Valentine Heart Cereal Treats

I usually make rice krispy treats, but when I found these heart shaped Quaker Whole Hearts cereal in my supermarket I had to try making valentine treats with them.   This version is very tasty ~ with a flavorful mix of peanut butter, marshmallows, chocolate candys and an oat cereal (the oat cereal part is the good for you part!)  When I stirred my chocolate candys in they melted a bit and broke up, thus you don't see clean, pretty colored M and M's ~ but that's OK they were still a hit. 

Recipe
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 package miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5 cups Quaker Whole Hearts Cereal
1 cup Valentine M and M candies
Line a 9 X 13" pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
Place butter and marshmallows in a large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted.  Stir in peanut butter until blended.  Add the cereal and the candies and mix.  Spoon into prepared pan, and flatten down evenly.  Cool, then cut into heart shapes  with a cookie cutter, or slice into squares.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Shaped Candy Corn Rice Krispy Treats

Here's a fun and easy Fall and Halloween treat, Candy Corn Rice Krispy Treats.  They can be cut into a pumpkin shape by pressing a pumpkin cookie cutter into the set mixture, or just cut into squares or triangles.  Though I don't care for candy corn, mixed together with the marshmallow and krispy cereal it adds a nice sweetness and flavor!

 

1/4 cup  butter

6 cups Miniature Marshmallows

6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal

2 cups candy corn

Melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Add marshmallows; cook until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients; using a buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool, then press cookie cutter for desired shapes.

Recipe source:  Kraft.com

Wrap them up in individual treat bags and tie with colored ribbons to give as treats.  Kids love these :)

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Pumpkin Cookie Cutter available in my store here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B00004WHQK

 

 

St. Paddy's Rice Krispy Treats

Everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day right? Even me this all Italian girl.  Here is a fun and simple treat that the kids can help with.

 

3 1/2 Tbsp  butter or marg
1 package mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk + more if needed
Americacolor green leaf food coloring
Shamrock or green sparkling sprinkles
Sugar decoration-optional

Prepare 9X13 pan- line with parchment paper and fold up along pan edges, creasing at the corners, coat with baking spray.  
Melt butter in a large pot over low heat, add the marshmallows and stir into butter with a wooden spoon until melted.  Remove from heat and pour in cereal, stir until evenly coated, then spread and press mixture into prepared pan evenly.  Let cool, then cut into squares or rectangles or even clover shapes as desired.
While cooling prepare royal icing:  Put the confectioners sugar in a mixing bowl, add the milk slowly and stir with a fork or whisk until you get a consistency of icing to dip the treats in, add a drop at a time of food coloring and mix until you get desired green color. This is the part the kids can have a lot of fun, warning - it can be messy:  Dip treats into icing on one side, drip excess icing back into the bowl, then lay to dry on wax paper.  Sprinkle as desired with sprinkles and decorations, let completely set.  You can also use this icing to dip and decorate sugar cookies with, I did this with shamrock cookies:

 

Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day :)

Valentine Rice Krispy Treats

I love to make desserts for my valentines.  And I love transforming a simple and favorite treat by adding some color and shape to it, like these heart shaped rice krispy treats.  This is a fun and easy recipe that your children can participate in from beginning to end!

Recipe:
4 Tbs butter or margarine
1 10 1/2 oz package mini marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Valentine colored nonpareils - sprinkles 
Heart sprinkle/candy mix


Prepare a 13x9x2 inch pan by pressing a piece of parchment inside large enough to cover surface and sides of pan.
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat, add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat and add rice krispies cereal, stir until well coated, sprinkle about 2 Tbs nonpareils and stir into mixture.  Using a spatula sprayed with baking spray, evenly press mixture into pan.  While still warm sprinkle more nonpareils over top as desired.  Let cool, then using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut into heart shapes.  Top each heart with a heart shaped candy or sprinkle - (Wilton sells varieties of these in craft stores) and lightly press.

I made some baby hearts too with a mini heart cutter 
Package them up in a clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon and their ready to give to your sweet valentine/s