From the Kitchen of Angie St. John
The school year is about to begin and it's time to celebrate the little victories that come with the final days of summer break. Here's to one of the easiest and tastiest kid-friendly snacks around! Use this recipe for birthdays, picnics, or for a Sunday treat...and remember to save a few for the lunchbox!
You Will Need:
6 tablespoons of butter (or butter substitute)
1 bag marshmallows
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal, or other rice puffed cereal
1 bag of chocolate chips or meltable chocolate wafers
Any fun ingredient to sprinkle on top - rainbow sprinkles, nuts, crushed candy
Instructions:
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium to low heat.
2. Add marshmallows to the melted butter and stir over low heat until the marshmallows have melted and are smooth with no lumps.
3. Remove the marshmallow/butter mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Dump cereal in a large bowl, and pour the marshmallow/butter mixture over cereal and stir until it's fully mixed together.
5. Set aside and grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, or use parchment paper.
6. Pour the cereal mixture into the pan and gently press to spread it out evenly to all sides and corners.
7. While warm, sprinkle any fun topping on top!
8. If you choose to dip the treats in chocolate, let the treats cool for 30 minutes and then cut into squares. Melt chocolate in a saucepan or microwave and then dip.
Tips for Melting Chocolate:
*Microwave: use a heatproof and microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Remove bowl, stir, and repeat for 30 more seconds. Stir again.
*Saucepan: It's best to use a double boiler so the chocolate doesn't burn. If you don't have one, heat an inch of water in a large saucepan. Place a smaller saucepan directly in the larger saucepan's heated water and put the chocolate chips in the smaller saucepan. The hot water from the large pan will heat the small pan and melt the chocolate without it burning. Be sure to continuously stir the chocolate as it's melting!
