Sparking an Idea!
Very often when I’m walking through grocery store aisles picking up things for home, I’ll see a specific single ingredient, like a can of tuna or type of sausage, and it immediately reminds me of a familiar recipe. It’s cool to see a whole meal from just one ingredient. It’s even more exciting for me when I consider how to combine different ingredients to put a twist on a traditional recipe. I love these moments! Mind you, they’re not always great ideas 🙂 … but it’s all about experimentation and being creative in the kitchen.
Liz says it’s not that way for her. She says she just sees ingredients–but she wishes she could “see” the meal. She’s creative and artistic in many ways, but she doesn’t get the same excitement at creating meals as I do. Liz says the most creative she can be with food is composing it and photographing it for our food blog. I guess that makes for a perfect partnership. We both get to do what we love and our whole family gets to enjoy the meals. It’s a win-win-win thing!
Do you have the winning numbers?
Think about it, 6 numbers offer how many combinations for a chance to win a lottery? Now imagine all the ingredients in a grocery store in different combinations. It’s crazy!
You definitely won’t win millions combining ingredients, but for me personally, I feel like a winner when the family’s sitting around the table happily eating up something new I just cooked up. I’m not saying these are über imaginative meals… but I’m not a chef, nor am I trying to be. I have a day job, kids, a busy family life, and…we need to eat…everyday. We enjoy eating out but we also really love being at home. So I’m just a normal guy who happens to enjoy doing something most people need to do each day–cook to feed the family. Simple. Real.
For the most part, I keep things pretty simple, and of course I repeat a lot of our family’s favourite meals. But sometimes, I like to shake-up the usual.
With a twist…
On this particular walk through our local grocery store, I noticed Rice Krispies in the cereal aisle. We hadn’t made Rice Krispie Squares at home in ages. So simple. I figured it would be nice to whip up a batch that evening. I picked up a box of the cereal and a bag of marshmallows with the intention of making the classic Kellogg’s version of the famous snack.
As I was walking out of the grocery store I noticed that their coffee bar was promoting their mocha latte. I had an ‘ah ha’ moment. What if I elevated the Rice Krispie Squares a bit by using espresso and high quality baking cocoa? Now we’d have a more grown up snack… but I figured it would be delicious… and so I set to work to make Rice Krispie squares…with a twist!
I was very happy with the results. Liz loves coffee (sweet and creamy), but not coffee flavoured foods. I was pleasantly surprised to hear her say she really enjoyed them. They taste more chocolatey, with only a hint of coffee. She liked the balance. They’re a little chewy, and still easy to cut and package. A perfect treat when you’re on-the-go.
Next time you’re at the grocery store, think outside your grocery list… look around and get inspired. Put a twist on an a classic recipe, and eat well, friends!
Rice Krispie® Squares are a delicious snack that's been around for many years. Our version adds chocolate and espresso for an added grown-up twist.
- 4 tbsp butter
- 10 oz marshmallows (283g)
- 6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies
- 1/2 cup quality baking cocoa (we use Rodelle)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp espresso (1 short espresso shot)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Spray a 13 by 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat the butter in a large pot on medium heat until melted.
Add the marshmallows to the pot and stir until completely melted (about 6 minutes).
Remove the pot from the heat and add the Rice Krispies, cocoa, vanilla, espresso and salt.
Mix using a buttered (to avoid sticking) spoon until the ingredients are well combined.
Pour the mixture into the baking pan and flatten evenly using a buttered (to avoid sticking) spatula.
Set the baking pan aside for about 30 minute to cool completely.
Place the baking pan upside-down over a cutting board and tap. The Rice Krispie mixture should fall flat on the cutting board.
Cut into squares or other preferred shapes. Enjoy!
- These squares keep well for about 3 days in a sealed bag or container.
- Espresso is a dark roast of coffee that's quite strong. These mocha chocolate Rice Krispie Squares may not be appropriate for small children. Please use at your own discretion.
rice krispies are tasty, but they wouldn’t be the first thing i’d reach for normally. these sound like such a good variation, and i’m betting that the cocoa and coffee help tone down the sweetness a bit.
You’re absolutely right! “Tone down” is a perfect way to describe the effect of the cocoa and espresso on this recipe. I highly recommend you try it. Our older guy loves it and we’ve kept them away from our younger son. It’s only one espresso, but he’s not used to caffeine, so we don’t want to risk getting him too hyper. Thanks for leaving us your feedback.