Rice Krispy Treats - How Deliciously American!

So easy and delicious I could die! and then I did. But the krispy treats revived me. Maybe that's how Harry Potter came back too?

Do my rice krispy treats taste any better than the next guys? Yes. Heck yes.
Do I use a different recipe? probably not, it's from the box.
Then what's the deal? It must be the extra love I put into every batch....or my natural awesomeness in the kitchen and at life.

You decide.

I put them in my red Martha Stewart casserole dish. USA all the way!

Jess had a 4th of July BBQ so it was only natural to bring an all American dessert such as rice krispy treats. (I know, you were probably going to say pie, but to me krispy treats screams I love USA).

I was running low on time, sleep, and energy, so this was the perfect option.

Growing up, whenever we would visit my grandma's house there were always 2 guarantees:

• we would have fun.
• She would always have our fave treats (home made jerky, ice cream, cheese, skittles, peanuts, and rice krispy treats).

One of the last times I was visiting and we were making them together she swatted me with a spoon because I wouldn't stop eating them as I was stirring. haha. It's just so hard to resist the deliciousness!



So good you'll want to eat some on the way to the party. I know I did!



Rice Krispy Treats

4 tbs butter (I use the sticks since you just have to cut on the pre-measured lines)

2 bags of mini marshmallows

12 c rice krispy cereal (appx. so buy the large box)

*this is a recipe to make two batches so that your treats are super thick. You probably won't have a bowl large enough to make it all together, so divide the recipe by two and make it twice...that's what I did.

1. in the microwave or on the stove, melt the butter and marshmallows. If in the microwave, do it in intervals so you don't burn it!
2. once melted and mixed, start adding in the rice krispies a little at a time. I always approximate how much cereal I use. I just keep going until it looks right. You don't want to over do it or it won't be all soft and Gorey. 
3. place in greased pan and spread out.
4. repeat to make second batch and place onto of  first.
5. let cool, cut, eat.

Don't forget to lick the bowl!

Inappropriately Delicious - S'mores Bars

I love s'mores.

End.of.story.

Kidding, there's more.

I wish I could remember the first time I ever had them, but I can't. What I do remember is having sleepovers at grandma's house and having a weenie & s'more roast over the fire pit/cauldron thing. I would always eat at least 1 hot dog, not because I wanted too, but to make grandma happy that I didn't have a complete diet of sugar. I would def have the most s'mores. and when i got tired or assembling and eating them (it can get pretty messy) then I would just stick to plain roasted marshmallows. Yummm. Maybe grandma will light up the pit when I come home for Christmas! (hint, hint)

As I became a grown up, my love for s'mores only grew. One year my mom got me a s'mores kit for Christmas. It was cool, but became unnecessary. But it did aid in the discovery of the camping gel candle thingy that you light to make fire! So now? I can have s'mores anytime I want! Once I was making them and the gel thing fire balled almost in my face. Once I felt that my eyebrows & lashes were still attached, I continued roasting! Nothing can hold me back from this deliciousness.

If you check out my Pinterest "yummm" board, you will notice that 97% of the recipes are s'mores related. Someone, please help me!

I googled "s'mores bars" and after checking out a few of the results, I came across this on The Hungry Moose. I was so excited that I made it within a first week of finding it. and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

In my opinion, this is the most delicious thing I have ever made! Lindsey and I even had some for breakfast a few days.

You seriously want me to believe that there is something delicious hiding in there?

S'mores Bars

2 sticks of butter softened to room temperature
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
2 2/3 c flour
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large (4.4 oz.) chocolate bars
1 jar of Marshmallow fluff (about 13+ oz)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan.
2. In a large bowl mix the white & brown sugar and butter. Then add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix some more.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Mix the wet and dry together to create your graham cracker cookie crust!
5. Gather dough in a ball and divide in half. 
6. Use one half to cover the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the chocolate bar layer. The 4th bar will need to be cut to fit into the side and end of the pan.
8. Spread the marshmallow layer all over. Good luck! It's pretty sticky. 
9. And now the tricky part - adding the top layer of dough. I spread it out on wax paper to be approximately the size of the pan (mine was a little bigger than the pan) then I flipped it over to place the top later on. If your layer is too big, then just squish the edges down. If it's too small, then push them out. It doesn't have to be perfect.
10. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool (if you are patient enough), then enjoy!

Suggestions:
You could always use the caramel stuffed Hershey's bar instead, that could up the deliciousness another notch!


These bars were so delicious that we ate half of the pan before sending them to work with B. Pretty sure I would have polished it off it she hadn't taken them! yikes!

OMG! There is! (This doesn't even come close to capturing how delicious this treat really is)

Oreo Stuffed Bomb.com Brownies

As I was reading the 50billion food blogs I'm subscribed to, I ran across these brownies on Sing For Your Super. Oreo Stuffed. So simple, and yet so genius. Truth be told I'm more into the brownie batter than the actual brownies. In college I would often make brownies for my neighbors just because I loved licking the bowl. haha.

Back to the Oreo brownies. Once I saw them, I found myself thinking about them constantly. After about two weeks of brownie fantasies I whipped them up.

What's that, a regular brownie?

 Oreo Stuffed Brownies
recipe from Sing For Your Supper


2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 c sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 c cocoa powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour
1 c chocolate chips
1 pkg double stuffed Oreo's (if we're being honest, they are the only ones that matter)

• preheat oven to 350 and Pam a 9x13 pan.
• in a medium bowl microwave to melt the butter, add the sugar, and stir. Microwave a little longer until hot. It should become shiny looking as you stir. Heat once more because this will help create a shiny top crust on the brownies.
• Beat the eggs, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture and stir until smooth. Finally, add the flour and chocolate chips (one cup, not the whole bag...not that I would do that on accident...) and stir until smooth.
• Spoon half of the batter into the pan. Next, create your Oreo layer by lining as many as you can on top of the batter layer. Finish it off with the final batter layer. If necessary, spread the batter to the edges and around the oreos. Bake for 34-50 minutes, or until you get a clean toothpick (duh!). 
• Cool before serving. Or serve warm with a side of ice cream. Whatever floats your brownie boat!

Surprise! It's stuffed with Oreo's!

B loved them so much that she opted to leave them at home instead of sharing with the boys at work (they were sorely disappointed). I did take a few to my co-workers and I'm pretty sure it was like a party in their mouths when they took a bite. Basically, they loved them!

WTF, Cupcake?

I must confess, I love box cake mix. When my birthday would come around, I would always request that my mom skip the bakery and just whip me up a chocolate box mix cake. My fave. Like for real, yo. I am wanting to whip one up just thinking about it!

Anyway, although I love my cake mix, I feel like I should be more legit and make them from scratch. In my first attempt I ended up karate chopping it and turning it into cake balls (you can read about that here). I finally felt healed from that experience and was ready to give it another go. I made the You Rock Cupcakes from 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know.

You Rock Cupcakes
makes 18 cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 c whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (10 tbs)
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 3 large eggs

1. To start, preheat oven to 350 and put liners in pan.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a different medium bowl mix together the milk and vanilla.
4. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer on medium, about 5 min.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth and evenly mixed.
6. with the mixer on low alternate adding the flour and milk mixture (2 batches each) until just combined (don't over mix!).
7. separate into the 18 cups and bake for 20-24 min, or until you have a clean toothpick.
8. Set on cooling wracks and remove once completely cool, then remove and frost!

Wilton Buttercream Icing

• 1c solid white vegetable shortening (not crisco brand!)
• 1 tsp Wilton Flavor (Vanilla, Almond, or Butter...or you could use 1tsp of each like me!)
• 2 tbs water (add more to thin it out to your preference)
• 1lb (4 c) powdered sugar
• 1 tbs Meringue Powder

Mix all wet ingredients (shortening, flavor, water). Then slowly add in dry ingredients. Blend until creamy.

I took some to work and sent some with B. The reviews were good, but I'm just not loving it. Maybe if I had followed step 5 with the eggs correctly it would have made a difference? I don't know. I felt that they were too dense and maybe not sweet enough? Even though they were a hit, I'm continuing the search for a recipe that I will love as much as funfetti box mix.

The icing was a whole other situation. I have made buttercream tons of times (literally tons of times), and it's always perfect. This time it tasted the same, but the texture was off. Maybe I was having a Mandy Moore moment from the movie Because I Said So. Who knows. Someone said it's because I'm a perfectionist so I just need to relax. Anyway, my taste testers enjoyed it, so you should give it a try too.

Do you have a favorite vanilla/white cake recipe? Please share!!!

Dinner For One...kill me

Ugh. Honestly, I don't cook as much as I used to because it's just not gratifying to cook for myself. I'm working on it, but it's a lot of work that I don't always appreciate.

I have started baking again, and that's been successful, I guess. I used to bake stuff for Daniel, but since that's obviously no longer happening, I have a new wife to send sweets with! (love you B!). Anyway, I say I guess because I feel that some of the recipes need improvement, but then again it's hard for me to gage the tastiness of something I don't like to begin with. For example, red velvet cake. I don't hate it, but I don't like. I just can't. blah. I made it anyway, and B said that it was a hit at work! Fan-freaking-tastic! I'm not even going to share the recipe because I feel that it could be improved...but here's a peek at it.

P.S. this cake was freaking heavy! It completely smashed the cream cheese icing between the two layers. I didn't think B was going to be able to handle it.

I also made some Butterscotch Chocolate Rice Krispy treats. They were good, but I'm going to switch up the recipe before I share it, so stay tuned!

This week I sent B to work with those delicious mini cherry cheese cakes that I previously posted about. Luckily they were also a hit! Not that I ever doubted it since it's a recipe from grandma.

Back to the title...

Tonight I cooked myself dinner. And it.was.awesome!

Fried Chicken

I didn't measure anything, I just 'eye-balled' it. good luck!

• milk
• flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• chicken breast
• veg oil

Heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Dip chicken in milk, flour, milk again, flour again, then carefully place in the hot oil. each side about 4 min? Honestly, I don't know. Just watch it until it browns.

Grilled Veggies

• vegetables (I used zucchini, squash, and asparagus)
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• olive oil

Just toss veggies, oil, and seasoning in a bowl, then lay out on the grill (or in my case the grill pan) about 4 min on each side.

I was also in the mood for fries (I prefer the sweet potato variety, but I was out).

Truffle Potato Wedges? Fries? Slices? Whatever.

• Potato
• Olive Oil
• Pepper
• Truffle Salt

Preheat oven to 450, cover baking sheet with foil, spray with Pam.

Slice and dice that potato, toss with olive oil, pepper, and truffle salt. Lay out on baking sheet. Cook for 20 min, turn, then 20 more min. Eat.