Nutter Butter Krispie Treats

Last week's baking session included some "No Bakes" - a new recipe I found on Pinterst. When a recipe combines two favorites - Nutter Butter cookies (my all time favorite boughten cookie) and Rice Krispie Treats (a long-time family favorite) - it sounds like a new favorite, and this didn't disappoint. Rice Krispie Treats have long been popular with our kids and when they were young I always kept a box of Rice Krispies, a bag of marshmallows and a bag of M&M's (hidden, of course) for an emergency morning when someone would remember they needed to take cookies to school or Sunday School.
I like to learn the history of food customs, and I found out that Rice Krispie Treats were developed in the 1940's by an Iowa State University Home Economics graduate who was working for the Kellogg Company. The original bars were a fund raiser for Campfire Girls. Rice Krispie cereal had been around since 1928. Campfire Marshmallows were a staple with the Campfire Girls. The result was a best seller in Battle Creek, Michigan. The early name was "Rice Krispie Marshmallow Squares", it wasn't until 1986 that the name "Rice Krispie Treats" was used.

Here's the recipe for a new favorite:
Nutter Butter Krispie Treats (makes about 30 squares)
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) package of Nutter Butter Cookies, chopped
6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
1/2 cup butter
2 (10.5 oz) bags mini marshmallows

How to make:
1. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a large sauce pan melt the butter over low heat.
3. Still on low heat, add the marshmallows to the melted butter and stir until marshmallows are melted.
(My usual Rice Krispie Treats prep is in the microwave. But on this day all the marshmallows I could gather from the cupboard were in various degrees of petrified. Together they weighted 21 ounces - just enough. But softening and melting them on the range top worked much better than microwaving ever would. Slow heat and lots of stirring and they were salvaged.)
4. In a large bowl, mix Rice Krispies and chopped Nutter Butters. Remove marshmallows from heat and stir into the mixture.
5. When combined, pour mixture into prepared pan and press evenly.
6. Allow to cool, about 20-30 minutes and cut into squares.

There could be many variations of this recipe - chocolate Rice Krispies, Oreo cookies, chocolate chips, peanut butter, etc. Not your usual "Snap, Crackle, and Pop", but those characters would have been proud.