S'mores Rice Krispie Treats

.  Hi all!

Like I promised, I do have one last [what I would call] summer goodie for you all.  And after this week, things will start to once again get a little crazy around here, so we might as well get right to it.

I actually made these rice krispie treats a couple of weeks back for our dog sitter when I went back to Omaha for Hollyann's wedding shower [pictures and details to come, just one of the many things I'd like to fill everyone in on!].  Having never met the dog sitter, who literally stayed in our apartment all weekend watching the pups, I felt like something 'classic' would be my best bet.  And be it the end of the summer and they hadn't made their 2013 debut yet, s'mores it was!

Unfortunately, these krispie treats got some mixed reviews.  Half of the people absolutely chowed them, while a select few said they were a bit bland.  Bland in that the rice krispie part didn't have enough chocolatey flavor.  But I guess I thought a whole cup of chocolate chips in an 8x8-inch pan would suffice...!

My personal opinion?  When it gets down to it, if you like regular rice krispie treats, then you will most definitely like these addicting suckers.  Let's review why...

I loved the chewy yet crunchy rice krispie bar studded with chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces and roasted 'mallows nestled within each and every bite.  And did I mention that ooey-gooey pull apart-ness you can only get with the one and only rice krispie treat?  And since summer is nearly over, this summer classic with a twist is truly a perfect way to end the season.

Anywho, as I mentioned above, our schedules are about to get hectic once again.  There seemed to be a lull of about...a week...but starting this weekend we're back at it.  I'll be heading to MN to see the fam-bam while Robbie will be heading down south to Winfield, KS, for his cousin's wedding.  A couple of weeks following the long Labor Day weekend, we'll be heading to Omaha for Robbie's friend's wedding and Danny's baptism.  Then the next weekend we'll be heading right back to Omaha for Hollyann's wedding reception.  After that final weekend in early October, things should slow down a bit before the whirlwind of holidays hits.  And along the way, things will probably start to focus a little more on us and our own wedding we have yet to plan.

Whew.  2013, you've been a ride!  .

Adapted from The Baker Chick

Ingredients:

3 c. rice krispie cereal

4 graham cracker sheets, broken into bite-sized pieces

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 (10 oz.) bag mini marshmallows

3 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Spray an 8x8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rice krispie cereal, graham cracker pieces, and chocolate chips.  Reserve 1 cup of mini marshmallows and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Add remaining marshmallows and stir until mixture is thick and marshmallows are completely melted.
4. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the large bowl with the rice krispie mixture and use a spatula to stir it all together.  Press into an even layer in the prepared pan.
5. Turn on the oven broiler.  Evenly spread the reserved marshmallows over the top of the rice krispie bars.  Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown [watch carefully!] and remove from oven.
6. Allow bars to cool in the fridge for half an hour before serving.

Yield: 16 bars

Brownie Fantasy Bars

.  And the chaos continues.

I'm not really sure how it's happened but the next month or two of my life is jam packed with events, including babies, weddings, and a special baking opportunity I'll fill you in on later.

It's all very exciting but a touch overwhelming when you throw in the fact that I work 8-5 err'day.  And 99% of the time, work is on my mind anyway.  Boo.  But I can't complain, none of these upcoming things are obligations, so it should all be fun-filled...I hope.

But one thing I am uber excited about is the trip to Colorado Robbie and I will be making this weekend.  In our typical fashion, this trip was decided upon maybe last week and we're setting out for the beautiful mountains Friday after work.  Word has it [and the Weather Channel confirms] that Colorado is filled with massive amounts of snow, and though I'd like to get away from this winter-weather-in-spring climate, I can never get enough of the Colorado scenery.  So give it to me.

But before we head off, I figured one last treat was in order.  And this is one monstrous dessert, comparable to the mountain slopes I'll be hittin' in a few days.  And I'm fo reals...no joking here.  This is easily the thickest and most decadent bar I've made to date.  Brace yourselves.

Brownie Fantasy Bars are pretty much that.  One big fat fantasy of a baked goodie.  Not just one, but two batters are somewhat swirled together and absolutely stuffed with crunchy rice cereal, gooey marshmallows, rich semisweet and milk chocolate chips, chewy dates, decadent Oreo cookies, nutty walnuts, and a trio of baking chips topping.  

Whoa.

Now I know what you're thinking, how could all of those things really come together to make an unforgettable bar?  Well...how can they not?!

Trust my taste buds, which have sacrificed themselves for the better of the baking community and tested more cookies and bars than I care to even admit.  These are legit.  And you.  will.  love them.

Have a wonderful rest of the week my dearest readers, until Monday!  .

Adapted from A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:

Blondie Batter:

3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

1-1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Brownie Batter:

1 c. unsalted butter, melted

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. all purpose flour

2 c. rice cereal

1 c. mini marshmallows

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 c. milk chocolate chips

1 scant c. chopped dates

2 c. chopped Oreo cookies

1 c. chopped walnuts

Topping:

1/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. butterscotch chips

1/4 c. white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F.  Generously spray 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. For the blondie batter, blend butter and brown sugar.  Mix in eggs and vanilla extract.  Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt to make a soft batter.  Set aside.
3. For the brownie batter, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour and mix well.  Fold in cereal, marshmallows, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dates, Oreos, and walnuts, using a large spatula or wooden spoon.
4. Place the brownie batter into the prepared pan and use wet hand to spread the batter evenly.  Spoon the blondie batter over the brownie mix and spread evenly.  Using the handle of the spatula or a knife, marbleize the two batters by using up and down motions with the handle.
5. Bake 45 minutes or until set and spots of the blondie batter seem set and slightly browned. Immediately sprinkle on the semisweet, butterscotch, and white chocolate chips and smear with a knife as chips melt.  Refrigerate two hours before cutting.

Yield: 2 dozen bars

The One and Only: Scotcharoos

.  Oh hey.  Yes, I'm alive.  Barely.

Telling from the lack of posts the last couple of weeks, you can most likely guess that the CWS and Tasty Bites kept both Robbie and I fairly busy.  Fairly may be an understatement though.

But regardless, the crazy crowds, too many cheese curds, and ample family time are things that I wouldn't have traded for anything.  It was a crazy time but I think we all had too much fun.  And you can bet I'd do it all over again!  Pictures to come...

Unfortunately I had to miss the last couple of Foamer softball games [the cheese curd trailer was a-callin'!] and I'm also missing tonight's game because Robbie and I are heading to the Olympic Swim Trials here in Omaha.  I wish I could say I was a bit sad I'm missing out on softball, but Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte won't wait around.  Sorry, Foamers!

But I did want to leave you with the treat I made for the last softball game I went to and let me tell you.  I'm proud.   A little addition to this classic, nostalgic goodie is what takes it over the edge.  And fortunate for you, I'm sharing ☺

I actually got this recipe from my softball BFF's mom, who used to make these Scotcharoo Bars every once in a while for weekend games.  And until I got the recipe, I never could quite put my finger on what made these things so dang addicting.

You may have heard these bars called many things: Special K Bars, Rice Krispy Treats, etc.  But in the end, they're all one in the same.  Except for this recipe.  And being involed in sports my entire life, you can bet I've had my fair share of different versions of Rice Krispy Treats.  And this one is easily, most definitely, my absolute favorite.  And in the spirit of getting you to make these simple bars, I won't fill you in on the secret ingredient.  Looks like you'll have to make them for yourself, my dears!  .

Ingredients:

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 c. rice crispy cereal

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

2 c. butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Spray 13x9-inch pan with non stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat together light corn syrup and sugar until boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla extract.
3. Stir in rice crispy cereal and then gently pat into prepared pan (the harder you press, the thinner your bars will be).  
4. In a microwave safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butterscotch chips and stir until smooth.  Evenly spread mixture over the top of the rice crispy bars.  Let cool until topping is set.  

Yield: 2 dozen bars

Tried & True Tuesday: Kitchen Sink Cookies

. Whew, what a whirlwind [but faaaaantastic] weekend!  You know those weekends that you just don't want to end?  It was one of those...

Let me start from the beginning.  Bacon-loving friend and I decided quite a while ago that we wanted to make a trip up to Minne to shop our little hearts out visit my family and maybe see an attraction or two [MOA, MOA, MOA!].  So this last Friday after work, we packed up my car and made the seemingly endless car ride through Iowa and up to the Twin Cities.  We wandered on in to the darkness of Woodbury around 11 P.M. where my parents welcomed us with [of course] food, food, and more food!  Always a wonderful way to end a long day of work and driving ☺

The next morning, Saturday, we woke up at the crack of dawn to make it to our hair appointments (yes, I made hair appointments for us.  We were getting everything out of this trip that we could!).  I ended up not changing much [surprise, surprise] but Bacon-loving friend added some bangs and a wonderfully rich chocolate brown tint to her hair.  Fortunately, she loved the new do and I have to add that it's super cute!  Great choice, my dear.

Then, we traveled on over to the cities so I could show off the infamous Salty Tart.  Remember this place?  It's where I interned a few summers back and really found my love and passion for great baking.  I'd already had a huge interest but seeing Michelle work her magic, yet still remaining ridiculously modest, was awe-inspiring.  I really can't say enough about this woman, she's touched my life in a way that she'll probably never know.  But anywho, I took some pictures of our experience there so I'll be posting those later on.  Now back to our Minne adventures!

After a little treat for Bacon-loving friend [I had to make her try something so she could know first hand the delight that is the Salty Tart], we finally made our way to the Mall of America (a.k.a. MOA, as mentioned above).  And boy was that place a sight to see!  I realized I hadn't been back to Minne, as well as the mall, since last November!  Geesh, that's just weird.  So needless to say some of the stores had changed but it was still the same ol' mall I know and love.  We spent the rest of the day there, walking around every floor and hitting some of the stores on our list.  Eventually fatigue got the best of us so we headed home to hang out with the family for the rest of the night.

But don't worry, after a teensy bit of sleep, we were up again on Sunday and out at the mall by 10:30 A.M., prepared to shop 'till we drop!  We made our way to some of the stores that we skipped over the previous day and then geared ourselves up to travel across the street to Ikea.  If you've ever been to an Ikea store, you know how unbelievably large they are!  But that didn't phase us, we walked through the entire building looking at every piece of furniture and knick-knack they made.  Bacon-loving friend made a great coffee table purchase and I found a few baking supplies and house decorations.  All in all...success!

After a great dinner at a restaurant in Woodbury with my parents, pure exhaustion settled in and we didn't move from the couch the rest of the night.  I've always felt like I can hold up pretty well, but Bacon-loving friend definitely showed me up in this department.  While sometimes I felt like I couldn't go on, she was raring to go.  In the end though I'm glad, we were there for such a short time so there was no room for my baby-ness.  No mercy!

Then on Monday, we made the lame-o drive back to Omaha and back to reality.  It's always a bummer, that return trip, but I guess I'd rather have a great weekend and suffer through that drive back then not have those couple of days at all.  Agreed?

So now let's get to this recipe.  I chose Kitchen Sink Cookies, from A Passion for Baking, not only for their addictive nature.  No, not the entire reason.  But you know that feeling when you may be leaving for the weekend or perhaps returning from a trip, and you have all kinds of left over ingredients in your kitchen?  What to do, what to do?!  Well, this is a great recipe to use up that odd array of ingredients.  I mean really, there's everything in these but the kitchen sink!  And what you get from this recipe is MmMmm, goodness!  These cookies are soooft, yet chewy, with a crunchiness from the rice cereal, chocolatey yumminess, and caramelized marshmallows.  Umm, not one of those things sounds bad to me so there's next to no reason that these cookies aren't ridiculously delish.  Yes, delish.

Hope everyone had a lovely Memorial Weekend, by the way!  Enjoy these little guys! .

Kitchen Sink Cookies

from A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1-1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 c. sugar

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 c. rolled oats

2 c. crisp rice cereal

1-1/2 c. miniature marshmallows

1/2 c. butterscotch chips

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. chopped milk chocolate bar

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In mixer bowl, cream softened and melted butter with brown sugar, sugar and vanilla extract.  Add eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and blend well.  Stir in oats, rice cereal, marshmallows, butterscotch chips, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate pieces, and coconut, to make well blended cookie dough.
3. For each cookie, scoop 2 to 3 tablespoons dough and place on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set all over (crisp edges and some marshmallows leaking out).  

Yield: 36 cookies

*My Notes:

• I used 2 heaping tablespoons of dough for each cookie and packed them together into a cylinder, like I've previously done with other cookies.  This made 3 dozen cookies for me, but you can get more or less depending on how much dough is used for each cookie.
• While the cookies are baking, I kept the dough in the fridge so the batter wouldn't get too warm.  This prevents the dough from spreading too thin while in the oven and gives you a more plump cookie.