In my small circle of family, friends, and acquaintances, it’s hard to think of any single person who says that they don’t like Rice Krispy Squares. Maybe it’s the same for your circle…

These darn things have been around for a while. When I was growing up, they were a real treat when they were made by Mom. When you see them, or make them from time to time, they have that same kind of initial “fresh-out-of-the-oven-chocolate-chip-cookies” type of appeal that has nothing to do with taste. If warm nostalgic feelings can’t be considered a component of what comfort foods are based on, then I don’t know what would be.

When Michele and I are cooking we like to see what impact last minute inspirations or ingredient twists would have on whatever we were preparing. We’re rarely disappointed, and sometimes more than pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Such is the case with the recipe below. Michele was inspired by some leftover frozen candy “bits” and all she had to make rice krispy squares with was chocolate flavored puffed rice cereal. The end result was a wonderful surprise and in somewhat constant demand around here…

Michele’s Toffee Bits Cocoa Treats

You’ll need:

3 TBSPS of butter, or margarine

1 10 oz. package of regular marshmallows (or 4 cups of minis)

6 cups of chocolate flavored puffed-rice cereal

Some chocolate covered English Toffee candy bar “bits”*

*This is what really makes this recipe a treat! They can be found in most supermarkets, in the same section in the “Baking” aisle where they keep the chocolate chips. The quantity of how much you mix in is entirely up to you. Don’t be too frugal here. The last batch that Michele made had ¾ of a bag of these bits mixed in. There is a textural issue here too that is a lot of fun. When you get done chewing up some of the cereal and marshmallows, you start to come across some of those little nuggets of chocolate covered toffee candy…oh my!

Melt the butter or margarine in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove the sauce pan from the heat. Mix in the cereal and candy bits and stir well until everything is consistently distributed and well coated. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan that has been lightly greased with butter, margarine, or cooking spray. It will be a little warm and a little sticky, so you can smooth out and work your mixture with a buttered (or sprayed) spatula, or with waxed paper. It holds up pretty well to being compacted and manipulated to whatever is your preferred density. After it has cooled you can cut it into whatever sized squares you would like to serve and eat. They have a tendency to be cut fairly big in our house.

As I’m sure aware by now that I like to suggest variations for most of the recipes on this blog, here’s just a handful of suggestions for these treats. You are truly limited only by your imagination here; create your own family tradition!

• I would be tempted to add about a ½ cup of smooth peanut butter into the melted marshmallow mix, stirring well to combine, before I add the cereal and candy
• No marshmallows? In a pinch a regular sized jar (8-10 ozs.) of marshmallow cream, like Fluf, can be substituted
• Different flavored candy bits, bought or made or crushed…red and white hard candy mints at Christmas time, gumdrops that have had a knife run through them for a rough chop and then lightly dusted with powered sugar to help keep them separated for stirring in. Mini sized jellybeans? What about chocolate chips or minis, peanut butter or butterscotch flavored morsels?
• Cereal is OK to eat if it’s in a dessert treat right? It’s got to be better for me than eating, like, a regular toll-house cookie, right? Right!? Ok, so go the other way. What about stirring peanuts, or almond slivers, or dried cranberries or raisins, or any other kind of dried fruit like pineapple or mango? Sunflower seeds? You get the picture.

Have fun with this. They are a safe bet to disappear soon after you have made them. At least they are around here. Enjoy!