone else didn’t eat them … went to work.  I finished, but wasn’t totally happy with the reindeer … sent photos to friends and asked “Dorky or not?” … friends were kind and said “cute” … I wanted to believe them.  Photos were taken and edited … went to bed … woke up at 5am and knew what was wrong … the peanut butter cups were backwards!!!   I made new reindeer … took new photos and laughed at myself … laughed at the reindeer too!

The hubby and Son#3 were enlisted to help me come up with the title/name of these silly reindeer.  The two of them really got into it … were full of suggestions … Santa’s Second String Reindeer (always thinking in football terminology) … Santa’s Back-Up Reindeer, but Son#3 really wanted to name them.  So, I would like to introduce you to …

George and Ralph are living happily on my kitchen counter.  I couldn’t ask for better pets!  Santa may have eight tiny reindeer … we just have two, the back-up reindeer … George and Ralph … until somebody eats them!

This is how you can make your own back-up reindeer.  You will need …

• Little Debbie Swiss Rolls
• Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups (unwrapped)
• Mini Candy Canes
• Red Sixlets
• Candy Eyeballs
• Pretzel Sticks
• Mallow Bits
• Chocolate Candy Coating/Candy Melts (melted)

1. Work on a tray lined with wax paper or parchment.  Give the reindeer four legs – turn a Swiss Roll bottom side up, dip the end of pretzel sticks in melted candy and insert into Swiss roll about 1/2″ to 3/4″ Make sure that all four pretzels are equal in length after they are inserted in the Swiss Rolls to ensure that the reindeer will stand up.
2. Dip the end (about 1/2″) of two mini candy canes in melted candy – lay the canes together (touching) on prepared tray to form antlers – immediately place a peanut butter cup (bottom side up) on the melted candy.  Use melted candy to attach candy eyeballs and nose.
3. Use melted candy to attach the head (hold until set) and tail.

What will you name your reindeer?