Kid's Halloween Recipe - Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins

Halloween happens to be my favorite holiday! There is something so very precious about little faces painted as ghouls, or glittering in princess hues. Perhaps the appeal is simply celebrating the relief from a torrid summer season and embracing the brisk fresh air, the changing color scape of nature, and the anticipation and return school year socializing. Some say it's just all about the CANDY - and really, who can argue with that . . . Trick-or-Treat!

My kids are still a tad too young (3 and 4 years old) for the ultra ghoulish and gory Halloween decorating. Jack-o-Lanterns and ghosts are about as scary as we get at the moment. My children have, however, turned my home into a proper pumpkin patch. We have not carved any Jack-o-Lanterns as of yet (carve them too early and they go rotten by Halloween) but we have cut eyes, noses and mouths from yellow construction paper and taped them to the pumpkins.

I came up with these tasty Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins because it gave my little chefs yet another chance to put faces the beloved orange squash.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
3 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
1 Package (10 oz., about 40) Regular Marshmallows -OR- 4 Cups Miniature Marshmallows
6 Cups Rice Krispies
Orange Food Coloring
Assortment of Jellybeans, Bridge Mix, Licorice and Gumdrops for Decorating

Our young chefs begins by adding 3 tablespoons of butter to a large pan. I melt the butter over very low heat to avoid a scalding pot for little hands.

When the butter has been melted, our chefs adds 4 cups of miniature marshmallows.

I return the pan to the stove and heat again on a low temperature until the marshmallows are completely melted.

Seeing as orange is not a standard color in the food coloring pack, I added 2 drops of red coloring and 6 drops of yellow coloring.

6 cups of Rice Krispies were added to our colored marshmallow melt.

The mixture was allowed to cool for a few minutes before little buttered fingers began shaping 1/2 cup portions into balls.
An assortment of Jellybeans, Bridge Mix, Licorice and Gumdrops were used to design faces on our tasty Jack-O-Lanterns.

Thanks so much for joining us and we do hope you enjoy this festive twist on such a classic children's treat. The Chef's Emporium wishes you and your little ones a very frighteningly sweet Halloween. If you have any great kid's recipes for fall or Halloween, we'd love to hear you at info@chefsemporium.net.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!