Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

I think the most basic sweet treat is the Rice Krispies Treat.  It's simple and super easy to make (and eat).  I remember making them in the summer at the cabin with my grandma.  The are perfect for summer days because you don't have to turn on the oven!

Yesterday, I was in the mood for something sweet (no surprise), not messy, and chocolaty (no surprise).  Rice Krispies + chocolate chips. Done.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. butter or margarine
10 oz. marshmallows
6 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal {for my gluten free friend- they make these gluten free now!}
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips {you can also use Coco Krispies, but I prefer this method}

Directions:
In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt margarine.  Add marshmallows and chocolate chips to melted butter and stir constantly {no burned chocolate here} until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies.  Pour mix into a well greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top then press the mix into the pan.

I use a freezer bag to "protect" my hand as I smooth and press the treats into the pan, my grandma used the paper wrapper from the butter, you can also use a spatula.

Let cool. Cut into bars. Enjoy!

There are a million other ways to make these... for more inspiration check here: Kellog's Website

Snap. Crackle. Pop. :-)

Grandma's Banana Bread

My Grandma's Banana Bread is the best. I love it. It never lasts long in our house.  It makes a great "housewarming" treat, it's great for breakfast, it's great for a snack. It's just great. It's so easy too!

I love bananas, I usually buy some every week at the grocery store.  Sometimes I buy extra so I can make banana bread.  The best bananas to use for this are the over ripe ones. If you're like me this could be the ones that have lost the green color by the stem... or you could wait until they are slightly brown.  The riper they are the more banana flavor they will add to the banana bread.

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. Vegetable Oil

2 eggs

3 bananas- smushed up

2 c. flour {I use 3/4 c. whole wheat flour and 1 1/4 c. all purpose flour}

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. wheat germ {this is optional, if you use wheat germ, don't use whole wheat flour}

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine ingredients in the above order, add the baking soda before the flour though.  Add the flour 1/2 c at a time to make sure it is well incorporated.

Pour batter into a well greased 10" loaf pan. Bake for an hour {check it after 50 minutes though}.

This is how quickly banana bread disappears at my house... delish!!

My Very Own Signature Cookie

Long time no blog! I've been away being a good graduate student... sort of. I've still been cooking and baking and taking pictures, I just haven't been blogging about my kitchen adventures the past few weeks.  Now that the semester is done, and summer is (pretty much) upon us I have a lot of catching up to do!!

I decided to post this recipe because I've decided it is my Signature Cookie. I altered one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes to be more than a chocolate chip cookie. It is a chocolate mint chocolate chip masterpiece :-) They are chewy, gooey, minty, chocolate-y, and amazing {everything I look for in a cookie}.  Make sure you've got plenty of milk... enjoy!

Chocolate Mint Chocolate Chippers

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp water
1 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. chopped Andes Mints
1 c. chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and brown sugar in mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.  Mix in vanilla and cocoa powder. {at this point you will think to yourself "I think I'm making brownies", but I promise you're not} Mix in the water and then add the flour 1/2 cup at a time.  If you bought the Andes mints that are already chopped- great.  If you're like me and appreciate an after-dinner, pre-dessert mint and bought a bag-o-mints {hello, leftover chocolate}, unwrap about 18 and chop em up.

I prefer to use the Pampered Chef Food Chopper ;-).  Fold in the Andes mints and chocolate chips with a spatula.

Place dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. {Chill unused dough in the fridge in between batches} Yields 2 1/2 dozen cookies.