A Big Summer Potluck and S’mores Rice Crispy Treats
Summer gatherings make the most of sunny weather. A potluck is in its way the proverbial American party experience. The idea here is that each person attending the party has something only they can contribute. What starts out as an empty table quickly gets filled with covered ceramic dishes of hot food, earthenware bowls of cool sides and salads and a delectable array of treats to tempt the mildest sweet tooth.
A few weekends ago in Pennsylvania, something remarkable happened. Throngs of food bloggers and food-obsessed came together for a Big Summer Potluck. We get that there is a special alchemy that happens when people gather together over food and stories. You can imagine the kind of synchronicity happening over the course of this weekend. We sponsored a cereal bar well-stocked with fresh berries and provided our organic grahams for that oh-so American campfire treat, s’mores!
Pam Anderson of Three Many Cooks and one of the hostesses for the Big Summer Potluck, concocted the recipe below, reprinted with permission and as you can see, quite drool-worthy. As the last days of summer come upon us, perhaps this is a good impetus for a party, a potluck or a treat to enjoy poolside.
S’more Crispy Rice Treats
by Pam Anderson of Three Many Cooks. Reprinted with permission.
Makes 2 dozen bars
8 whole Erewhon organic honey graham crackers
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup sugar
6 cups rice cereal
1 bag (10 ouces) miniature marshmallows, divided
2 4-ounce bitter or semi-sweet chocolate bars, broken into squares, 1/2 cup chopped and reserved
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line pan bottom and up and over the long sides of a 13- by 9-inch metal pan with heavy-duty foil. Spray pan bottom with vegetable cooking spray then line with crackers, cutting as necessary to fit the pan.
Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and the sugar in a large saucepan until butter melts and mixture starts to bubble. Pour over graham crackers and spread evenly. Bake until sugar bubbles, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with chocolate squares. Return to oven to melt chocolate, a couple of minutes longer. Spread chocolate over graham crackers.
Meanwhile, return saucepan to burner. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and all but 1 cup of the marshmallows. Cook, stirring frequently, until well mixed and marshmallows melt. Stir in cereal until well incorporated. Turn rice cereal mixture over warm chocolate-topped crackers, pressing on mixture to evenly distributed. Sprinkle remaining chocolate and marshmallows over warm cereal mixture, pressing to adhere. Refrigerate to set.
When ready to serve, use foil to lift bars from pan. Cut into bars with a vegetable spray-coated knife. Serve.
