Give Away & Rice Crispy Treats

After the short delay due to hurricane Sandy, my Smitten Kitchen Cookbook has arrived! Yeah! This book is beautiful. Once you take a look at the gorgeous food photography and read the short stories behind the recipes, you will want to get cooking or baking something right away. I have followed Deb's blog www.smittenkitchen.com for sometime now and her new cookbook is as delightful as her blog.  I flipped through the book as soon as I got it and now am taking my time reading each recipe. The first one I tried was her pizza crust and that did not disappoint. Trust me

we are picky about our pizza crust and so far Deb's ranks up there with our favorite made with beer (that's right) (recipe soon to come). I'm a huge fan of rice crispy treats, so when I saw her recipe tweaked a bit, I had to make a batch. Who would of thought that browning the butter, adding a touch of salt would make that much difference! Oh, but it does... Just a hint of salt now & then against the sweetness of the marshmallows and a slightly nutty flavor from the butter. You must make these NOW!! They should be on your dessert menu whenever possible. Who doesn't love rice crispy treats? You will love these. I also love s'mores. It's probably a very good thing that I do not have a wood burning fireplace. S'more making would be a nightly event for me. So, when I came across her picture of S'more layer cake, yes, you know where I'm going with this...Well, it will be on my list of what I'm baking next. 

I am also very glad to announce that I will be given away one of her cookbooks! Contest starts today and will close on Tuesday, November 20th at midnight. Since I mentioned on my last post about keeping track of your blessings till Thanksgiving, I would love to hear what some of those blessings are and or what you are most thankful for. The winner will be randomly chosen. Winner to be announced on November 21st.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats-
the smitten kitchen cookbook

Ingredients- 

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
one 10oz bag large or miniature marshmallows
6 cups puffed-rice cereal (or just about 1/2 of a 12oz box)

Directions-

Butter  an 8" square pan with 2" inch sides.

Brown the butter in a large pot. Melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden, and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Do not take you eyes off the butter, it will go from golden to burnt in a matter of seconds. As soon as the butter is melted and takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and sprinkle the salt over the butter. Stir in the marshmallows, the heat should be enough to melt them, but if not, turn the heat on to low and stir till smooth.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cereal until well coated. Quickly spread into the prepared pan. Use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that has been sprayed to press it firmly into the pan. I just lightly butter my hands and pressed the cereal mixture into the pan. Let cool and cut into squares.