Name: Pinterest Test Kitchen: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 16 squares
Ingredients: 1 stick unsalted butter plus more for buttering the pan; 1 bag miniature marshmallows; 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt; 6 ounces (1/2 of a regular size box) crisped rice cereal

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats + Video

April 20, 2020

With brown butter (and double butter, at that) and salt, these salted brown butter Rice Krispies treats are sure to be the best you’ve ever had! (Scroll down for video!)

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The Best Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies treats have always been fine in my book. Not my favorite. Just fine. Just okay. That is, until I tried Smitten Kitchen’s Rice Krispies treats. Salted brown butter Rice Krispies treats. They are sheer perfection. They are my contribution to 90% of potlucks and birthday parties. They are, simply put, the best version of Rice Krispies treats out there, especially zhuzzed up with just a tiny bit more salt than the original recipe. Ah, yes.

What Makes These Rice Krispies Treats So Amazing?

Double butter. They’re totally healthy. Got it? Butter is health food. The extra butter makes them so rich but also it makes the texture absolutely amazing.
Browning the butter. Shhhhhh. Trust me. This adds a depth of flavor that you won’t even believe, and if you are willing to stand and watch the butter for five minutes so it doesn’t burn, it’s totally easy too.
Salt. Just a little bit. I love a sweet and salty vibe. Did you know that salt intensifies flavors? Don’t leave it out here.
Using a small pan. Usually, this size recipe for RKTs would be made in a 9×13 inch pan. I make them in an 8×8 inch pan so they are double thick. Combined with the double butter, this makes the texture of these RKTs out of this world.

How Do You Make Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats?

Glad you asked! They’re so easy!

Butter an 8×8-inch square baking pan.
Place one stick (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) of unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring/swirling frequently, until the butter is golden brown. Don’t turn your back – it will burn in an instant!
Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon of table salt, which is much saltier than kosher salt).
Add 10 ounces of mini marshmallows.
Stir the marshmallows until completely melted. I find it helpful to place the pan back over medium heat to help the marshmallows melt.
Stir in 6 ounces (half of a regular size box) of crisped rice cereal. I am not brand loyal. This is about 5 1/2 cups of cereal.
Turn the mixture into the buttered pan.
Use the butter wrapper to press the mixture into the pan.
Cool the treats completely. Turn them out onto a cutting board and cut into 16 squares.

By the way, Deb Perelman’s recipe is featured in her original Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. I also love her second cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day. She has wonderful recipes. I encourage you to check out her website and her books!

Since I discovered the tricks of doubling the butter and using a smaller pan, I have developed a true passion for Rice Krispies treats. Try my other recipes: wedding cake Rice Krispies treats, candy corn Rice Krispies treats, and malted chocolate Rice Krispies treats!

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Yield: 16 squares

Pinterest Test Kitchen: Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

5 minPrep Time:

10 minCook Time:

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Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter plus more for buttering the pan
1 bag miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
6 ounces (1/2 of a regular size box) crisped rice cereal

Instructions

Generously butter an 8 x 8 dish.
Place the stick of butter into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Don't throw away the wrapper-I like to smear a little bit of the butter that I used to butter the pan onto the wrapper (I'll use this at the end).
Cook the butter, stirring frequently, until browned bits separate and the butter stops foaming. Don't walk away or you'll burn the butter!
Stir in the marshmallows and the salt. Stir until completely melted and smooth and remove from heat.
Add the cereal and stir until completely coated with the marshmallows. Spread into the buttered pan. Use the buttered wrapper to press the mixture into the pan.
Allow the Rice Krispies treats to cool completely. Turn out of the pan and cut into squares.

https://chattavore.com/pinterest-test-kitchen-salted-brown-butter-rice-krispie-treats/

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This does not affect the cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosures. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Shared on Meal Plan Monday on Southern Bite and The Weekend Potluck on The Country Cook!

Italian Cream Sheet Cake + Video

December 19, 2018

Italian cream sheet cake is a classic Southern cake made simple in a sheet pan. With cream cheese icing, pecans, and coconut, it’s perfect! Scroll down for video.

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Italian Cream Cake

Some time ago, Philip announced that he had decided that he wanted an Italian cream cake for his birthday. As ubiquitous as Italian cream cake seems to be, you might be surprised to know that I don’t have a single recipe for Italian cream cake in any of my many cookbooks. However, I was searching through my grandmother’s recipe books over the holidays and discovered this:

Sheet Cakes 4-Evah

A few adjustments (I’ve never seen canned coconut in my life, and you guys know I don’t buy shortening) and I turned out a lovely and delicious sheet cake. Oh, did I mention that this rectangular cake pan from USA Pans has revolutionized my cake baking life? I may never bake another layer cake again. I love the ease of doing everything in one pan and then just throwing some foil over the top of the pan for transport instead of having to turn it out of the pan (crumbs everywhere), ice it on a cardboard round, and then load it into a cake carrier while praying that it doesn’t somehow topple into the sides of the carrier. Easy cake recipes = life!

It’s a Southern Cake!

The funny thing about this cake is that I am almost certain that there’s nothing Italian about it. As I searched for the origins of Italian cream cake online, I found this information on Food Timeline that describes a cake that sounds nothing like this Italian cream cake that Southerners have come to know and love…which leads me to the conclusion that the origins of this cake are not Italian but from right here in the Southeast region of the United States.

I am fairly certain that I gained a couple of pounds just scraping the bowl of icing. And I still have this cake in my kitchen. It’s threatening to be my downfall.

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Mary

Yield: 1 13x9 sheet cake (about 20 servings)

Italian Cream Sheet Cake

30 minPrep Time:

40 minCook Time:

1 hr, 10 Total Time:

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Ingredients

For the Cake

5 eggs, separated
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Icing

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13×9 cake pan and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the eggs whites on high speed until stiff peaks are reached. Set aside (if you are using a stand mixer, you will need to transfer the whites to a different bowl and clean out the mixer bowl).
Whisk the flour and the baking soda together in a medium bowl.
Cream together the 2 sticks of butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, about a third of each at a time. Add the vanilla then scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the pecans and the coconut.
Carefully fold the reserved eggs whites into the cake batter. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the icing, cream the butter and cream cheese using an electric mixture on medium speed. Add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and the coconut and beat until incorporated.
Spread the icing over the cooled cake and sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans.

https://chattavore.com/italian-cream-sheet-cake/

Italian cream sheet cake is a classic Southern cake made simple in a sheet pan. With cream cheese icing, pecans, and coconut, it's perfect! #cakes #baking #sheetcake #italiancreamcake #southernfood | Recipe from Chattavore.com

Jalapeño Cheese Ball + Video

December 14, 2018

This jalapeño cheese ball is a delicious party snack that’s a little bit kitschy, a lot delicious, and sure to be a crowd pleaser! Just a few ingredients: cream cheese, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, bacon, and pecans. It’s a perfect appetizer for any get-together, especially at the holidays! Scroll down for video!

Click here to save this recipe on Pinterest!

Perfect Christmas Appetizer!

To me, Christmas season is cheese ball season. Woe is the holiday gathering that does not have at least one cheese ball for me to dip a zillion crackers into. Have I told you the story about the work Christmas party where my BFF and I ate approximately 3/4 of the mango chutney cheese ball so that we could avoid uncomfortable interactions with our coworkers? I’m pretty sure I have (I definitely did in the story about this other easy cheese ball recipe) I am definitely a “linger by the refreshment table” sort of girl. It’s a blessing and a curse, really.

I certainly do not need a holiday or a party to enjoy a cheese ball, though. Show me any random Saturday night and I will show you a cream cheese based snack that Philip and I can enjoy in front of our favorite shows on Hulu. Actually, we enjoyed this jalapeño popper on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, when I had been cooking all afternoon and just couldn’t quite bring myself to assemble a full meal. And then again for a mini-lunch on Thanksgiving day, because my family ate late in the day.

Vintage Appetizer Recipes

Cheese balls seem pretty kitschy, and I’m sure that you could dig around in your mom or grandma or even great-grandma’s recipe file and find a few cheese ball recipes. You know what, though? Kitschy food can still be darn tasty, and I promise you that I’m only on board for flavor. I don’t care too much about trends (though I’ll hop on board if they’re delicious). You probably won’t catch me posting any aspics on here, but I will never apologize for my cheese balls.

Easy Cheese Ball Recipe

My jalapeño cheese ball has all the flavors that I think that a perfect jalapeño popper should have:

jalapeños (duh)
cream cheese
cheddar cheese
bacon
ranch.

There’s no stuffing, roasting, grilling, or frying involved, though, and that makes this easy cheese ball approximately 1 million times easier and less mess than an actual jalapeño popper.

I used canned diced jalapeños, which meant that I didn’t have to slice and dice a bunch of peppers, but you could definitely sub in 1/2 cup of diced fresh jalapeños, or add them to the canned peppers to increase the spice level if you’re brave. Me, I found the faint tinge of spice provided by the canned peppers to be perfect for my wimpy taste buds.

But you…you can feel free to customize this jalapeño cheese ball to meet your spice needs! You could also try my Reuben cheese ball for something completely unexpected!

Shared on The Weekend Potluck on The Country Cook!

Click here to save this recipe to your Christmas or party boards on Pinterest!

Mary

Yield: 1 large cheese ball

Jalapeño Popper Cheese Ball

15 minPrep Time:

15 minTotal Time:

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Ingredients

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 ounce can diced jalapeños, drained
4 ounce can diced fire-roasted green chilies, drained
1 cup chopped pecans

For the ranch seasoning (can sub in 2 packages of ranch dressing mix, like Hidden Valley)

3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon dried chives
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place all ingredients, including ranch seasoning ingredients, EXCEPT pecans, in a large bowl. Stir until well combined (I used my Kitchenaid mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed to do this). Form into a ball and roll in the chopped pecans until thoroughly coated. Chill for at least an hour. Serve with crackers.

Notes

I did not include the time to cook the bacon in the prep/cook time.

https://chattavore.com/jalapeno-popper-cheese-ball/

Quick and Easy Pizza Skillet + Video

May 10, 2018

This quick and easy pizza skillet is like an amazing pan pizza baked and served in your favorite cast iron skillet, and it’s completely customizable! Scroll down for video!

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Summer Break is in Sight!

We’re down to the last couple of weeks of the school year, and I have to admit that it seems like it’s been crazier this year than in any of the previous 16 school years that I have completed (sixteen!!! That’s just crazy.). I’m sure I probably say that every year, though. It just seems like this year I thought that things were going to slow down here at the end and they didn’t. Not at all. If anything, they picked up. That’s the nature of this job, though. You can’t predict anything. There are no patterns. And that’s okay…but I’m tired.

Summer Blogging Bliss

I’ve worked the last couple of summers, and this summer I don’t have to. That means two months of blogging bliss, so I’m excited to see what I can get done this summer. If I can only make it to summer break, anyway. I’ve been working on getting organized, determined to treat blogging like a full-time job this summer, just to see where it gets me. I’ve got a free event on the books with All-South Appliance, and I have some other stuff in the works too. Super-excited.

Instant Pot Obsession

Right now, it’s all I can do to get dinner on the table at night. Since I ended my restaurant fast, all I want to do is go out to eat…you know, because I can. But I’m not gonna. I’m kind of obsessed with my Instant Pot (<–affiliate link), but I guess you guys probably don’t want Instant Pot recipes every day. I’ve occupied myself with finding meals that are equally easy and delicious.

Quick and Easy Pizza Skillet

When Philip and I first got married, every Friday night was pizza night. We bought a Mama Mary’s crust from the grocery store and topped it with store-bought “pizza sauce” (that’s what the label said!), grated pizza cheese (again, on the label), and pepperoni. It’s been a long time since I’ve bought a store-bought pizza crust, jarred pizza sauce, or grated cheese, but honestly, the homemade pizza that I make not is barely more difficult and it’s 1000% more delicious.

Click here to save this recipe to your dinner, easy, or pizza boards now!

Every time I make pizza I remember how simple it is, and how happy it makes me to turn out something that tasty, that simply. I recently decided to make it a thick crust “pan” pizza by oiling up my cast iron skillet (preheated in the oven) and tossing the pizza crust in there, then topping and baking. I was not disappointed. My pizza skillet turned out perfectly…better than any thinner crust pizza I’ve ever made. I think that this pizza skillet might be my new “go-to” way to make pizza!

For an easy homemade take on thick crust pan pizza, try my pizza skillet!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This does not affect the cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosures. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Shared on The Weekend Potluck on The Country Cook!

Click here to save this recipe to your weeknight cooking board!

Mary

Yield: 2-4 servings

Quick and Easy Pizza Skillet

10 minPrep Time:

12 minCook Time:

22 minTotal Time:

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12-16 ounces fresh pizza dough (make it yourself or buy a ball at the grocery store or your favorite pizza shop)
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
desired toppings (don't overdo it or the pizza will get soggy)

Instructions

Place an oven rack in the highest position. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the pizza dough out into a 10-inch circle.
When the oven has preheated, remove the skillet and pour in two tablespoons of the oil, then swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Carefully transfer the circle of pizza dough to the pan. You'll have to do some arranging to fill up the whole pan; be careful not to burn yourself.
Brush the top of the pizza dough with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Spread the tomato sauce on the dough, leaving about 1/2-inch of the dough at the edges. Sprinkle the oregano over the sauce. Top with the cheese and desired toppings.
Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. If desired, broil lightly for a couple of minutes to brown the cheese. Use a large spatula to remove the pizza from the pan and slice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Prep time does not include time to make your own pizza dough.

https://chattavore.com/pizza-skillet/

Instant Pot Mojo Pork + Video

January 23, 2018

Instant Pot mojo pork is so easy to put together – just a few ingredients and it cooks up in just about an hour start to finish. It’s got amazing flavor and works well in so many applications! Scroll down for video!

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Searching For a Sandwich…

Have you ever been craving a food so much that you would go to just about any length to make it? We re-watched the movie Chef on Christmas Eve, and I have been wanting a Cuban sandwich ever since. There’s really no sandwich that compares to a Cuban…roasted pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. We went to Ceniza while I was on break but…I forgot that they don’t open until dinner time during the week.

Save Time By Making Mojo Pork in the Instant Pot!

So, I had to resort to my own resources. I had watched a Binging with Babish video where he made a perfectly roasted mojo pork shoulder that he marinated with about a million ingredients then rubbed with a million more. Looked amazing but that’s a few too many ingredients for me. This Instant Pot mojo pork is a little more my style. Just a few ingredients that I can throw together in about ten minutes and cook in about an hour, start to finish. I don’t claim that this is an authentic recipe but it does have amazing mojo flavors: garlic, citrus, and pork shoulders.

Instant Pot mojo pork is perfect for Cuban sandwiches but it’s also great for tacos, burritos, or just as the meat mean dish on your plate. Warning: there are 8 cloves of garlic in this and your Instant Pot sealing ring is going to be super-stinky. Store the lid upside down or separate from the pot to minimize the stink!

Shared on The Weekend Potluck on The Country Cook!

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Mary

Instant Pot Mojo Pork

10 minPrep Time:

1 hrCook Time:

1 hr, 10 Total Time:

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Ingredients

2-3 pound pork shoulder, boneless or meat cut off the bone, cut into 4-6 pieces with large chunks of fat trimmed away
salt and pepper
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lime juice
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin

Instructions

Salt and pepper both sides of the pork pieces. Place the pork in the Instant Pot.
Whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Pour over the meat in the Instant Pot.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing. Select the manual or pressure setting and set the time to 25 minutes.
When the cook time on the Instant Pot is up, press the "cancel" button to turn the Instant Pot off. Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally.
When the float valve drops, remove the lid and use tongs to remove the meat from the Instant Pot to a cutting board. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and allow the liquid to reduce while you shred the meat.
Place the meat in a bowl and pour the reduced liquid over the meat. Serve as desired.

Notes

Cook time includes the time to allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure and depressurize naturally. It may take slightly more or less time depending on the temperature of your ingredients, altitude, etc. This recipe can also be made in the slow cooker - just place the meat and the sauce ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until tender.

https://chattavore.com/instant-pot-mojo-pork/