Sweet Spot Sunday: Peanut Butter Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

I made some rice krispie treats a couple of weeks ago (from a recipe I'd seen on pinterest), and then made them again Halloween night to bring to another friend's house so we could scarf them down (protein, right?!) before trick-or-treating.  I tweaked the recipe a little, and in my humble opinion, they were pretty good.  Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

photo by Kim Trzyna Photography
This photo makes me hungry just looking at it.

Peanut Butter Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
recipe adapted from Key Ingredient

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
 (or regular size marshmallows)
1 tablespoon vanilla
about 2 + 1/2 - 3 cups peanut butter, divided
7 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 14 oz bag unwrapped caramels
-or- use the sea salt caramels from Trader Joe's
2-3 tablespoons water
1 12 oz bag dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
Butter a 9x13 pan.  Place 3 tablespoons of butter and the bag of marshmallows into a microwave safe bowl; heat for a minute, stir, add vanilla and 1/2-1 cup peanut butter to marshmallows (this is one of the most important steps- add the peanut butter to the rice krispie treats, people!  Trust me!), continue to heat at 30 second intervals, stirring to mix all ingredients.  (You can also do this on the stove if you prefer.)  Add the rice krispie cereal until it is completely coated.  Put the mixture into the buttered 9x13 pan.  Place in fridge.

In a saucepan over low heat, add the caramels and water.  Stir until smooth, add 1 cup of peanut butter.  Take rice krispies out of the fridge, pour the peanut butter caramel mixture over the rice krispies until evenly covered, and place back into the fridge to set.

In another saucepan, melt the bag of chocolates over low heat (you can use a double boiler if you want to, but if you keep an eye on the chocolate and stir constantly, you won't need to).  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, add the remaining 1/2 cup of peanut butter.  Pour this mixture over the caramel/rice krispie mixture and set it back in the fridge until the chocolate is set.  When you're ready to devour the whole pan in one sitting, go ahead and take them out of the fridge and cut them up.

Enjoy!

Day 11~
I am thankful that the Cat has had the opportunity to get to know her great grandparents, and to hear stories from my grandfather (we call him Ging!) about when he was young, growing up in the 20s and 30s.  I love hearing his stories too!

~Lori