Weird List Wednesdays: Fall-Related Items

Since the first day of fall was this past Tuesday, I wanted to list everyone's favorite fall items - activites, festivals, foods, etc. I got a lot of diversified answers, including some great ones from my kids. Hope you find some great things to do, see, eat & drink this fall!

EVENTS/PLACES TO VISIT

• Back in the Swing Retail Therapy
  (Greater KC area, KS & MO)
• Jared Coones Pumpkin Run/Walk
  (Olathe, KS)
• HillOween costume party
  (Kansas City, MO)
• Louisburg Ciderfest
  (Louisburg, KS)
• Maple Leaf Festival
  (Baldwin, KS)
• Circleville Pumpkin Show
  (Circleville, OH)
• Wikipedia list of Fall Festivals in the US
  Find one near you! :)

ACTIVITIES

• football - playing & watching!
• watching marching bands
• visiting pumpkin patches
• carving pumpkins
• corn mazes
• hayrides
• picking out our Halloween costumes
• visiting with family on Thanksgiving
• making a bonfire
• cuddling by the fire
• trick-or-treating
• handing out candy to the little tricker treaters
• raking leaves
• hunting
• picking apples
• jumping in leaves
• Homecoming
• leaf fights
• costume parties

FOODS / DRINKS

• chili
• ham & beans w/ honey cornbread
• apple cider
• hot cocoa
• apple cider
• cider donuts
• apple crisp
• pumpkin pie
• candy corn
• caramel apples
• pumpkin pie
• turkey & dressing
• cranberry sauce
• big Thanksgiving dinners

MISCELLANEOUS

• cooler weather
• breaking out the favorite hoodie
• extra blankets
• jeans and sweatshirts
• watching the leaves change color
• smell of leaves on a cool morning with blue skies overhead

Happy Autumn Everyone!!

Rice Krispies....treats?

Seriously...treats? Whoever named these things must have never actually MADE them! The boys' birthday is tomorrow and instead of cupcakes or a cake for school (which, since they have about 15 minutes for parties, aren't encouraged) I made these little buggers for their class party. What the #$%^ was I thinking?

They SOUND easy..but they always leave a big mess in my kitchen. And mine never quite harden like they're supposed to - either too much marshmallow or not enough. AARRGGHH.

Here's some tips I learned in my last few endeavors into treat hades:

1. This is NOT a kid-friendly activity. Although the commercials always show a happy mom and well-behaved little kids, it just isn't that way. You're working with something sweet, which kids will want to "dig into" - while they forget the marshmallow mix is HOT and STICKY. The STICKY part making the HOT part worse cuz you can't get it off your fingers while it's burning you. Also, I have noticed it's usually little GIRLS in the commercials. Little boys are not that much fun to cook with - they get overexcited and crazy! Especially something for their own birthday!
   Note for future reference: Make these AFTER bedtime.
   
2. Marshmallow creme or fluff is NOT the same as using marshmallows. I learned that you don't need near as much creme/fluff to make the same amount of melted 'mallows.
   Note for future reference: 10oz of marshmallows = (approx.) 7oz creme/fluff
   
3. Marshmallow creme is NOT easier to use. It might melt faster, but it's messier and it's harder to get out of the container. Therefore, you're not exactly sure HOW MUCH you're using. And you just end up with it on your arms, clothes, countertop, etc.
   Note for future reference: Go with the marshmallows. Try the colored ones for a change, too. See if you can get a rainbow effect?
   
4. Measure the cereal BEFORE you start. Seems like an easy thing, right? But, if you're making a double batch (like I usually have to d0) and your largest measuring cup is only 4 cups, you have to meaure at least 2 or 3 times. As i write this I realize i may have only put in 2/3 of the amount I was supposed to use for a double batch. Crap! Oh well..too late now!
   Note for future reference: Measure out the full amount, stick it in a big bowl and use that to pour it in.
   
5. Prepare the dish(es) before you start. Seriously, you could have a big gloppy mess and no where to put it. Ooops!
   Note for future reference: Baking spray is your best friend - use it FIRST.
   
6. Don't turn on the burner until the butter AND marshmallow (creme) is in the pot! I always forget this one - and end up with boiling butter and about half-browned creme. Since most things I but on the stove require heated up butter or oil or boiling water, I need to really work on this one.
   Note for future reference: Hands off that knob missy!
   
7. The refrigerator is your friend. I read a microwave version of the recipe tonight and it said to chill the treats after putting it in the pan. Duh! I did that tonight and an hour later I already see an improvement over the last time. However, if I really did miss the mark on the amount of cereal (see #4 above), it just may not matter anyway!
   Note for future reference: Place in fridge as soon as you're done!

So - those are my cooking tips if you desire to make these addictive, delicious, oh-so-frustrating, so-called "treats".

Bikini Bread

The first "fruits" of the garden are a half dozen tomatoes, a bucket full of green beans, a dozen squash and seven huge zucchini. These zucchini are, of course, the main ingredient for Bikini Bread.

Small aside here - the boys can't say zucchini all that well, so it comes out as bikini. Hence - Bikini Bread. =)

Emily is helping me make the bread. A single zucchini has produced 4 large loaves and 1 mini-loaf with some leftover! I think we'll make three sets like this, for a total of 12 large loaves and 3 minis. Assuming we have enough of the OTHER ingredients - running a little low on flour right now.

I'm going to take a couple of these to work on Monday and label them Bikini Bread. See if they disappear faster that way. Shh - don't tell Kim!

If anyone is interested in a loaf for themselves, just let me know - I'd love to give it away. Otherwise, it just sits in the freezer or lands on my hips (I ate almost whole loaf by myself in one day a couple years ago - just couldn't stop!).