I am a big advocate of game nights. They are fun, low-stress, have a little friendly competition, and allow you to make memories with your loved ones that will last a lifetime.
For us– snack and video games go hand in hand. Give us some yummy treats and an awesome game, and we’ll be set for the evening!
Often times, Raileigh and I will bake up something delicious during the afternoon. When my husband gets home from work, we’ll eat dinner and spend the evening munching on dessert and playing video games.
Sometimes, we’ll even put her to bed a little early and enjoy a date night at home. While I love the happy-go-lucky games featuring some of her favorite characters, it’s also nice to pull out Xbox games with a bit more substance that I can play with my husband.
Recently, we had one of these awesome Game Night Date Nights and it was super, super awesome. We’ve been going constantly lately and it was nice to settle in for an evening of video games, snacks, and a little light banter. It took my mind of the overflowing sink of dishes and the laundry that never seems to end.
For our date night in, we picked up the new {to us} Forza 4. It’s a racing game with over 500 cars and 26 tracks. Yes– completely awesome. The vast variety of cars– from road cars to race cars– look so incredibly realistic. It’s pretty easy to envision that you’re actually behind the wheel.
My favorite part of them game, however, is the real-world tracks that are depicted. You can actually race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway! And– the track was just as realistic as the cars. There was some fun fictional tracks as well, but the ones modeled after actual, existing tracks were hands down my favorite.
I also made some snacks for us to enjoy while we played– Rice Krispies Treats Surprise Balls. If there’s one thing about game time snacks, it’s that they must be easy to eat. It’s hard to juggle a big piece of pie and fork while you’re trying to stay in the lead. Instead, you need something more like finger food.
When we’re having a family game night, we often pick up a big bag of M&M’s. Y’all– Raileigh is slightly addicted to these candy-coated chocolates and during game night, an entire bag can disappear before you know it. This time, I picked up a bag of our favorite candy, but decided to use them in a special {yet SUPER easy} recipe– the Rice Krispies Treats Surprise Balls.
You may be thinking… but where are the M&M’s?? That’s the surprise– they are actually inside the Rice Krispies Treat Balls! You bite into one and are surprised with a delicious mixture of chocolate, candy shell, and Rice Krispies Treats. It’s the perfect fun treat for your next game night.
Rice Krispies Treats Surprise Balls
Ingredients:
6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1 bag Mini Marshmallows
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Bag of Milk Chocolate M&M’s {you don’t need the entire bag, so feel free to munch while you bake}
Start by putting the cereal into a large bowl and set aside. Add the marshmallows and butter to a pot. Heat over low heat on the stove top, stirring constantly. When the mixture has melted completely, remove from heat and add in the vanilla. Stir well.
Pour the melted mixture over the cereal and mix well, careful not to crush the cereal in the process. Now, you wan to let the cereal mixture sit for 20 or so minutes. This will allow the mix to firm up slightly and make it easier to work with.
Now, it’s time to have some fun. I always spray my hands with cooking spray before I start working with the Rice Krispies mixture. It helps the sticky mixture not to stick to my hands so much. I also reapply the spray after every other ball.
You’ll want to grab a glob of Rice Krispies Treats– somewhere in between the size of a golf ball and a baseball. Form it into a ball using your hands. Then, using your finger, carefully create an indention in the ball, making it resemble a bowl. Stuff 8-10 M&M’s inside. Now, carefully smoosh the Rice Krispies Treat back into a ball, hiding the M&M’s inside.
Repeat with the remaining Rice Krispies Treats. I was able to make 15 Rice Krispies Treats Surprise Balls– enough for game night and to share with some friends!
I’ve got to tell you… this whole game night just made me want an Xbox One so I can get the upcoming Forza 5. I can only imagine that this game on this revolutionary new system is going to be amazing.
Plus, when you buy Forza 5 and our favorite game night snack, you can get a $10 Gift Card to Walmart in the Buy, Snap, Redeem Promotion! Here’s how that works:
Buy the Forza 5 game for Xbox One.
Buy participating M&M’s products (Participating products include: M&Ms Peanut 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Milk 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut Butter 38oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Pretzel 30oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Milk 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Peanut Butter 18.4oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Pretzel 15.4oz Large Laydown Bag).
Snap a photo of qualifying items on the receipt on your phone and text it to 811811.
You will receive a text back with a reward code valid for a $10 eGift card to Walmart.
Of course, this isn’t valid until November 22 when the system and game releases, so just make a mental note so you don’t miss out on the gift card.
Until then, enjoy your next game night with Forza 4 and M&M’s… because gaming is always better with M&M’s.