A Delicious New Foe

I love pumpkin.  Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice Coffee, Pumpkin Anything!  So last week I noticed my baby's daddy had some pumpkin mix left over from some pumpkin pancakes he had made for us the week before.  What to do with it?  Then it came to me.  The clouds parted, the sun shone down upon me, and a choir of angels could be heard not far off into the distance.

Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats!

So, I go shopping for the essentials: butter (I was almost out), more pumpkin (I had a notion the left over pumpkin was no longer safe to eat), Rice Krispies, marshmallows, and I picked up some Tollhouse chocolate chips for good measure (why not combine two of my favorite things: pumpkin and chocolate?).

Figuring that someone had thought of this long before, I went searching for a recipe.  I found many, but none of them used actual pumpkin, they all used the pumpkin spice seasoning.  This was not what I was looking for.  Lo and behold I found it, eventually.  A lovely recipe on the blog "in sock monkey slippers" came across my path and I decided to try it.  

I read the list of ingredients and got out everything I needed.  I measured out the spices and put them in a bowl, and then measured out the pumpkin puree and added it to the spices.  I mixed.  I measure out the Rice Krispies and put them in another bowl, and measure out 1 cup of chocolate chips, putting them in yet another bowl.  I get out my skillet, heat it, and cut 5 tablespoons of butter from a stick 1 tablespoon at a time, and add them to the heated skillet 1 tablespoon at a time, so it will melt faster.

The first step was to melt and brown the butter so it will caramelize.  Ok, I should now let you know that I am cooking stupid.  I just don't have the gift.  I can follow a recipe if its not too complicated, but that's about it.  So, when  I saw I had to caramelize butter, I panicked a little.  My desire to try this recipe trumped the fear of me burning it, so I trudged on, and voila!  I can caramelize butter!!

I'm feeling pretty darn proud of myself at this point.  Here I am, at midnight, with a skillet full of hot butter that I have successfully browned, and my bowls measured out before me waiting patiently to be added to the mixture and fulfill their destinies.  In my head I see myself and my little layout and its just like some cooking show.  Its kinda cool.

To the butter I add the marshmallows and then the pumpkin puree mix.  See, this is what I get for not reading directions.  I wasn't supposed to add the spices to the pumpkin, I was supposed to wait to add them after the marshmallows and pumpkin puree had already melted and mixed.  Oh well, I can't imagine it will change the outcome of the Rice Krispie Treats.  I did read ahead far enough to know that once the mix is melted, I need to step away from the mixture for about 10 minutes so it will thicken, and the rice krispies won't be a soggy mess of goo after mixed in.  

Finally, its time and I mix in the cereal.  I decide to mix in the chocolate chips as well, thinking that the mixture will have cooled enough that it won't melt the chips.  I was wrong.  They started melting almost immediately.  *sigh*  Had I read the recipe all the way through, I would have known that they were to be melted on their own and drizzled over the tops of the rice krispy treats.  Lesson learned, I must read the recipe in its entirety and not make assumptions. 

Damage done, I continue to stir and just try to get the chocolate even all the way through the mixture.  Its still pumpkin and chocolate, so I can't imagine this will damage the deliciousness of the final product.  I scoop the mixture into Tupperware for cooling, and eat the bits that are left over.  

Yum.  OOOOH YUM!!! 

This recipe, people, is delicious.  If you'd like to enjoy it yourself, here's the link: http://www.insockmonkeyslippers.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-rice-krispie-treats

In case the page the link takes you to is deleted, here are the ingredients and the instructions (copied and pasted directly from the site):

Brown Butter Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats makes 12 treats

• 5 Tbs butter, unsalted
• 1 16 ounce package of marshmallows
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, or paste
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 7 cups Rice Krispies Cereal or other puffed rice cereal

optional ingredients:

• for squares: 1 cup dark chocolate chips (60% cacao or higher)
• for pumpkins: 12 tootsie rolls, green cookie icing

1.In a large, preferably non-stick, pot heat butter over medium-low heat until it turns light brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. It will bubble, foam, and then caramelize.

2.Once the butter is browned, add marshmallows and pumpkin puree and turn the heat down to low. Stirring occasionally, cook the marshmallows until they are completely melted. Remove from heat.

3.To the melted marshmallows, add the pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, vanilla, and sea salt. Stir to combine.

4.This next step is important. Stiring occasionally allow the marshmallow mixture to cool and become thicker. This takes about 10 minutes. If you add the Rice Krispies too soon they will just get soggy in the hot marshmallows. Once the marshmallow mixture is cooled and thickened add the Rice Krispies. Stir and fold until combined.

5.For traditional Rice Krispie Treat Squares: pour the mixture into a buttered (not oiled) 13x9x2 baking dish or pan. Allow to cool and set for 15 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares and remove from dish. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, checking and stirring in between, until melted. Pour the chocolate into a Ziploc bag. With scissors, cut a small slit in the corner and use it as you would a piping bag drizzling the chocolate over the rice krispie treats. Allow the chocolate to set then serve.

 6. For the pumpkins: skip the baking pan and pour directly on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Allow to cool and set for 5 to 10 minutes until pliable. Grab a large handful and form into a ball. Greased hands help with this. Insert a tootsie roll at the top for a pumpkin stem. With green cookie frosting create pumpkin vines and leaves around the base of the stem. Serve.