if you are anything like me
pumpkin season makes your soul smile.
the scent. the taste. everything about pumpkins is just glorious.
to kick off the season.
patrick & i threw together some pumpkin snack bars.
they were outstandingly tasty & fun for a toddler to get his hands into.
i love finding recipes that patrick & i can make together.
having a toddler in the kitchen is just so much fun.
and while it can get messy.
and sometimes {read: all the time} recipe directions are not followed.
and dirty little fingers touch all the ingredients.
and one pinch of sugar, mama?
turns into ten handfuls of sugar.
and then ten double fistfuls of sugar. on top of that.
even with all that.
the wonder. the exploration. the intrigue.
of a toddler in the kitchen is just the best.
so even though the recipe was short 1/8 of a cup of brown sugar.
we still carried on.
ok. thats enough little mister.
{it was just before dinner time}
thats enough. patrick. that is enough.
{mentioned dinner was spoiled.}
our measurements were not totally accurate.
but thats ok with toddler friendly recipes.
because what was lacking in ingredients
was made up for with an extra dose of childish love.
so you are probably wondering about these bars . . .
all you need is
3 cups of trader joe's pumpkin o's cereal.
1/2 cup of nestle tollhouse pumpkin spice chips.
1/2 cup of raisins.
1/4 cup of honey.
1/2 stick of butter.
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
combine the butter. honey. & brown sugar. in a microwave safe bowl.
melt in one minute increments. for three minutes total. stirring in between.
add the vanilla to the bowl & whisk together.
it will be a bubbly & extremely hot caramel.
pour in the three cups of pumpkin o's & stir until they are covered with the caramel.
add in the raisins. the cinnamon. & half of the pumpkin chips.
stir well.
line an 8 x 8 pan with tin foil. then grease the foil to ensure the bars don't stick.
pour the mixture into the lined pan & pat down with a spatula.
sprinkle the rest of the pumpkin chips on top.
the next step is the really hard part . . .
put the dish in the fridge for 2-3 hours to cool & harden.
isn't that just torture?!
worth the wait. i promise.
because after they set. you have some delicious pumpkin snack bars to munch on.
let me tell you. they really are a yummy fall treat.
and totally tot approved.
enjoy!
