The Other Rice Krispie Bar

I try to keep the amount of sweets and carbs I eat to a minimum. But, sometimes things get out of control and my "minimum" just goes flying out the door. That's what's been happening lately with anything Rice Krispie based. 

When I had half a box or so of Rice Krispies left, I wanted to make something different where I wouldn't devour the whole pan. I remembered those "Other Rice Krispie Bars" my mom, or grandmother's would make once in a great while, back in the day. 

BUT, only make a small pan, that way things won't get out of control!

If you are feeding a family, you can definitely double this recipe and make it in a 9x13, or if you just want to indulge yourself, go ahead and do it that way too! 

These are a great chewy no-bake treat, that will satisfy your chocolate and peanut butter cravings!

The Other Rice Krispie Bar

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
12 oz. milk chocolate chips (use half butterscotch chips if you like)

Butter 9x9 baking pan. Set aside.

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, light corn syrup, and peanut butter.  Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies until completely mixed.  Lightly press into prepared pan.

In microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips following package instructions.  Pour melted chocolate over top bars.  Let cool. Cut into bars.

Store in airtight container.

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Jeepers Creepers Peepers

Welcome to October's "Fill the Cookie Jar"! This months theme is Halloween/Pumpkin. I had another cookie in mind for you for this event, but it was an epic failure! The more I think about that cookie, the more determined I am to go back to it and make it work. So, you may see it yet. Or we might never speak of it again.

So... what to do for this month? I might not be able to remember my grocery shopping list, or remember where I put the new roll of paper towels, but I can remember when a friend posts a picture a year ago of a cute little Halloween cookie. So, after touching base with her about the recipe, and shaking off the dust from my previous failure, I was ready to try and make some eyeballs!

Super fun recipe! I used a mix of cookie butter, and peanut butter, but you can certainly use all peanut butter. I would highly recommend if you have some little ones running around to have them ready to help you with the "blood". These set up really fast, so either work on a couple at a time, or have help!

Once all was said and done, I wasn't sure what I was going to call these. But, then one of my awesome friends made a comment about the pic on facebook, I knew what their name was. Jeepers Creepers Peepers!

Truckin' Man wanted me to tell y'all that "He's got an eye on you!"

If you are interested in joining Fill The Cookie Jar group on facebook, fill out the form that can be found at Fill The Cookie Jar. Each month we bake a different theme for the cookie.

We bake, we share and we enjoy our cookies!

Jeepers Creepers Peepers

Peanut Butter Balls

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup cookie butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

Decoration

3/4 lb Almond Bark

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp water

M&M's

red food coloring

Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.  In large bowl, mix butter, cookie butter, and peanut butter together until completely combined and smooth. Add powdered sugar, half a cup at a time. Mixing completely after each addition.  Take about two teaspoons of mixture and roll into ball. If mixture is to dry, add some more peanut butter. If to wet, and a little more powdered sugar.  Roll all mixture into balls.  Place on baking sheet. When completed, place baking sheet with balls in freezer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt almond bark in microwave following package directions. In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, with water together. Add food coloring, and water one teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached (Test this with a toothpick on the side of your bowl. You want it thin enough so that it will run down the balls, but not so thin that it will run right off). Once you have the right consistency, set up your work station. Have a sheet of wax paper ready to make your "Peepers", melted almond bark, "blood", and toothpick or your choice of tool for the blood drizzle.

Moving quickly, drop chilled peanut butter balls into melted almond bark. Set on waxed paper. With toothpick, drizzle red from center top of ball, down the sides. Set M&M on top. If the top is already set up, you can add a dot of almond bark to the M&M for "glue".

***Tip: If you are working alone, take 4 balls out of freezer at a time. When you complete those, repeat steps.

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Buttery Garlic Ranch Pretzels (AKA Crack Pretzels)

Is it right to share a recipe with you when it is for something I can not keep in my house? I think so!! I have been making these pretzel's for years now. The girls that I used to work with, at the bank,  would know these as "Lori's Pretzels".  

Anything Lori brought in for our food days, never lasted long!

These pretzels are just so simple, and so good! Honestly, I can't keep them in my house! I have made several batches recently for some parties, and I just want them out! Why? If they are in the house, they disappear. Gone. No where to be found. Why? You eat them. Addictively.  One handful after another. Salty, buttery, garlicky, ranchy.....Need I say more?

This is not a healthy recipe.  The party I took them to this weekend had a lot of healthy eaters attending. When the first lady asked me for the recipe, I was afraid to tell her, thinking she would set her pretzels down and walk away. Nope. She didn't care. She was already addicted and 

kept on eating.

Try 'em. Let me know. Can you eat just one???

Buttery Garlic Ranch Pretzels (AKA Crack Pretzels)

16 oz. bag Mini Pretzels
4 oz. Orville Redenbacher Buttery Flavor Popcorn Oil
1 oz. package Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix (Original)
2 tsp garlic powder ( I use 3 tsp since I love them really garlicky)

Pour pretzels into large mixing bowl. Toss with popcorn oil, until pretzels are coated with the oil. Sprinkle the dip mix and garlic powder over the pretzels. Toss again until all the ingredients are distributed over all the pretzels. Spend a couple minutes doing this to be sure everything is evenly distributed.

Pour onto large cookie sheet and let dry for several hours.  Once dry, store in airtight container.


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No-Bake Biscoff Cookies

Cookie Butters.. Have you tried them? Do you like them? Or is Peanut Butter the only one for you? I absolutely adore Trader Joe's Cookie Butter, there is a special place in my cupboard for that insanely addicting spread. I finally tried Biscoff, and while it is good, I will have to say it did not win my affection. 

I bought the Biscoff to satisfy my curiosity about it's taste, but also to make these No-Bake Biscoff Cookies from Chef In Training. Truckin' Man is absolutely in love with these and thinks they are the best ever. I certainly can't argue when a recipe this simple makes him so happy!  And, it works as great portion control for me when he loves our sweet's as much as he loves these. I get to put them in the truck, save one or two back for me, and away the sweet's go. I am set and ready to make the next treat!

No-Bake Biscoff Cookies  

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. Biscoff Spread
2 1/2 c. rolled oats
2 t. vanilla

Directions
In a large saucepan melt butter, milk and sugar, stirring, until it reaches a rolling boil. Let it boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat. Stir in Biscoff Spread, oats and vanilla until well mixed.
Place spoonfuls of batter on parchment or waxed paper.  Let cookies set up. Store in airtight container. 

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Weekend Potluck

(Source: Chef In Training) 

No Bake Double Chocolate Energy Bars

Hello Sunday! Hello new week! Last week was certainly not a week I care to repeat, from flopped recipes, to totaling out my new (used) vehicle. All turned out well in the end. I walked away from the vehicle, unharmed. And the flopped food, was edible, but certainly nothing to write about!

I am trying to kick this week off to a good start with some healthy recipes to try. I love my junk food, greasy food, and just plain bad for ya food. But, I need to be eating healthier foods and I would rather eat good when I can, and still be able to enjoy the indulgent treats when I want!

As always, I like to find foods that travel well, and that my truckin' man will like as well.  When I found the recipe for these No Bake Double Chocolate and Prune Energy Bars over at Eat Good 4 Life, I was sold.  With 2 kinds of chocolate, peanut butter, almonds, and honey, how can it go wrong???  Add in some prunes, and flax seed meal, it is a good healthy snack.  Flax seed meal is a new ingredient for me. Since finding it at the store, I am running into a variety of recipes that call for it, so I doubt that it will last long.

If you have any picky eaters, you can probably sneak this right by them as a chocolate delight.  When I gave my truckin' man his first bar to try, he thought it was a new fudge recipe! Yup, he didn't even know it was good for him, until I told him :)

No Bake Double Chocolate Energy Bars  (from Eat Good 4 Life)

1 c. raw almonds
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
1/2 c. flax seed meal

1 lb whole pitted prunes
1/2 c. cocoa powder
3 T. honey
2 T. Peanut Butter

In food processor, add almonds and pulse until they are in coarse pieces. Add dark chocolate chips and flax seed meal, pulse til finely chopped. Pour into another bowl, and set aside.

In food processor, add prunes, honey, peanut butter and cocoa powder and pulse until mixture is finely chopped and comes together. Add almond mixture back to the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the entire mixture comes together.

Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Cut the paper extra long, so that the parchment paper hangs over the ends of the pan.  Press the chocolate mixture evenly into the pan and fold parchment over the bars. Set a plate in the pan, to cover the bars. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Remove bars from pan, and cut to desire size.  Store covered in refrigerator.