All
bakers need recipes that are a snap to make and enjoyed by everyone.
Although there are times when nothing gives me more pleasure than spending
a morning in the kitchen making a fruit tart or a layer cake piled high
with swirls of frosting, there are also times when I need something quick.
That is when I turn to Rice Krispies Treats®. It is the busy mother's dream;
ten minutes at the most and you are done. Just mix together rice cereal
with melted marshmallows and butter (or margarine). And the best part is that both
kids and adults love this candy-like square, with its sweet flavor and
crispy texture.
We can thank Mildred Day for Rice Krispies Treats®, a Kellogg's® Home
Economist who invented them back in 1941 when she needed something for a
Camp Fire Girls' bake sale. Kellogg's® must have known they were on to
something big, because shortly after their invention they started printing
the recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® on every box of Kellogg's Rice Krispies®. The basic recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® has changed very
little over the years. Oh, some of us now prefer to use butter, in place
of margarine, and we may tinker a little with the ingredients, but its
original flavor and texture are still there. While my personal preference
is to use miniature marshmallows, large ones are fine, or you can even use
a 7 ounce jar of marshmallow creme. But it is important to use fresh
marshmallows as they melt so nicely, and make sure to butter or spray,
with a non stick vegetable spray, the baking pan, the saucepan, the bowl,
and all utensils, as this mixture is very sticky. These treats are
definitely at their best when freshly made, although they can be stored
for a few days at room temperature.
Rice Krispies
Treats®: Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 inch
(23 cm) square baking pan.
Place the Rice
Krispies® in a large bowl that has been buttered or sprayed with a
non stick vegetable spray.
Butter, or spray
with a non stick vegetable spray, a medium sized saucepan. Melt the butter
and salt in the saucepan over medium low heat. Add the marshmallows and
constantly stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Add the vanilla
extract and then pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies® cereal and stir until
all the cereal has been coated.
Immediately pour
the mixture into your prepared pan and lightly pat until even. Cool at room
temperature until the Rice Krispies Treats® have set. Cut into
squares. Can store at room temperature for a few days if well wrapped
Makes about 16
squares. Preparation time 35 minutes.
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