muddy buddy krispy treats

Let’s all close our eyes for a moment and return to our childhood, shall we? Where we enjoyed easy-to-make desserts like rice krispy treats and muddy buddies.

Now imagine, if you will, that these two famous treats come together to form one mega-delicious ultra-dessert that is just as easy to make as either of the two on their own but so much greater than the sum of its parts.

This, my friends, is what we have here. Two childhood favorites – Muddy Buddies and Rice Krispy Treats – combined into one amazingly delicious, just-as-easy-to-make dessert.

You’re welcome.

muddy buddy krispy treats

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted will work, I use unsalted)
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1 (10 ounce) bag marshmallows
  • 2 cups (or one small bag) chocolate chips
  • 5 cups crisp rice cereal
  • 1/2 cup to 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Line a 9×13” pan with foil and/or parchment and grease generously with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
  2. **Stovetop Instructions** Heat a large pot over medium/medium-low heat. Add butter until it is almost melted, then add peanut butter and marshmallows until melted. Add chocolate chips, stirring until they are mostly melted, then add cereal. Remove from heat and continue stirring until the cereal is fully coated in marshmallow mixture. If it starts to harden, return to the burner and continue stirring.
  3. **Microwave instructions** Cut butter into cubes and place into a large bowl with peanut butter and marshmallows. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each session, until the mixture is almost completely melted. Add chocolate chips and continue microwaving in 30 second increments until chocolate is almost completely melted. Add cereal and stir until the cereal is completely coated with the marshmallow mixture.
  4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and press gently but firmly to ensure they keep their form. Allow to cool completely at room temperature or in the fridge before cutting.
  5. Trim edges (if you like clean edges, like I do, and cut into desired size squares. These are pretty rich so you can probably get away with 1 to 1 1/2 inch squares if you wanted.
  6. Place about 1 cup powdered sugar in a bowl and coat each square with powdered sugar. Alternatively, if you want less powdered sugar (but why would you!?) you can just dust the top and bottom of the squares with powdered sugar.
  7. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

I trimmed the edges of my krispy treats then, not wanting to waste them, threw those edges into a ziploc bag with some powdered sugar making muddy buddy krispy treat 'bites' essentially. These were also delicious and a great snack for when you want to distract yourself (or your hubby) from eating the pretty squares 😉 You could also do this with the entire batch, just crumble it into bites and toss them with powdered sugar. Yes, they're that good.

https://wee-eats.com/2017/09/01/muddy-buddy-krispy-treats/

pistachio cherry bark

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Easter is just about two weeks away and, as you may remember from last year, that means that I have to put on my candy-making hat and hop on into the kitchen. Last year, feeling exceptionally motivated, I made peanut butter eggs. This year, however, I decided to cater to the less-motivated crowd with chocolate bark!

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good day sunshine bars

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Baked Bakery’s “Good Morning Sunshine” bars have been on my ‘to do’ list for practically forever, and who knows why because they’re so fricking easy to make that I basically feel like the laziest person ever for not making them. I finally got around to make them, but as i was reading through the recipe I just wanted there to be more.

The standard recipe is pretty solid on its own, it’s got cereal, peanut butter, sugar (duh), and a drizzle of chocolate on top, but it also had chopped peanuts which for some reason I am generally not a fan of in my snacks. I like peanuts, I eat them quite frequently, but crunchy peanut butter? No thank you. Nuts in my cookies? Get out of here.  Nuts in a quick bread? Pass. I know, I’m a crazy person.

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peppermint bark

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Since I couldn’t share my holiday basket recipes with you in December (that would have spoiled the surprise for the recipients!), I’ve decided to share them with you in January! Here’s a quick peek at what we’ll be covering…

IMG_9051-baskets

  • Gingerbread blondies
  • Peppermint bark
  • Parmesan-thyme crackers
  • Cheddar crisps
  • Cinnamon-apple bourbon
  • Toffee chip shortbread cookies

Today’s topic: Peppermint bark.

The first time I had peppermint bark was years ago at Williams Sonoma and at almost $30 a pop I limited myself to their free samples and other, cheaper, knock-off varieties of the holiday treat. While I was thinking about what to put in my 2014 baskets, I realized that I still had a good amount of Chocoley laying around and thought it would be perfect some holiday bark!

You can use any chocolate you like, of course, but I’ve already told you about how I love the snap of Chocoley’s Candy Molding formula, which makes a nice sturdy base for this bark without having to temper the chocolate at all. Just melt and pour, then top it with some white chocolate and a generous sprinkling of crushed candy canes on top and voila! You have a whole sheet-pan of peppermint bark for a fraction of what you would pay for the tiny bit you get from Williams Sonoma one!

peppermint bark

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 14 ounces white chocolate, chopped
  • 3 candy canes, chopped or crushed

Instructions

  1. Line a sheet pan or 9-by-13 pan (for neater corners) with aluminum foil and/or parchment, smoothing out any wrinkles.
  2. Melt dark chocolate over just steaming water in a double boiler. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between each session).
  3. Stir in the peppermint extract and pour into prepared pan, spreading to form an even layer. Set in the fridge to firm up while you melt the white chocolate.
  4. In a separate bowl, melt the white chocolate in the same manner as the dark chocolate (it may take less time).
  5. Remove dark chocolate layer from fridge and pour white chocolate over the dark chocolate layer, spreading the white chocolate to form an even layer. Sprinkle with candy canes and return to fridge for about 10 minutes to set up.
  6. Set on the counter to continue firming up, about one hour, then cut into desired size chunks.
  7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
https://wee-eats.com/2015/01/11/peppermint-bark/

 

halloween candy bark

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Halloween is tomorrow and since I’ve been 1,896 miles from home for the past week, sadly I haven’t had time to create a Halloween costume.

I have, however, managed to carve a pumpkin – Hubby and I started this tradition just last year, neither of us having carved pumpkins for many years.

pumpkins

In my time away over the last five days I’ve enjoyed a bit of actual autumn weather, got to see some fall colors, and walked 25.25 miles through the trails surrounding the beautiful Chateau Elan in Braselton, GA, while away at work conference. And yes, my legs are very, very sore.

I also learned the bad news from my beloved that, despite following the advice of a trusted website, our pumpkins have already turned to rotting mush in record time and will not be making it to Halloween… It turns out that peppermint soap thing actually does the opposite of preserving your pumpkin.

chateau elan

So today, as I am sitting on a plane hurdling towards home (and 90 degree weather) at 500mph (or around there), anxiously awaiting my return home, I am also mourning the loss of our beloved pumpkins, and have every intention to drown the sorrows of our loss in this bark.

Just like the last bark, I used the sturdier candy molding formula for the base layer of bark because I love the snap it gives the chocolate. I also went with an extra dark chocolate for the base to provide a good contrast to the sweeter milk chocolate flavor for the second layer.

After spreading the second layer of chocolate, I adorned it with some of my favorite candies and a sprinkle of crushed potato chips and set it in the fridge for a few minutes to set up. Start to finish (including chopping time) I was done in under 30 minutes which isn’t bad at all if you ask me.

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Even though one day is plenty of time to make this bark in time to hand out for Halloween, it would be an excellent way to use up all of your leftover Halloween candy as well.

I included my favorite candies in the recipe below, but feel free to use whatever candy you find in the bottom of your (or your kid’s) trick-or-treat basket.

halloween candy bark

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: one 18 by 12-inch half sheet pan of bark

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dark chocolate (I used this candy molding formula from Chocoley)
  • 2 cups milk chocolate (I used this dipping and coating formula , which is a bit thinner than the candy formula)
  • 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter (go with a regular standard peanut butter that won't separate, I always use Jif)
  • 1/2 cup mini peanut butter cups; chopped (I used a mix of Trader Joe's dark chocolate and milk chocolate peanut butter cups)
  • 1/2 cup mini Oreos (I used mini Reese's Oreos), coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup mini Reese's Pieces
  • 1/2 cup potato chips, roughly crushed
  • 2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Melt dark chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Pour melted chocolate onto parchment-lined baking sheet and set in the fridge to solidify, about 5 minutes.
  2. Melt milk chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and stir in peanut butter until fully incorporated. Pour over hardened chocolate and spread to cover.
  3. Working quickly, before the top layer of chocolate hardens, sprinkle with assorted toppings (I listed them in the order I sprinkled, but that's not necessary) and place into fridge to harden for about 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Remove bark from refrigerator and cut into pieces.
https://wee-eats.com/2014/10/30/halloween-candy-bark/