Cocoa "Rice Krispies" Treats

During Hy-vee's Truckload Cereal Sale, I found these giant family size bags of Malt-O-Meal cereal for only $1 each. Want to know the best part (aside from the super low price)? They're gluten free! Since Kellogg's doesn't offer any gluten free cereal options (that I know of, anyway), I was super excited to find another mainstream cereal brand (in addition to General Mills) that does. Now I can (easily and cheaply) satisfy my craving for a homemade "Rice Krispies" treat!

Cocoa "Rice Krispies" Treats
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 5 cups mini marshmallows
• 7 cups Malt-O-Meal Cocoa Dyno-Bites

Directions

1. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Melt coconut oil in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
3. Add cereal. Stir until evenly coated.
4. Lightly grease hand with nonstick cooking spray and press mixture into prepared pan. Cool before cutting into bars.

Recipe adapted from Kellogg's.

Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

The three layers of these bars provide an amazing combination of flavors and textures: a moist, chocolatey brownie base with a sticky, gooey marshmallow middle, and a peanut buttery, crunchy topping!

Chocolate Marshmallow Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Brownies:
 3/4 cup butter, softened
 1 1/2 cups sugar
 3 eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 1/3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1/2 tsp baking powder
 1/2 tsp salt
 3 Tbsp cocoa
 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
 4 cups mini marshmallows

Topping:
 1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
 3 Tbsp butter
 1 cup creamy peanut butter
 2 cups crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa; add to creamed mixture. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
3. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over brownies. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes, until puffed and just starting to turn golden. Cool.
4. For topping, combine chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; stir in cereal. Spread over marshmallow layer.
5. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Almond Bark Cookies

This recipe holds a tremendous amount of sentimental value for me. When I was in junior high, I regularly babysat for our neighbors across the street who had two little boys. The parents went to a number of holiday parties every winter, and Mrs. Rickert made the most delicious Christmas sweets! These cookies were by far my most favorite treat of hers. One day my mom told her how much I loved these cookies. From then on, she made sure to have some for me every time I would go over to her house to babysit! She was such a thoughtful woman. Thankfully she shared the recipe with my mom because we moved out of state a couple years later. Now I think of her, the boys, and all our fun babysitting memories every Christmas when I make these cookies!

Almond Bark Cookies
Yield: depends on how large or small you make them!

Ingredients
24 oz package white almond bark
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups peanuts (I use lightly salted)
3 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

Directions
1. Put almond bark in glass bowl and follow melting directions on package.
2. Add peanut butter. Stir until smooth.
3. Add peanuts, marshmallows, and cereal. Stir until evenly coated.
4. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Chill to set.
5. Store in refrigerator.

Marshmallow Milk Chocolate Fudge

I felt like getting creative in the kitchen today and wanted to figure out a way to use up the rest of the evaporated milk from my Cookies & Cream Fudge recipe that I made a couple days ago. (I bought the larger 12 oz can and didn't want it to go to waste.) And that's how this recipe was born!

I love that this chocolate fudge acts as a complement to the white version. I actually packaged up both varieties and gave them as a gift to some new neighbors as a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift! (I made sure to inquire about food allergies first to ensure they would be safe for the family to eat.)

Marshmallow Milk Chocolate Fudge
Yield: depends on how small/large you cut the pieces!

Ingredients
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
2 cups milk chocolate chips
7 oz jar marshmallow fluff*
3 cups mini marshmallows

*WARNING! Did you know that marshmallow fluff can be a hidden source of gluten? Beware of the generic or off-brands which are often cross-contaminated with wheat. I go with a national name brand like Kraft.

Directions
1. Line cookie sheet with foil.
2. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in milk chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff until smooth.
4. Fold in mini marshmallows.
5. Pour fudge onto lined cookie sheet.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm.
7. Lift from cookie sheet and remove foil. Cut into pieces. Store in refrigerator.