Confession time: I’ve got a major weakness for snap, krackle and pop.
What is it about puffed rice, marshmallows and a little butter? SOMEbody tell me why I can’t resist cereal treats! (A shout out there to Ace of Cakes and Cake Boss. They’re so generically appropriate when they talk about RICE KRISPIES treats. 
)
One quick and easy way to make this all-American treat festive for February is to get out your heart cookie cutter and give it some shape!
Here’s the basics from Kellogg’s…with one addition.
Rice Krispies Treats
NOTE: I increased Kellogg’s original recipe by one half, so that the hearts would be a little thicker.
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large package (16 oz.) miniature marshmallows, or about 60 large marshmallows.
9 cups Rice Krispies
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate for dipping – I chopped up half of a semi-sweet Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bar. If you like milk chocolate better, go for it. Chocolate chips will work fine too.
Measure out 9 cups of Rice Krispies in a large bowl sprayed with cooking spray. (This makes clean up SO much easier!)
In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour over Rice Krispies. Stir until well coated. You’ll be so happy if you also spray your scraper or large stirring spoon before you mix the melted marshmallows and cereal.
Press mixture into 13 x 9 pan coated with cooking spray. After pressing the treats into the pan, they went into the refrigerator to speed up the hardening process a little. Thirty minutes later (don’t let them get too hard!) turn the whole pan of treats out on to a cutting board and put your heart-shaped cutter to work.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring after thirty second intervals of warming until completely melted. Dip the treats one at a time into the chocolate and allow the excess to drip off before inverting and placing on a pan or cooling rack.
Add sprinkles, a drizzle of white chocolate or leave as is.
Deliver and share with someone you l-o-v-e!
