Snack Time

Do you ever commit to do something that sounds good at the time, but then when it comes time to actually do it you wonder where your mind was? I'm like this every year with snack sign-up at Francesca's school. Each parent is asked to sign up for five days each year to bring a snack for the class. Of course I have to be one of the first moms to get her hands on that sign up datebook. Of course I anxiously flip through looking for the "good days." You know, the special days - birthdays and holidays. Since Francesca's birthday is in July, that leaves me with holidays. Ooooh, she's at school on October 30th but not the 31st, so I'll make snack on the 30th and it will be some wonderful, amazing, oooh and ahh theme snack!

Yeah right.

Here it is. October 29th. I look at the calendar and there, staring at me in red ink, it says "SNACK." Crap. What to make? Not cupcakes - Francesca is allergic to eggs, plus they get cupcakes at least 37 times each week as it is. I could buy popcorn balls, but the Martha Stewart in me cringes at taking in a store-bought popcorn ball. Plus some of the kids are barely three years old and heaven forbid I be the one who supplies the choking hazard. So what to make???

I happened to go to WalMart today on a beans run (no pun intented). Somehow, we have depleted everything in our pantry with the word "beans" on it - kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, white beans, and even the non-legume green beans. So it was off to the Super WalMart for cans. (Which suddenly brings to mind a scene from "The Jerk" with Steve Martin shouting "He hates these cans!!!") But I digress.

While pushing a can-filled cart around the evil-yet-awesome superstore, I was inspired. Rice Krispie treats! But not just any Rice Krispie treats - oh no, these are going to be Halloween Rice Krispie treats. And what does that mean, you ask? I haven't a clue. All I know is that Francesca is going for a nap in 3 minutes and then I will have approximately 1 hour 22 minutes to whip up an awe-inspiring Halloween version of a classic treat. I'm thinking there may need to be food coloring involved....

So I'm off to google "Halloween Rice Krispie" treats and hope for inspiration in the form of items I have readily available in my kitchen. Wish me luck!