Episode III of Apres Ski What’s For Dinner Creation Success

I enjoy coming up with my Apres Ski creations, but haven’t taken the time to document them.  I have never been a “Pantry Chef” but have always admired those who can pull off a gourmet meal from whatever scraps are in their kitchens.  I hope to develop this skill through the Apres Ski dishes.

This next one falls into the dessert category.  While it isn’t an original recipe, I did utilize the leftovers of the pantry!  I absolutely love marshmallow cereal treats.  They are a quick fix for a sweet treat craving.

I measured my remaining rice cereal….and calculated the other ingredients from there.  I felt lucky!  Exactly 2 cups of cereal remained, and the full recipe calls for 6 cups.  This is math I can handle.  I divided/guesstimated the marshmallows and butter required by the regular recipe by 3.

Here is an excellent article to read from The Kitchn (yes, spelled correctly!) to make the perfect marshmallow treats and the mistakes to avoid.  Sometimes mine used to come out hard….this is definitely a let down.  This article has righted my ways, and this mini batch was perfect.

Most boxes of rice cereal have a recipe to follow on the back.  Here is the one I used, and this makes a regular batch.  Divide as needed!

Ingredients:

•  6 cups of rice cereal
•  1 package of marshmallows (10 or 11 ounces)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Measure out the rice cereal in a bowl and set aside.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan.  Melt butter and marshmallows in pan slowly over low heat and stir frequently.  Slowly works better here:  if they melt together too quickly, this can cause the treats to become too hard (yes, my previous problem!).  Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  Add the pre-measured cereal and stir until it is coated.   Scoop into the prepared 13 x 9 pan and gently press down with a spatula.  If the marshmallow mixture is sticky, add a few drops of water to the spatula.  Let the treats cool before cutting into bars. Keep them tightly covered as they will only remain at their freshness for 2-3 days.  And store at room temperature–never refrigerate them–to keep them soft as well.

My third of a batch of marshmallow treats fit perfectly in a 9 x 5 inch bread loaf pan.  There’s always a perfect pan for whatever sized batch is made!