Oreo Rice Crispy Treats

I fear that I would fail on one of those competitive cooking shows simply because my plating skills suck. I can make things taste all kinds of delicious, but they are not always so pretty.

Case in point? I made quite possibly the most delicious and addicting rice crispy treats known to man (and woman, and dog) this weekend. I had many motivations for setting out on this baking endeavor...

A) Oreos + Rice Crispies = winning! They sounded liked something that my boyfriend would add to the list of "things to bake to get yourself out of trouble for scheduling too many activities for me to participate in//putting too many things on the 'to do' list for the weekend"...

B) I had my student editors over for a planning meeting and BBQ, and you really can't go wrong with chocolate, cookies and high school kids.

C) While there was some stove-top heat involved, this did not require my oven. And it was just too.damn.hot. to really "cook" anything this past week.

So, I'd been planning to make these for a few days. I had my little shopping list all set up on my phone, and I dutifully ticked items off as I pulled them off the shelves... evaporated milk? check! mini marshmallows? check! chocolate chips? who are we kidding? I bought an extra bag, just to be safe. Now, what did I realize that I forgot to buy when I got home (at 10 PM, mind you...)? Freaking Rice Crispies! So, back to the store I went, kicking myself the whole way there... But let me tell you, they were sooooooooo worth it.

I guinea pigged these on a wide audience, and they were met with rave reviews across the board. Boyfriend + his friends: loved them, even before they cooled and set. Newspaper kiddos? They devoured them. My coworkers at the gym: A+ from them (and yes, I was a little torn about taking baked goods into the gym... but those things were too addicted to leave in the house!).

The only drawback? They're kind of ugly. They just aren't all that nice to look at. I know that the way they taste is really what matters (just like how it's 'what's on the inside' that really matters with people...), but part of me can't get past the fact that these treats got their ass kicked by the ugly stick. But they do have a winning personality going for them.


Oreo Rice Crispy Treats with Chocolatey Drizzle
adapted from Baking Serendipity

 photo by Jessica Y.

They may not be the best looking dessert on the block, 

but you won't be able to stop eating them.

1/4 cup butter (half a stick)
4 cups mini marshmallows (or about 40 normal sized mallows)
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal (in the future, I want to try this recipe with Cocoa Pebbles)
2.5 cups  Double Stuffed Oreo cookies, quartered (This is about 2/3 of a package of Oreos)

1.Quarter Oreos and combine with Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. In a skillet with high sides, brown butter. This is not as hard as it sounds. Seriously, just put it on medium heat and stir it slowly until the butter gets to be a golden-brown color.

3. Add in marshmallows and stir to melt marshmallows and distribute brown butter evenly throughout.

4. Pour marshmallow/brown butter mixture over Oreos/cereal and stir gently, just to coat. A wooden spoon works nicely for this.

5. Press into a 9x13" pan coated with cooking spray and let sit to firm up before topping with ganache.

Chocolatey Drizzle

1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1. Bring evaporated milk to a boil in a small saucepan.

2. Add chocolate chips slowly, stirring to melt, but not burn.

3. When chocolate has melted and chocolately drizzle is thickened, drizzle over Rice Krispies. A whisk works nicely for this. Let set to firm up before covering or serving. 

Cheesecake Brownies

6. Cooking stores are like my pornography. I was at the mall yesterday, in a generally grumpy disposition because I had to deal with the madness of the Apple store, but walking through the baking sections of a few kitchen stores sent me to cloud nine. It made me tingly all over. BUT!!! that's not as dirty as it sounds. Get your mind out of the gutter.

7. I'm prejudiced. Or maybe racist? I'm not sure what to call it. Before you start sending me white hoods and hate mail, let me explain. I just don't like cake. I find it obnoxious. It's all big, and calorie-loaded and is just getting quite arrogant with all of it's topsy-turvy-ness and all that other BS you see on the food network challenge shows. BUT!!! I like cupcakes. I like cupcakes a lot. They are little. And cute. And your pants still fit if you eat one. And if you botch the decoration on one, you still have 11 more to make beautiful. You cannot say the same thing about cake. I guess that makes me cake-cist. I guess it's a little like loving puppies but not really having a tolerance for dogs. Does that make me a bad person?

8. Baking is the key to my happiness. Over the past few years, as my love for cooking has developed, I've done some reflection and soul searching to figure out just what it is about the kitchen that I love so much. At first, my inner fat kid was like, "Duh, you love food." But the truth is, I don't really eat a lot of what I bake. I revel in feeding other people. I love the look on someone's face when they are eating something they enjoy that I made. This is why I force feed my boyfriend. This is why I, especially, enjoy feeding my students. Nothing makes high school kids happier than baked goods. Yes, it costs me some money. Yes, it costs me some time. Yes, it makes me weirdly popular with some interesting people. BUT!!! I wouldn't trade this obsession for anything.

9. I don't have an "OFF" switch. My mind never shuts down. Sure, I sleep. And there are days when I accomplish little to nothing of note. But I can never fully stop processing, analyzing and reflecting on what is going on around me. Whether it's giving strangers wardrobe makeovers in my head while I run on the beach, restructuring an assignment for my students while I fold laundry or crafting a cupcake recipe while I shower, my brain is never at rest. This drives my boyfriend insane. I typically run at 100% until my body just shuts down and says, "Enough!" This always happens over break--so that I get the pleasure of spending my time off sick, in bed. Thinking of new things to bake, of course. BUT!!! I always come back from those breaks so ready, so excited and so full of ideas. I suppose that means it's necessary re-charge time.

10. I am the WORST procrastinator EVER. My thesis is due in 19 days. What am I doing? Writing blog posts, cleaning my office, vacuuming, reorganizing my baking supplies, doing laundry, painting my toe nails, trying (and failing) to fix the sprinkler along the driveway that I ran over, playing with the dog, and, of course, baking. This is all bad news for me, as my deadline approaches. BUT!!! It's great news for you... Because that means more recipes! For these goodies, I really wanted to do something special for my boyfriend, who has been working two jobs and then coming home to a "Honey Do" list a mile long and dealing with baking-obsessed and super stressed out me. He deserved a treat, so my attempts at avoiding what I needed to do resulted in something yummy for him (and you).

Nick's Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies

photo by Jessica Y.

These blonde brownies combine some of Nick's favorite things.

For the blonde brownie:
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon Kahlua
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

For the cheesecake "filling":
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Kahlua
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F . Grease a 9x13 inch pan. I used a "Perfect Brownie" pan that makes all edge pieces--divine!
2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup white sugar. Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and Kahlua. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; sift into the sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1/4 cup white sugar. Mix in the 2 remaining eggs.
5. Spread 1/2 of chocolate chip dough in bottom of the prepared pan. Place in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
6. Pour cream cheese batter on top of dough. Sprinkle with pecans (if you are using them). 
7. Spoon dollops of the remaining blonde brownie batter over filling. The batter will spread as it bakes,so it is ok if there are gaps.
8. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned on the top. Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting into bars. 
9. Serve with a big glass of milk!

Milk 'n' cookies

For better or for worse, the wonders of modern technology make it so that I can post stuff from anywhere... Including the gym where I work part time. Why I need a part time job on top of teaching is a whole different issue... But let's not get started on that one. Mama's got a mortgage, bottom line.

And speaking of mamas, this entry is for them. Seems like everyone I know these days is popping out kids, and since I am SO not at that place in my life right now, I've compensated by baking for my mama friends.

Most recently, I wanted to do something nice for my boyfriend's sister in law. But, my lack of maternal instinct left me unsure of what to do. The advice of another momma friend was to avoid baking with booze or crack, and I should be fine. She suggested a lactation cookie, which honestly gave me the heebie jeebies at first. But! I did some research, and a few test batches, and I've come up with a recipe that is a total hit--for both those who lactate and those who do not. I can't attest to their effectiveness, but they are supposed to help increase and maintain a healthy milk supply.

So, if you're not totally grossed out yet... Check em out!

Milking Cookies

1.5 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1.5 c oats
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 c flax
2 T milk
3 T brewers yeast
2 c chocolate chips
1/3 c water
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven To 350.

2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda.

3. In large bowl, cream butter, sugars and peanut butter.

4. Add eggs, one at a time.

5. Mix in flax. Follow with vanilla and almond extract.

6. Add the flour mixture in thirds. Follow with the milk.

7. Mix in the oats. Follow with the chocolate chips.

8. Roll dough into ping pong sized balls. Flatten with a fork.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.

photo by Nick H.
They may not be all that photogenic, but these cookies are a hit
among mommies and daddies alike.