RICE KRISPIE PUMPKIN TREATS

I usually have no time for special treats like this, but there is just something about the holidays that makes me want to make themed treats, plus Ellis LOVES to help me cook and bake, so I figured we would give these a go on a Friday that I am home with the kids. She is taking them to her preschool class on Monday and she gets pretty darn jazzed about bringing treats to school. They are pretty much your every day rice krispie treat with orange food coloring -- easy peasy. ;)

INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. vanilla extract
red & yellow food coloring or orange gel coloring
5-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal
mini tootsie rolls
green frosting

RECIPE:
In a large saucepan, melt and slightly brown butter on medium heat. Add vanilla extract and marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are completely melted. Add food coloring until desired orange color is reached. Add cereal and stir until completely combined. Turn off heat and let sit for a few minutes, until cool enough to handle. When mixture has cooled enough, spray your hands with cooking spray and mold cereal mix into circles. Unwrap about 14 tootsie rolls and pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Cut them in half lengthwise and shape into stems. Once they are shaped how you want them, pop them in to the freezer for a few minutes so they get hard again. Once they are hard, push them into the top of the pumpkins to make stems. Make some green frosting and use a leaf tip to make leaves.

I made my pumpkins rather small, so the recipe make about 28 mini pumpkin treats.