Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

Printable Version of Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats Recipe

Hello everyone!  Sorry it has been so long since I have updated the blog, I have been having a flare up of my MS.  I am feeling better though, so today I decided to make an easy and fun Halloween treat! 

I made up this recipe last year when I was trying to think of something diet friendly to bring to a Halloween party.  They are extremely easy to make, healthier than the original Rice Krispie Treats, and everyone seems to love them.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

- 6-7 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal (Preferably Kelloggs)

- 1 bag of  Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows 

- 1.5 tablespoons of Mazola Vegetable Oil (Or any other flavorless and odorless oil - this is very important!)

- 2 boxes of Mike & Ike candy 

- Orange food coloring (or a mixture of red and yellow food coloring)

- Pam non-stick cooking spray

- Wax paper or tinfoil sprayed with Pam

- 2 cookie sheets

First, cover two cookie sheets with wax paper.  If you do not have wax paper, you can use tinfoil.  If using tinfoil, spray one of the cookie sheets with Pam.  

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan on medium-low heat.  Then, add the entire bag of marshmallows.  

Start stirring with a wooden spoon and continue stirring constantly until the marshmallows are almost completely melted.  After that, add a generous amount of food coloring until the marshmallows are a deep orange color.  

Continue stirring until all lumps are gone. 

Take the saucepan off of the heat and add 6-7 cups of rice krispie cereal.  Stir the cereal until it is completely incorporated.  

Scoop all of the rice krispie treat mixture onto one of the cookie sheets (use the greased cookie sheet if using tin foil).  Let the mixture cool for about a minute (or less) until it is cool enough to handle with your hands. 

Now, working quickly, grab handfuls of the rice krispie mixture and roll it into a ball.  The balls should be about the size of golf balls.  Put each ball on the second cookie sheet (use the non-greased cookie sheet if using tin foil). You need to work continuously until you finish, you don't want the mixture to harden on you. 

After all the pumpkins are made, poke the top of each one with your finger and place a green Mike & Ike candy in the top.  Voila! You have Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats! There should be about two dozen or more.  

Tip:  I suggest that you wrap them with saran wrap or put them in an airtight container so that they don't get stale. 

Please leave a comment if you make these delicious treats! Happy Halloween! 

 

Baked Italian Chicken Tenders and Garlic Fries

Printable Version of Baked Buffalo Chicken Recipe

Printable Version of Baked Garlic Fries Recipe

Yes, I know I already made some baked chicken tenders, but I had some leftover buttermilk that needed to be used before it went bad so I made this meal for dinner tonight!  The chicken tender recipe is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe that I altered and the fry recipe is a great recipe from Ellie Krieger. Ellie Krieger has a great show called "Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger" that I highly recommend if you are looking for healthy recipes!  

Ingredients: 

Chicken Tender Ingredients: 

- Extra virgin olive oil 

- McArthur Cultured Low Fat Buttermilk

- 2 pounds of chicken breast, cut into tenders 

- 1 1/4 cup Panko Italian seasoned breadcrumbs 

- 1 1/4 cup Jacyln's Italiean seasoned breadcrumbs (or any other organic brand you like!)

Garlic French Fries Ingredients: 

- 6 Idaho potatoes 

- 6 cloves of garlic, minced 

- 5 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 

- 1 tsp kosher salt 

- 1 tbsp of fresh or dried Italian parsley 

Preheat the oven to 500° F

First, cut the chicken breasts up into chicken tenders. 

Then, put the chicken tender pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk all over them.  Toss the chicken tenders in the buttermilk to make sure they are completely coated.  Cover the bowl and put them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  

While the chicken is marinating, cut the potatoes into French fries.  To do this, cut the ends off of the potato, then cut the potato in half lengthwise, then cut the halves in half lengthwise.  After that, cut each piece into strips that are the same size.  Then cut each strip into individual fries.  Try to cut each fry the same size so that they cook evenly.

Once the fries are cut, heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on medium high heat.  Add the minced garlic to the oil and stir continuously to avoid the garlic from burning.  

Once the garlic is browned and crispy (after about 2 minutes), take the pan off of the heat.  Then, strain the garlic through a small strainer so that you separate the garlic pieces from the oil.

Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to the oil, stir a little to combine, and then coat the fries with the oil. 

Cover a baking sheet with olive oil and spread the fries over the pan evenly so that each fry is touching the sheet. Bake the fries in the oven for 30-35 minute or until browned and crisp.  Don't forget to turn the fries over once in the middle of baking.  Sprinkle the garlic pieces and parsley over the fries.  

While the fries are baking, mix the Panko Italian breadcrumbs with the regular Italian bread crumbs. 

Then, take each buttermilk coated chicken tender and dip it into the bread crumbs.  Gently pat the breadcrumbs so that they stick well to the chicken tenders.  Put all the pieces of breaded chicken tenders on a baking sheet coated with oil.  Drizzle some more olive oil on top of the chicken tenders and put them in the oven. Bake the chicken tenders for 12-15 minutes or until browned and cooked through. 

Tip: Put the fries on the bottom rack of the oven and the chicken tenders on the second rack.  The french fries need more time to cook and this will help speed up the process.  

Serve the chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauce.  I love them with ketchup! 

Enjoy and please let me know what you think!