Rice Krispie treats

These are kinda boring, because they're just old school Rice Krispie treats.  Nothing fancy.  Really!  No add-ins, no gourmet touches, no....nothing.  Except a little tweak on an old school favorite.  The real reason I'm posting these is because I went back to my roots.  To the way we used to make Rice Krispie Treats when we were kids (which, in full disclosure, was really not often at all, in fact I can only remember making them once or twice) -- on the stove!  A while ago, I had found a recipe for Rice Krispie treats that you made in the microwave -- sparing you the time of standing over the pot mixing but more importantly saved you the clean up of the pot, which I find to be the most tedious!

But last night while I was at B's, I decided to make some Rice Krispie treats for him while he did some work.  But the only microwave-safe bowl in his apartment was in the dishwasher and I didn't feel like fishing it out.  So I went old school and made them on the stove top in a pot (and, truth be told, while I think they tasted just a little bit better than the microwaved ones -- though I'll explain why that might be in just a little while -- cleaning that pot was just as much of a b*tch as I remembered it being!).

Because I was using the stove top, I decided I'd slightly -- slightly -- brown the butter.  Just a little.  To give them a little depth of flavor.  But just ever so slightly.  Oh, and I upped the butter a little -- about a half tablespoon.  I used 8 oz of marshmallows instead of 10 (since that's the only size container of marshmallows I could find at Whole Foods), so when it came to adding the Rice Krispies, I had every intention of adding the full 6 cups, but as I was mixing them in, I was finding that all the cereal wasn't going to get coated with the marshmallow mixture, so I only used 5 cups.  Then -- then, and this is genius if you ask me! -- I put them in a smaller pan (I used an 8 x 8" pan, but that's because I had less mixture than you will when you use the full 6 cups) than recommended, and really packed them in there, so that I got a thick, dense, chewy Rice Krispie treat.  B's sticky fingers grabbed one before I could even photograph the cut treats, and then I tasted one for good measure.  B came back for another, and then I promptly wrapped them up and gave him instructions to bring them to work today!

Old-School, Old-Fashioned Rice Krispie Treats -- with a little twist!

Straight from the Rice Krispies box (also found here), adapted ever so slightly by me (my recipe is below, and adjusted for the proper amount of marshmallows)

Ingredients:  

4-4.5 Tbsp butter (unsalted)

1 package (10 oz) large marshmallows (or 4 cups of mini marshmallows)

6 cups Rice Krispies

Butter or nonstick spray for the pan

9 x 9 inch pan (for thicker, denser treats) or 9 x 13 pan (for "regular" treats)

Directions:

Butter or spray the pan.

Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over low heat.
Allow the butter to start browning slightly.

Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

Remove from the heat.

Add Rice Krispies.

Stir well until all are coated.

Using a buttered spatula (or a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray) or wax paper sprayed with nonstick spray, press the mixture into the pan.

Allow to cool.

Cut into 2 inch squares.

If there are any remaining treats -- and I had to exhibit serious willpower!! -- package up in an airtight container.