Special K Blueberry Krispies Bars

Special K Blueberry cereal is a new flavor for us and I’ve blasted through a couple boxes of it in the last couple weeks. I even filled a container with the fruity flakes and clusters before I ran out the door the other day. By the time I got to work, I had crumbs trailing down my shirt and in my bra. I made Special K Blueberry treats that night. The sticky marshmallows seem to keep the cereal crumbs out of my shirt.

I still love traditional Special K bars, well, as traditional as they can be since I have a special Special K bars recipe (of which I am sworn to secrecy by my sister who holds the proprietary ingredients). There are just some things best kept between sisters.

Special K Blueberry Krispies

4 tablespoons butter

6 cups mini marshmallows

6 cups Special K Blueberry cereal (or any kind of your favorite cereal)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. (I’ve found that using a large plastic bowl in the microwave works best.)

Stir in the marshmallows, coating with the melted butter.

Over medium heat or in the microwave, slowly melt the marshmallows. This only takes a minute or two. Spray your spoon or spatula with cooking spray. Stir butter and marshmallows until creamy. Add cereal. Stir until all the cereal is coated with marshmallow mixture.

Spray a 10×8-inch or similar pan with cooking spray or gently grease with butter. Dump the cereal mixture into the pan. To spread evenly, spray the back of a large metal spoon with cooking spray and spread the mixture.

Cool bars completely. Cut and serve. Store in an airtight container.

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{I Can’t Bake at 350 | No-bake S’mores Bars}

No-bake goodies are a hit in the summer when we don’t want our ovens to heat up the house. Like these S’mores bars. But now it’s fall and kitchens everywhere are heating up with warm nutmeg, spicy ginger, and creamy pumpkin sweets.

Except at my house. My oven is broken. So, to prevent myself from going into a serious I-can’t-bake-depression, I’m flipping through my recipe box for recipes that will satisfy my need to preheat to 350°. Gooey, chocolatey S’mores bars do the trick.

The key to making S’mores bars taste like the real campfire deal is to use HERSHEY’S chocolate candy bars.

S’mores Bars

3/4 cup light corn syrup

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup milk chocolate chips, preferably HERSHEY’S

2 (4.4-ounce each) HERSHEY’S chocolate candy bars, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

9 cups Golden Grahams cereal (12-ounce box)

3 cups mini marshmallows, plus a handful to sprinkle over the top if desired

Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil, or grease pan lightly with butter.

Microwave the corn syrup, butter, 1 cup milk chocolate chips, and 1 HERSHEY’S candy bar in a large bowl, uncovered, on medium-high for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir until almost smooth. Microwave again, uncovered, until large bubbles form on the surface, about 2-1/2 minutes longer.

Stir in vanilla. Pour the cereal in the bowl and toss until coated with mixture. Fold in the marshmallows. Chop the other HERSHEY’S candy bar and fold into the cereal mixture. Dump into the pan and press evenly with the back of a large metal spoon sprayed with cooking spray. Toss a handful of mini marshmallows on the top and tap down so they stick. If you have a kitchen torch, lightly toast the marshmallows.

Let cool completely. Cut and share.

See more of my no-bake recipes.

What other treats could I make while I wait for my oven to get fixed? The stove top still works.

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{Ex-in-law Broccoli Ranch Salad for Future-in-laws}

I was married once. And just like everything in life, something good can come of a less than ideal situation. For instance, my two ex sisters-in-law, Deb and Sue, are lovely women who served some of the best down-home food from their Midwest kitchen tables. Many of their creations, like Deb’s Broccoli Cauliflower Ranch Salad and Sue’s Snickers bar recipe, found their way into my arsenal of recipes.

This weekend, my some-day sister-in-law, Betsy, and her family came to visit and we grilled bacon burgers and hot dogs. Broccoli Cauliflower Ranch Salad was the perfect vegetable side dish to serve on a warm summer evening.

In the morning, Gracie and I whipped up fluffy Cake Batter Pancakes and a new-to-us-recipe for ham, cheese, and egg bake made with Stove Top stuffing. (After 10 years with Jason’s family, I think Grace and I are grandfathered in as Aunt and Niece.) She mastered the “flip” of the pancake so she just might take over the morning spatula when they get back home.

You can make this salad with whichever raw veggies you want. The recipe card that I copied from Deb is fairly vague. I wrote garlic and dill weed but I didn’t write amounts. If you’re not fond of some of the vegetables, just switch them out for something you like. Check your garden before you hit the market.

I tossed in a handful of diced red onion. If you like cashews, sliced almonds or sunflower seeds, they would add a nice salty crunch.

Bacon would take it to the next level.

According to what I wrote, the number of servings makes “a big bowl.” My guess is, it makes 12-18 servings.

Broccoli Cauliflower Ranch Salad

1 bunch broccoli

1 head cauliflower

4 sticks celery

1/4 cup diced red onion (If you prefer, use green onions.)

1-1/2 cups frozen peas (The petite ones are nice.)

1 cup mayonnaise, NOT salad dressing

8 ounces sour cream

1 (1-ounce) packet dry Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix – NOT the dip mix

1-1/2 teaspoons dill weed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (Or use a couple of cloves of chopped garlic.)

Wash and chop the broccoli, cauliflower, celery, and red onion. Add the vegetables, including the peas, to a big bowl of salted cold water. A couple of tablespoons of salt is fine. Let the veggies soak in the water for 10-15 minutes. Drain the water well so the salad doesn’t get watery. Toss the vegetables into a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add the Ranch packet, dill weed and garlic powder. Stir to mix well.

Add the Ranch mixture to the vegetables and stir until they are evenly coated with the dressing. Chill at least one hour. Serve cold. You can refrigerate it overnight and serve the next day. Refrigerate leftovers.

Do you have a favorite recipe from an ex-family member? 

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{Key Lime Pie for Two Seasons}

Ah, summer time. That’s when you want to make this chilled, no-bake summer pie. The filling is light and fluffy with the perfect sourness of tart lime. When you bite into the pie, the salty crust balances out the sweetness.

The creamy filling uses lime curd, cream cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. That’s why it’s great for spring and summer. For fall and winter, my favorite Key Lime pie is the kind you bake with sweetened condensed milk and eggs. Problem is, I can’t find the recipe right now.

A few months ago, I was looking for a Key Lime pie recipe that uses lime curd but I couldn’t find one. Last weekend, I was going through piles of recipes and magazines in my office and found this one in a Midwest Living magazine from June 2005. (It’s not Key Lime, but you can use Key Limes if you want. I’ve never been able to tell the difference anyway.) It’s on my blog and Pinterest board now so I’ll know where to find it next time.

Summer Breeze Lime Pie from Midwest Living 

Now, if I can just find my “winter” Key Lime Pie recipe before November…

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{Italian Tuxedo Triffle Makes the Cut}

It was an honor to make desserts for the East Central Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Fire & Ice formal fundraising event this year.

It was tough to make a final choice for this year’s dessert. For the 2011 event, I made Raspberry White Chocolate Truffle Baby Cheesecakes and they were a crowd favorite. This year, event organizers, Darilyn and Julie, narrowed it down to Italian Tuxedo Parfaits and Andes Mint Baby Cheesecakes. Since the night’s theme colors were an elegant black and red damask pattern, the parfaits made the cut, and we moved the Andes Mint cheesecake babies to the 2013 short list.

It all starts with good-quality chocolate and my favorite amaretto liqueur, which appears not to have started the day as a full bottle. Sampling my friends, sampling.

Instagram photo from my kitchen

A tower of butter is needed to bake enough brownies for 240 guests.

Instagram photo from my kitchen

We served the light desserts in petite wine glasses.

Instagram photo from the Old Sanctuary kitchen

The recipe in today’s post makes one large triffle bowl full of deliciousness. Of course, it’s always fun to serve them as individual triffles.

(A special thank you to Mike, the Brookings Hy-Vee Produce Manager, who spent part of the morning picking out some of the best strawberries with me! …and for making sure I had enough Ghirardelli white chocolate.)

{Italian Tuxedo Triffle}

For the rich amaretto brownies:

1- 1/2 cups butter, melted

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon almond extract or bakery emulsion

4 Tablespoons Italian amaretto liqueur (I use Disaronno)

1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate,  finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease 9×13-inch cake pan or line with parchment paper (This is the first time I used Reynolds Wrap^® Pan Lining Paper and I will definitely use it again.)

In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter and cocoa. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs on medium speed until fluffy, about five minutes. Slowly beat in the cocoa and butter mixture. Add flour, salt, almond extract and amaretto liqueur; beat just until combined. Spread half of the brownie mixture in the pan. Sprinkle with finely chopped chocolate. Carefully spread the remaining brownie batter over the chocolate all the way to the edges. Bake for 35-37 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into bite-size pieces. 

For the silky white cream:

4 ounces white chocolate

4 Tablespoons milk

2 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract or bakery emulsion

2 cups whipped topping, thawed

2 pounds fresh strawberries

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate and milk. Stir until melted. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar and almond extract. Slowly stir in melted white chocolate. Gently fold in whipped cream.

Slice most of the strawberries into bite-size pieces. You’ll want to save some whole strawberries for garnish on top. 

In a large triffle bowl, layer brownies, cream and strawberries. Repeat layers until all the ingredients are gone. Refrigerate 3 hours before serving. Can be made one day ahead.

If you make this, snap a photo and share it with me on Twitter or Instagram @RandomSweets. They’ll all look so pretty!

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{If You Can’t Buy ‘em, Make ‘em | Maple Nut Bars}

There’s no reason to get sappy. If you can’t buy the real Pearson’s Maple Bun Bars where you live, make them yourself! Click here for a locator to find where you can purchase the candy bars, because I highly recommend you eat the real Maple Bun Bars when you can, and make this recipe for times when you can’t.

If you aren’t familiar with the Bun Bar, maybe the Salted Nut Roll rings a bell? Or how about those little Mint Patties wrapped in silver and green foil, cleverly placed in a big jar near the cash register at your local café? They are all made at Pearson’s in Minnesota.

I like the story of Pearson’s Candy Company, which three Pearson brothers began in Minneapolis in 1909 as a candy distribution company. They did some candy manufacturing and a few years later two more brothers joined the company. At the end of World War II, they got out of the candy distribution business and focused on candy making.  In 2011, Brynwood Partners VI, L.P. purchased the company. Note to the new owners: you’ve got a good thing going here –  don’t change a thing except for making your candy available in more locations. xoxoxo Staci

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Pearson’s Candy Company in any way. Of course we all know this recipe is not really the Maple Nut Bun Bar recipe – it’s my version of the candy bar, just to get me through times I can’t buy them in my area. Unlike my opinion that my homemade Snickers^®are better than the real thing, you just can’t duplicate the distinct maple flavor and the slight snap of the chocolate layer in a real Pearson’s Maple Nut Bun Bar.

Maple Nut Bars

Generously butter a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt together the chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, mixing well until smooth.

Spread a generous half of the mixture in the buttered pan. (As you can see in my first photo, the bottom chocolate layer is actually too thin – the bars are easier to get out of the pan if the bottom layer is a little thicker.) Chill in the refrigerator.

Stir peanuts into the remaining chocolate mixture. Set aside. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter.

Slowly add the evaporated milk.

Stir in the pudding mix. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Stir in powdered sugar and maple extract. (It’s easier to use a wooden spoon at this point.) Cool slightly.

Carefully spread the maple mixture over the chilled chocolate layer in the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Drop the reserved chocolate and peanut mixture by spoonfuls over the chilled maple layer; spread to cover.

Chill the bars until firm.

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.

{Maple Nut Bars}

12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 oz. package butterscotch chips (I’m pretty sure real Maple Bun Bars don’t have butterscotch chips in them.)

2 cups creamy peanut butter (And they probably don’t use peanut butter either.)

2 cups dry roasted peanuts

1 cup butter

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 small package cook and serve vanilla pudding mix (not instant)

2 lbs. powdered sugar (approximately 7-1/2 cups)

2 teaspoons maple extract

Generously butter a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt together the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, mixing well until smooth. Spread a generous half of the mixture in the buttered pan. (As you can see in my first photo, the bottom chocolate layer is actually too thin – the bars are easier to get out of the pan if the bottom layer is a little thicker.) Chill in the refrigerator.

Stir peanuts into the remaining chocolate mixture. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Slowly add the evaporated milk. Stir in the pudding mix. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and maple extract. (It’s easier to use a wooden spoon at this point.) Cool slightly. Carefully spread the maple mixture over the chilled chocolate layer in the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Drop the reserved chocolate and peanut mixture by spoonfuls over the chilled maple layer; spread to cover. Chill the bars until firm. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Makes approximately 48 bars.

What store-bought candy do you make in your kitchen?

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{Peanut butter pie with a story of loss and love}

It’s a story that will leave you wiping tears from your eyes. But it carries an important message. So please take a moment to read “for mikey”  from In Jennie’s Kitchen, http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html. I’ll wait for you to come back.

I don’t know Jennie, but the reminder of painful loss that cuts so deep you don’t know how you’re going to pick yourself up again, is real. We somehow forget that we are God’s children – here on his time, living his plan. Our eternal life is not lived here. Death crushes our spirit and tests our faith because we love so freely, so intensely and then death sneaks in and rips everything we know away, leaving our lives crumbling all around it. Our hearts are wrapped so tightly with love that when we lose someone, we are never the same.

Jennie posted her story in early August. I couldn’t make the peanut butter pie that Friday so I made mini pies the next day and delivered them to three of my teenage nephews who live near me. (The pie is extraordinarily delicious – I can see why it was Mikey’s favorite.) I didn’t post this story at the time, but I was reminded again recently that today may end differently than I think. And it could mean living with one less person in my life that I love. It could mean I am not here tomorrow. Today is the perfect day to “make that peanut butter pie for Mikey“.

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{New Cereal Inspires Brownie Crunch Mint Crispy Bars}

When a new chocolate cereal hits the breakfast aisle, it’s only natural for bakers to wave their magic sugar wand and turn them into a pan of sticky, gooey treats. The added bonus in these Brownie Crunch Mint Crispy Bars is the addition of Andes^® Crème de Menthe Baking Chips.

You may want to buy two boxes of the new General Mills Cocoa Puffs^® Brownie Crunch cereal because they are so good, you’ll want one box for this recipe and one for snacking.

{Brownie Crunch Mint Crispy Bars}

4 Tablespoons butter

5 cups miniature marshmallows, divided

7 cups General Mills Cocoa Puffs^® Brownie Crunch cereal

1 cup Andes Crème de Menthe Baking Chips, divided

Lightly butter a 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper.

On low heat, either stove top or in microwave, melt 4 Tbsp. butter and 4 cups of marshmallows together. Stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat. Add the cereal to the marshmallow mixture and stir until cereal is coated. Stir in 1 cup of marshmallows and 3/4 cup Andes chips. Spread mixture in pan and sprinkle 1/4 cup Andes chips on top. Gently press and smooth the mixture with the back of a metal spoon or a spatula sprayed with cooking spray.

Cool and cut into squares, triangles or rectangles. Any way you slice them, they will disappear quickly!

What is your favorite cereal treat? Have you tried the new Brownie Crunch cereal?

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{Butterscotch Caramel Sea Salt Pretzels}

The combination of crunchy pretzels, milk chocolate, butterscotch, toffee bits, caramel and a dash of sea salt takes your pretzels to the next flavor level.

The ingredient list is short and sweet.

After melting the milk chocolate and butterscotch chips together, pour over the pretzel balls and stir. Stir in the toffee pieces and sea salt.

Spread the melted chocolate pretzel layer into a pan and drizzle with melted caramel. Grab yourself some hand wipes because these babies are sticky!

5 cups mini pretzel balls

8 ounces Hershey’s milk chocolate (can be a little more or a little less, depending on the size bars you use)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 (8-ounce) package milk chocolate toffee bits

1 Tablespoon sea salt

1/3 package (approximately 20) caramels, unwrapped

1 teaspoon milk

Place pretzel balls in a large bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt Hershey’s milk chocolate and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour melted chocolate mixture over pretzel balls and stir until coated. Add toffee bits and sea salt, stirring everything together. Line a large cooking sheet or tray with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Spread the mixture into the pan. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels and milk. Drizzle the caramel over the pretzel mixture and cool completely. Break into pieces before serving.

Other ideas: I bought the pretzel balls from Wal-Mart in the salted snack section (near the bagel chips, Bugels, etc.) but you could use any type of pretzels. The pretzel rods would be fun too. If I have cashews on hand next time, I will decrease the pretzel balls by 1 cup and substitute cashews. You could also add 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter to the milk chocolate and butterscotch mixture. Omit the caramel if you don’t want something too sticky.

What other ingredients would you add?

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{In Memory of Store-Bought Snickers® Bars}

Gone are the days when you have to run to the store when you’re hungry for a Snickers^®. Eat one of these ooey, gooey chocolate caramel nutty treats and you may never again rip open a candy bar wrapper.

You probably already have most of the ingredients to make these.

The easiest way to cut these into bars is to line your pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper first. (Pay no attention to the apples and bananas hanging out in the background—they really have no business being here.)

Start by shaping your foil over the upside down 9 x 13 pan and then insert it into your pan. Make sure the non-stick side is facing up when you have it inserted in the pan.

For the first layer, melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and chunky peanut butter together.

When you first pour the melted mixture into the pan, it may seem like it’s not enough.

 But it is just enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to cool and set.

 For the second layer, combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and boil 5 minutes.

Add the peanut butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla to the boiled mixture. Stir until smooth.

 

Spread the marshmallow cream mixture onto the cooled chocolate layer.

Cover the sticky marshmallow layer with dry roasted peanuts.

Melt the caramels and pour over the peanuts.

Repeat the first layer and spread over the caramel and peanuts. Cool completely.

Cut into small bars.

 

Chocolate, Caramel Nut Candy Bars

2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup butterscotch chips, divided

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, divided

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups dry roasted peanuts

1 package caramels

2 Tablespoons hot water

Bottom layer:

Line 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter together. Spread in pan and cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Second layer:

In saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter. Boil 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread over cooled bottom layer. Sprinkle 2 cups dry roasted peanuts over marshmallow layer.

Third layer:

Melt caramels and 2 tablespoons of hot water together. Drizzle the melted caramel over the peanuts.

Top layer:

Repeat bottom layer and spread over caramel layer. Cool completely. Lift bars out of pan and peel off paper or foil. Cut into bars on a cutting board with a chef’s knife. These are best if stored in the refrigerator.

 

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Do you have a recipe that reminds you of your favorite candy bar?

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