Fancy Ants on a Log

Rowenna's Note:

I think I'm going to alternatively name it "Gentlemen Ants On A Log". This is just yummy. I made it up for my sister's bug party--we're doing something a little more adult, and a little more fancy, so I updated the recipe for grown-ups (of course, it is still kid-friendly). I used a mixture of imitation honey and splenda--so yes, fiddle with the sweetness and honey flavor as you like.

• Total Time: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 18

Yield: 18.0 logs

• 6 stalks celery
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons unsalted creamy peanut butter or 4 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• raisins (or dried cranberries, or chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips)
• rum (optional)

Directions:

1. Optional Step: Soak raisins in just enough rum to cover for at least one hour, or overnight. You can cook the rum first for a nonalcoholic version for kids. Drain before using.
2. Cut the celery stalks into 2-3 inch logs.
3. Cream together the cream cheese, peanut butter, and honey (the cream cheese and peanut butter can be eyeballed to equal parts; the honey is more to taste. When I'm done, it tastes almost like cheesecake).
4. Spread the peanut butter mixture into the valleys of each log. Alternatively, fill a dessert decorator and pump the peanut butter mixture into the valley like frosting.
5. Line up raisins along the center.
6. Variation:.
7. I won't put up a different recipe for every nifty ants on a log idea I come up with, so here are a couple of ideas:.
8. Spread nutella down the valley of the celery and garnish with raisins.
9. Or, spread Honey Hazelnut Spread (The Anti-Nutella) over the valley of the celery and garnish with raisins.