Muddy Buddy Bars
Most of us have a few recipes that we can pretty much make from memory, right? For me it's my chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies, and german pancakes. I should probably learn to cook some real food, shouldn't I? One of these days.. (As I type this I'm enjoying the best dinner of steak and potatoes that Paul has ever made, so I'm not too worried about that cooking thing actually..) I remember being at a friend's house watching her make rice crispy treats once. She made them from memory, no recipe needed. I was amazed! I had no idea how to make them, let alone wing it without directions. And I was in high school. I like to think I've come quite a ways since those days, but that memory had me craving something simple like rice crispy treats. Something you just melt together over the stove, stir together the ingredients and spread in a pan to refrigerate. No use of the oven required at all!
That's where these come in. Muddy Buddy Bars. You're familiar with muddy buddies, right? Maybe you call it puppy chow, reindeer chow, or something else. The delicious concoction of cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, and pretzels? Usually they're mixed up and shaken in a bag with powdered sugar. My version of the traditional muddy buddies can be found here.
This version is, in my opinion a lot better! It's portable, and less messy. Also, waaay easier to eat more of. You don't have to keep grabbing handfuls. This way, you can just grab a bar or two, or three..
This stuff is truly addicting! And I added marshmallow cream to help hold it together, and it is seriously SO GOOD! Like make-yourself-sick good.
SEE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? ^^^^^
Look at that. Creamy marshmallow cream, melted chocolate and peanut butter, cereal, white chocolate chips, peanut butter m&m's, AND pretzels.
Drooling yet?
I also omited the use of powdered sugar. With the addition of melted marshmallows, I felt that powdered sugar would make them too sweet. I did taste it with powdered sugar sprinkled on the bars, and it was good, but extra sweet. I prefer them without it.
Muddy Buddy Bars Recipe:
4 1/2 cups chex cereal
1 10 oz. bag of marshmallows
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
3 T. butter
1 cup m&m's (I use peanut butter)
2 cup pretzels
1 cup white chocolate chips
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt marshmallows and butter together.
Once the marshmallows have broken down to a cream, mix in peanut butter, and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and melt until smooth.
In a very large bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Pour melted mixture into the bowl and mix.
Spread into a greased 9x13 pan, smooth out, and refrigerate until it sets. Enjoy!
