White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

I was in the mood for a Halloweenie, fallish treat. What says that better than Rice Krispie Treats? Here's a grown up version that is sure to get you in the mood.

White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Makes 20-50 treats

Adapted from David Lebovitz and Kellogg's original recipe

3 tablespoons (45g) salted butter

3 1/2 ounces (100g) white chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup (100g) candied peanuts (I used salted, honey roast peanuts)

10 ounce (300gr) bag marshmallows, snipped in half

6 cups (200g) Rice Krispies

1. Spray or lightly-oil a 13 x 9-inch (approx 30 x 22cm) rectangular pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the white chocolate and stir until melted.
3. Add the marshmallows and stir constantly over the heat until completely melted. (If they start to scorch on the bottom, remove from heat and continue to stir, placing the pan back on the heat occasionally, and stirring until smooth.
4. Remove from heat and add the candied peanuts and Rick Krispies until well combined. A rubber spatula or flexible pastry scraper works best. I used salad tongs and did the fluffing method to stop the rice krispies for getting smashed and the hot marshmallow from burning my fingers.
5. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Let cool.
Serving and storage: Cut into neat bars or squares with a sharp knife. These are best enjoyed the day they're made, although they can be covered snugly with a sheet of aluminum foil and stored at room temperature for 2 to 3 days longer.

Cooks Note:
DO NOT top with milk chocolate drizzle like I did on these in the pictures. Totally changes the flavor and the white chocolate part is shunted to the background :(

2 Experiments: 1 Pass, 1 Fail (Part Two: the Pass)

I think I am sufficiently recovered to go on. Immediately after I took the debacle that was the cake yack blobs out to the trash, I see No Thank You Boy/Science Boy picking through it. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You KNOW those things are gross! Get OUT of there! NOW! Turns out that he wasn’t looking for the blops he was looking for a soda bottle. He had taken a book out of the school media center about science experiments (I think it was called Really Messy Loud and Stinky Exploding Experiments You Can Do In The Comfort of Your Own Home), and was gathering materials to make an Exploding Volcano. I knew he was collecting materials because the kitchen chair was pulled up next to the open doors of the pantry and all my stuff had been rifled through. Exploding Volcano. Sigh. As long as it’s outside, I’m too tired to argue and I need something to cheer me up and no you may not use my paste food coloring, use the drops.

Directions to make an Exploding Volcano. You will need:

Empty 2 liter soda bottle
¼ cup baking soda
1 Tbsp. dishwashing liquid (in the cow :))
Food coloring (liquid)
½ cup vinegar

Add the baking soda, (note the fresh "swimmer hair" on the left)

dishwashing liquid,

and a few (I said a FEW!) drops of food coloring to the soda bottle. Take the bottle outside (or in the sink or bathtub) and slowly pour the vinegar into the bottle.

You may need to shake it to get things going.

The reaction of the baking soda and vinegar mixed with the soap will create bubbles that will spew out of the bottle (note: spew, not explode). The kids were able to squeeze the bottle and make them come out a little faster (and into their faces). The experiment created a very lovely yellow patch in the grass, but considereing that we're in a drought and it's half dead anyway, this is not a tragedy.

PASS. This was easy – much easier (and neater) than I thought it was going to be. Thank goodness. I will re-tackle those cake balls though, and soon. You have been warned.