I have three words for you...

Rice Krispie Treats. Have you ever made these? Has it been a long time? Well, as someone that loves to bake and has turned out countless numbers of cakes, cookies, and cupcakes over the years, it amazes me that I have never, until today, made a Rice Krispie Treat. I had it in my mind to make them today, but almost forgot to run to the store yesterday for the ingredients. My kind husband interrupted his dinner (he works late and eats when he gets home at about 10:30) to run with me to the store before it closed for the cereal and marshmallows. Which brings me to the first reason I am going to be singing the praises of these krispie little bars. Making them will normally only involve buying TWO ingredients. The aforementioned cereal, and the kind of gross (in my mind anyhow, my kids would most decidedly disagree) globules we call marshmallows. Really, yuckity yucky on the marshmallows. I could name about 1000 things I'd rather eat, but anyhow...

It is nice to make a homemade treat, don't you think? But how many homemade treats can you whip up without even glancing at an ingredient list to see what you have/need? There is a third ingredient, by the way; it is butter. I am assuming most households have some butter (or margarine which would work just fine, I am sure) on hand. Oh woe is you if you don't have three tablespoons of butter in your house! So the fact that I can, the next time I get the urge to make these gooey treats, simply run to the store and grab two items, is a big seller for me as far as the RKT goes.

Next point. Rice Krispie Treats are good! Now even if you haven't made any, you cannot tell me you've never eaten one, can you? (If not, get ye to the nearest supermarket now, fast, there is still time!) You know you like them. They're really truly yummy delicious. Crispy, gooey, buttery, how can you go wrong?

I'm even going to try to make the point that the RKT is not an unhealthy snack. I must be honest, I take the term "healthy snack" pretty seriously. (If you don't believe me, go sneak a peek in my daughter's Kindergarten snack bag some time!) I am not going to go so far as to bestow the "h" word upon the humble RKT. What I am going to state, simply, is that there are worse things one could eat. Now I did check the Rice Krispie label to discover (not surprisingly) that there is no fiber in the cereal. For you fellow label-readers out there, this one doesn't even get the <> a sweet cereal. The 3T of butter don't count. Sorry, I'm not a butter-phobe. I guess it's my lucky low-cholesterol-producing genes that make me this way, but there you have that. The marshmallows, we know this is the evil part. The final product is something healthier, at the least, than a chocolate bar. (Wait, isn't chocolate considered healthy now? Bad example.) It's not candy. I would have to argue this treat is healthier than most cookies or cake.

Consider the potential. Did you ever wonder what might happen if you swapped out the RK for say Cherrios? Or Wheat Chex? (The latter just happens to be my daughter's favorite cereal. God works in mysterious ways.) You cannot deny the health factor when you look at this subbing angle of the equation. Enough said.

Last point, the treats are shockingly easy to make. I am so accustomed to being patient in waiting for cookies and cakes to bake and cool, I could not believe this was a done deal, and being eaten by yours truly, almost instantaneously! (Don't tell the kids I ate about 4 or 5 to the one I allowed them. Kids don't need to know everything.) No, I mean really easy. I can lay it out for you right here. Melt 10 oz. bag of marshmallows with 3 T butter in microwave for 2-3 minutes. Stir to blend, them stir in 6c of cereal. Plop into a greased 13x8 inch pan. (I have broken down and bought the cooking oil spray. Nice time-saver, worth it, because the greasing of the pan in the old-fashioned Crisco and paper towel way might have been the one step that catapulted this one out of the "incredibly easy" category, kwim?) I got a great tip off the web that one must wet (yes wet) her hands in order to be able to push the glob down into the pan without getting all sticky. That worked like a charm, I tell you!

I should end here. But there is still one more phenomenal aspect of the Sticky Kitties I feel compelled to share. Versatility! I've seen these things made with corn flakes into adorable little Christmas wreaths. You know I'll be doing this with my kids this holiday season! One could add so many twists! Chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, peanut butter was even mentioned in the recipe as a possibility. Upping the health and taste factors all at once! One could color these so many various ways and shape them into almost anything!

Oops sorry, there's more. I made these with my home daycare today. Did I say EASY? The recipe really only involves mixing and pressing the buttons on the microwave. It's not always easy cooking with kids, but they love it so. So you let them do some stirring, some pouring of cupfuls of RK into the bowl, some magical button pressing on the micro. They have legitimately helped you create a treat and you are still sane to enjoy it when it's done! Those who have cooked/baked with kids (and I've had lots of moms admit they are scared to go there) know what I am talking about.

Now, quick, run to the store!

CIAO! Tracy