By The Singh-family Holi went well Saturday March 11. The dessert table was clean by the end of the gathering. Priya texted me Sunday morning with the standard kind feedback. The next Singh-family event is the late-spring summer-onset gathering in early June (a small family-only Father’s-Day dinner). Brayden is seventy-six weeks old. The first Tuesday-evening Aunt-Linda visit since the Tulsa residency ended was this week. She had driven up Tuesday afternoon and stayed for two hours, holding Brayden and catching up on the kitchen-and-living-room news.
The homemade rice krispie treats are the basic-American childhood snack — rice cereal, melted marshmallows, butter, vanilla, salt — pressed into a 9x13 pan and cut into squares once they have cooled. The treats are the kind of small thing every toddler-aged kid will eat. I had not made them since I was twelve years old at Mama’s house.
The technique question is the marshmallow-melting and the pressing. The marshmallows need to be melted gently in butter (low heat, constant stirring) so they do not seize. The cereal needs to be folded in quickly so the marshmallow does not begin to harden before it is mixed. The pressing into the pan needs to be done with a buttered spatula (otherwise the marshmallow sticks).
Sunday I made a 9x13 pan. Brayden had a small one-inch piece. He has now had his first rice krispie treat. He is delighted. He is also covered in marshmallow.
Aunt Linda’s small twice-weekly Tulsa-visits continue. She arrives at two PM. She stays for two hours. She holds Brayden (and later helps with both kids). She drinks the small cup of coffee I keep ready. We talk through the small week’s family-news. The small visits are the small social-thread that connects the Tulsa-apartment-life to the small Sapulpa-extended-family.
Brayden’s small developmental milestones have been arriving on the small typical-schedule. The pediatrician has been pleased at the small monthly check-ins. The small baby-and-now-toddler life continues to be the small foreground of the small family-of-three rhythm.
Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 package (10 oz) marshmallows (about 40 regular or 4 cups mini)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 cups crispy rice cereal
- Cooking spray or additional butter, for the pan
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
- Melt the butter. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter completely, stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
- Add the marshmallows. Add all the marshmallows to the melted butter and stir constantly until fully melted and smooth, about 4–5 minutes. Keep the heat low — rushing this step makes the treats tough.
- Season and flavor. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt until combined.
- Fold in the cereal. Add the crispy rice cereal all at once and fold quickly with a spatula until every piece is evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
- Press into pan. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Using lightly buttered hands or the back of a buttered spatula, press the mixture into an even layer. Press firmly but gently — over-pressing makes them dense.
- Cool and cut. Let the treats cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes until set. Cut into 12 squares and serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 165 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 115mg