Hallowe'en the Kelloggs Way

Hallowe'en is definitely my favourite holiday, after Christmas of course. I love the costumes and the scary movies. I love decorating for Hallowe'en with skeletons, cobwebs, and jack-o-lanterns. And my Little Boo loves it too. He's been talking about it since the start of September. His costume was selected and ordered a month ago, along with numerous accessories. (He'll be a ninja.) Of course, I am sure he loves the treats that strangers shell out to him at each door. I mean, seriously, what a scam! Knock on your neighbour's door, have him ooh and aw over your costume, then get a handful of free candy! Rinse and repeat. Sweet! But I think he also loves being outside in the dark, wandering the neighbourhood with me, checking out everyone else's costumes and decorations. It is a pretty fun and special time of year, and we are stoked!

So, I was pretty excited this week to get a package from Kellogg's that included the makings for some yummy Hallowe'en Rice Krispies' treats. Kelloggers received Rice Krispies, marshmallows, Hallowe'en cookie cutters, and an assortment of icings and decorative Hallowe'en candies. I grabbed my seasonal sprinkles, butter and vanilla, and Little Boo and I got to work.

If you haven't made Rice Krispies treats before, well, I don't understand why. They are just about the simplest thing ever, and oh so yummy. You can find the recipe printed inside the cereal box, or online at ricekrispies.ca.

Aside from the great taste, a great feature of the Rice Krispies treat recipe is how easily it lends itself to sculpting treats in different shapes for different occasions. The still warm mixture of melted marshmallows and cereal makes a fun modelling medium, encouraging kids to get involved in the kitchen activities.
Little Boo and I decided today to try a couple of different techniques. To begin, I spread the mixture out onto some waxed paper on the counter. I left it about an inch thick and flattened the top as much as we could. Then we buttered the cookie cutters and LB pressed them in. I also formed some 3D confections, including 2 pumpkins and a witch's hat. LB decorated these with the candies and icing. Sprinkles of orange crystals were a great touch as well.

Basically there were no rules to this activity. I just let him use his imagination and have fun.

We also decided to make a larger Rice Krispies "cake" in the shape of a jack-o-lantern. I just shaped this with my buttered hands, then we both had a hand in the decorations.

The final product was our dessert tonight after dinner. Everyone got to choose their preferred slice.

This was a fun activity for us this afternoon, and definitely fed into Little Boo's excitement for October 31. There's also something just so sweet about how much kids love to share and enjoy treats they've made themselves. I think he was proud of his creations.

You can find lots of ideas for seasonal treats on the Rice Krispies website. There are quite a few directions for Hallowe'en treats, and a huge list for Christmas as well. I think I'm bookmarking that page.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Kelloggers Network and receive special perks as part of my involvement. Regardless, all opinions on this blog remain my own.