Last Minute St. Patrick’s Day Treats for Kids

About mid-way through last week, a note accompanied Greenleigh home with news of a St. Patrick’s Day party at school…a party where we need to bring something for the entire class.  Normally, I’m put on chip or juice box duty, but now that she has a new teacher, I’ve been given a new assignment – something sweet.  And there need be enough for 16 people.  As tempting as it was to go and purchase something store bought, I thought about a shamrock cookie cutter set that Erajh bought me a few years back.  We’ve had the cookie cutters for no fewer than 3 years, and yet never used them.  You see, they always tend to disappear around February, only to reappear around April.  Thus, going unused for another year.  But this year, I grabbed them in February before they could escape.

Instead of going the store bought route, I decided to make something simple, but homemade using my cookie cutter set.  And since Rice Krispies Treats are my husbands favorite treats (and so easy to make!), I decided to whip up a batch and make some St. Patrick’s Day themed sweet treats.  The result was delicious and very festive!  The kids in my daughter’s class are going to love these!

You will need:
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
40 large marshmallows
3 Tablespoons of butter or margarine
Green melting chocolate (or you could also use white chocolate and food coloring)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Sprinkles
1 shamrock/clover cookie cutter
Nonstick cooking spray
Wax paper
Cellophane bags (optional)
Scrapbook paper (optional)
Green ribbon (optional)

Step 1 – Make Rice Krispies Treats as usual – Melting butter in saucepan, melting the marshmallows, add Rice Krispies and stir until well blended.  Press Rice Krispies Treats into a greased 13×9 dish, until uniform in thickness.  Allow 20 minutes to cool at room temperature.

Step 2 – Spray cookie cutter with non-stick spray and press into the Rice Krispie Treats.  Gently pull the cookie cutter upwards (you may need to use a knife around the outside of the cookie cutter to make sure you don’t pull the entire thing out of the pan) removing the shamrock shaped treat from the pan.

Step 3 – Place melting chocolates in a small to medium sized bowl and melt (this took approximately 2 1/2 minutes).  Once melted, add oil and stir.

Step 4 – Dip one side of the shamrock in the melted chocolate and then place on wax paper.  If the chocolate appears uneven, use a spatula or knife to even it out.  Sprinkle with sprinkles!  

Step 5 – Optional – Cut green scrapbook paper into a square and place at the bottom of a cellophane bag.  Put treat on scrapbook paper square then tie shut with a ribbon.