Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

I wanted to make something different for our monthly craft gathering in September. I didn't have a lot of time to bake, I wanted something fairly healthy and I was intrigued by a set of recipes, centered around peanut butter, featured in Health magazine.

I decided the dessert-y peanut butter recipe was the one I'd go with, and I substituted the rice cereal I had in my pantry for the brown rice cereal called for in the recipe.

I really liked these bars - they were packed full of protein and were a great snack that was super quick and easy to make. I think they'd be delicious with dried cranberries, too. My only complaint? They got really crumbly when they were out of the refrigerator for an extended period of time. They were yummy and crunchy when they were chilled.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
6 cups crispy brown rice cereal
2/3 cup chopped dried cherries

Directions:

Combine peanut butter and honey in a large pot; cook over medium-low heat until they are melted together (about 2-3 minutes).

Add cereal and cherries to the mixture; stir until sticky.

Press into 9- x 13-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Chill in refrigerator 40 minutes.

Cut in to squares, serve.

Source: Health magazine

Rice Krispies Raisin Cookies

I had some leftover raisins from these cookies and had no idea what to make with them. After thinking about it for a bit, I remembered a cookie that I used to make while in middle and high school, in my earlier baking days. I knew I had the recipe in a notebook that I started after taking home economics in eighth grade (and because I find it impossible to throw anything away I still have that notebook).

I found it quickly and thought my writing and the spots of butter/oil/who knows what was rather telling of this recipe's age and how much use it got.

I honestly cannot remember the last time I made these cookies, and I don't know why they fell out of my go-to rotation. For folks who don't have or like raisins, chocolate chips can be substituted for the raisins. I used both for this batch, and I doubled it, although in hindsight, a single batch would have been plenty.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup margarine or butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.

2. In large electric mixer bowl, beat together sugars and margarine until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add flour mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in crisp rice cereal and raisins.


3. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 350° F about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.


Source: Kellogg's Kitchens

I dub thee: Bridal Shower Cookies

I was one of Kristin's co-matrons of honor at her wedding in November, and when it came time for her bridal shower a couple of months before, I really wanted to go. But it would have meant flying to Ohio for a few days, and since I was about to get married myself, I was low on vacation time and, well, money.

But I really wanted to help her sister, the other co-matron, put it on. I obviously couldn't help decorate. I couldn't prepare food. I couldn't greet guests. So I told her I would handle the favors.

I considered all sorts of possibilities. Candles. Something fall-themed. Fall-themed candles.
I wanted to do something edible (cuz who really needs a fall-themed candle?), but I was worried, as usual, about sending stuff from the desert heat.

Then it struck me: Jarred cookie mixes. I love how mixes look in clear containers, with different-colored layers. Plus, dry ingredients don't melt. Yay!

I didn't want to send jars, though, because of the weight, so I got jar-shaped tupperware. My friend Kelly came over for an afternoon, and we set up a makeshift assembly line in my kitchen.


I think we made about 30 of those bad boys, but it actually didn't take too long, with two people tackling the job (thanks, Kelly!). Then I added some fabric, ribbon and pretty paper for the ingredients and directions. I'm told they were a big hit.


The reason I'm blogging about these now, months later, is because these don't just make pretty favors. They're actually also really good cookies. My husband says they're one of his top three favorite things I bake. He's been strongly hinting for weeks that I should make them again, so when I was asked to bake something for a staff meeting at work, I figured it was time to bust out this recipe again.

It's basically an oat-chocolate chip cookie, but the rice crispies give it just a tiny bite that I love. And they disappeared rather quickly at the staff meeting, which is always a positive sign.


Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

* In a 1-quart jar, layer the ingredients in the order listed. Pack down firmly after each addition.

* Attach a tag with the following instructions:

Cookie in a Jar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup margarine until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 egg and 2 tablespoons water. Add the entire contents of the jar, and stir until well blended. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Source: allrecipes.com