Crispy Bars

In between ripping down walls, removing sofits, cutting holes in our kitchen ceiling, rewiring said kitchen, and cleaning up the mess that all of that creates, I made rice crispy bars.  An opened bag of mini-marshmallows used to top the previously mentioned hot chocolate and an overabundance of rice crispy cereal (sale+coupon=4 boxes) led me to whip up a batch.  I had to make them on the stove because our microwave has been retired to the ‘discard’ heap in our screen porch, right next to the drawer that falls out of the wall, the cabinet that gives me splinters every time I reach for a glass, and the wallpaper that was painted red, but underneath is country blue hearts and chickens.  So what if my toes were dusty from drywall!  Who cares that my kitchen sink is now filled with old nails and splintered wood!  No matter that I have to lift a sheet of plastic and duck to my knees just to pass through my doorways!  “I am making rice crispy bars!” I shouted to my unfinished home.  “And they make me happy!”

So I vacuumed off the top of the stove and got to it.  Now, I know what you are thinking.  Rice crispy bars?  Everyone knows how to make them.  True.  But one day this summer my desperation for rice crispy bars, particularly extra chewy rice crispy bars, led to a particular combination of marshmallow goodness.  My husband yelling across the house that he likes peanut butter in his prompted the second version of this recipe.  I must have made a half dozen batches in a few weeks time and we shared very few of them.  At some point in time, I stopped adjusting the amount of marshmallows and peanut butter and I realized that I was just making them the same every time.  Our family had found our ultimate rice crispy bar.  Simple.  Classic.  The perfect childhood dessert.  Hmmm.  Maybe its time to ‘test’ cheesecake recipes…

Crispy Bars

1-16 oz bag marshmallows(note: this is the big bag, not the regular size)
4 T (half stick) of butter
1/3 c peanut butter
1-12 oz box crispy rice cereal

Melt the first three ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl.  Alternatively, use a large pot over med low heat on the stove.  Once the mixture is smooth, add the cereal and stir quickly but carefully until all ingredients are evenly distributed.  Press into a sprayed, 9X13 pan.  Cut into bars.