S'more Rice Krispie Squares

You know quite a bit about me. After all, this blog is a written outlet of my life and the things that get baked up along the way. But what about you? If you are anything like me, you scour the internet for new recipes from your favourite blogs. You love baking at any hour of the day. You jump from blog to blog reading and watching until you force yourself to do something slightly more productive but think "screw that." But these are just assumptions.

Tell me about you. Let's start with something easy. Do you have a movie that you know like the back of your hand?

S'more Rice Krispie Squares

These are so easy and the perfect way to hit up some s'mores.. all day.

3 cups large marshmallows

1 heaping tablespoon butter

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups rice krispies

1 cup graham crackers, broken into coarse pieces

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Butter a 8 x 8 inch square pan. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, place the marshmallows, butter and vanilla in the microwave until the marshmallows begin to soften, about a minute. Mix with a spatula and microwave for another minute until the marshmallows are fully melted. Add the rice krispies until just mixed together. Add the graham cracker chunks and chocolate chips to combine. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Allow to cool and devour. Makes 16 smaller squares.

P.S. My brother thinks these are ridiculous.

Maple Pecan Granola

The taste of fall right here. When I read on the peas that she had made pumpkin granola, I thought it was brilliant. So using that idea I ever so roughly adapted from my old granola recipe and so came the birth of this new, and much improved, granola. 

I meant to post all week but things got delayed. Maybe because Justin Bieber was in town. Maybe because I have boat loads of homework. Alright, it was the first one. 

Maple Pecan Granola

Ever so roughly from here

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup rice krispies

1 tbsp flax seeds

1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ginger

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple extract

Preheat the oven to 300º. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray or butter it up. In a small bowl toss together the oats, rice krispies, flax seeds and pecans. In a small sauce pan, heat the pumpkin, maple syrup and brown sugar till bubbling and combined about a minute or so over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the spices, salt and extracts. Pour over the oat mixture until fully combined. Spread a thin layer over the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until the moisture is nearly all gone. It will harden completely when it cools. So let it cool then enjoy!

Vanilla Cinnamon Granola

To switch things up a bit around here, let's throw in some granola. I've mentioned before how I love cereal. Why not bake my own? So I did. One thing I love is making something that I would normally buy at the store. For example, we very rarely buy store bought cookies because there are always some on hand at home. When I started making bread, it was a great substitute to the loaves from the grocery bakery. Homemade anything feels like an accomplishment in my mind.

This granola is great on yogurt, with milk or, as I primarily consumed it, straight. 

Vanilla Cinnamon Granola
Adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious 

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds
1/2 cup rice krispies
1/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp (kosher) salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla 

Preheat oven to 300º. Position rack to middle of oven. Lightly spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Toss together the oats, almonds, rice krispies. In a small bowl combine the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Combine this with the oat mix. In a small saucepan combine oil, honey and sugar. Bring it to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour the hot liquid over oat mixture and stir till well combined. Use your hands if you need to.  Spread granola on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown about 22 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack; cool granola completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Cinnamon Rice Krispy Squares

Addiction is hard to deal with. I mean when the object of desire just sits there in front of you, you can't help but give in. Even if I hide it in the other room I manage to come back for more. This is the story of my life when it comes to baked goods. Addiction.

On the bright side, as an addict, I am not ready to give it up. Odds are never will. 

When ever I think of rice krispy squares I think of my Mum. Lots of things make me think of my Mum and these are one of them. She used to bake all the time when we were little and if she didn't have a lot of time, she made rice krispy squares. We would all devour them within minutes. In fact, we seldom let them cool off. With these rice krispy squares, I merely tweaked the classic but it really makes a huge difference. The extra marshmallows make it so much chewier, which is the best way with these squares, and the cinnamon and vanilla work great together. My little brother even came upstairs and asked why he smelled cinnamon buns. 

Cinnamon Rice Krispy Squares

Adapted from the original, look on zee box

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
50 marshmallows, nearly all of 450 g. bag
scant 1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups rice krispies
cooking spray
 
Spray/butter a 9" x 13" pan. Put the salt, cinnamon, butter and marshmallows in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave until the butter and marshmallows are melted, about two and half minutes. Mix in the vanilla and put it back in the microwave for 15 seconds. Fold the rice krispies in and mix until they are fully coated and combined. Spray a spatula with cooking spray, and spread the mix into the pan. Let cool, if you can.

Peanut Butter So-Called Nanaimo Bars

Well hello there. This is my first entry, finally, and here is what we have. I decided that to show my Vancouver-ness I would make a recipe from the local newspaper. Also, from said newspaper I decided to make a local recipe. However, the ingredients in the recipe aren't that similar to regular Nanaimo bars like nuts and coconut in the base. But it did have the classic custard filling and top chocolate layer. Now, here is the breakdown on how it went down.

Peanut Butter So-Called Nanaimo Bars
base:
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups peanut butter (I used smooth but crunchy would have been better)
2 cups special k
1/2 cup splenda brown sugar blend
2 cups corn flakes
custard filling:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
4 tbsp vanilla pudding powder or custard powder
6 tbsp milk
3 cups icing sugar
topping:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
6 tbsp butter
1/3 cup honey roasted peanuts (optional)*

Lightly butter two 8" x 8" pans. In a medium sauce pan, combine the syrup, peanut butter and brown sugar until blended. Remove from heat and add the rice krispies and corn flakes. Divide this mixture into two equal parts and press into the buttered pans. Chill till set, I waited about 45 minutes. Beat together the peanut butter and pudding powder then gradually, alternating, add the milk and icing sugar. Once again divide and spread onto the pans. Chill, again, for another 45 minutes or till firm. Finally, melt together the chocolate and butter in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Once again, chill till set. (At this point I just went to bed.) I woke up in the morning and tried to cut these puppies right from the fridge but I suggest if you leave them in their overnight that you let them sit out for a half hour before attempting to chop them up. Once they are warmed a bit, cut them up into 3/4" pieces like I did or however big you wish.
* I had been cutting and adding so many things to the recipe by that stage in the process that I thought why not? I love honey roasted peanuts so I am biased but it added a great crunch.