Super fast, super easy, super delicious Marshmallow Cookies~
This plate of super delicious yummy gooey goodness is what is known at my house as marshmallow cookies. I believe the original recipe was called Rocky Road Fudge but I changed an ingredient, so I got to give my new creation any name I liked. Since Marshmallow Cookies is what my kids called it, I figured it was good to go. The best part about this treat, other than it's lip-smacking goodness, is the fact that it takes only about 6 1/2 minutes of my time. That is, prep time. Eating time, depending on how much of it I can get to before my family does, is a bit longer.
These are the staples (minus the little wannabe green bottle of who knows what that snuck into the picture) that everyone has in their kitchen; crunchy peanut butter, mini marshmallows, the 10.5 ounce size, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Oh! And the butter--I forgot to add that to the picture. Sorry!
First, you will need to butter a 9X9 or an 8X8 (or any combination there-of, such as 8.5X 8.5 or 9.5 X 9.5 or 9.5 X 8.5) brownie type pan. Then you cover it with plastic wrap as shown. Wait, actually, not as shown. I didn't get cling wrap all of the way up all four sides and you need to do that. Why cover the butter with cling wrap? Well, the plastic keeps your treat from becoming part of the pan. And the butter, you ask? The butter keeps the plastic sticking to the pan where it belongs. However, you can use margarine, Crisco or lard for this process, whatever will make for easiest clean-up for you.
Next you put a large saucepan on medium heat. I call this my "potato pan" because my mother had one just like it when I was growing up and she always used it to boil potatoes for Sunday dinner. As for myself, I don't cook, especially not anything as needy as potatoes, but I call it my potato pan, anyway. It holds about 3 quarts of water (12 cups) so I guess it is officially a three quart pan. A four quart pan would probably be a better choice, if I but had one. You do! Use it! Pour in two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, any brand you like. Of course, if you are a dark chocolate fan, you can add those. In fact, you don't even have to use chips--you can use 12 ounces of any kind of chocolate you desire but it needs to be the kind that is good for eating, i.e., not baking chocolate.
Next, add one cup (6 ounces) of peanut butter chips. Most of these look a little old but it has been over 100 degrees in our neck of the woods for almost a week and they have whitened as a result. They don't make for good eating straight out of the bag that way, but they are just fine once they have been melted--and these are going to be good and melted before we're done.
Next, add one cup of crunchy peanut butter, any brand you prefer. Here is a great tip--line your measuring cup with plastic wrap, then add the peanut butter. You are going to have a largish pan full of sticky stuff to clean up when you are done (my least favorite part of this recipe--in fact, mine has been sitting in the sink for about 24 hours now, that's how much I dread cleaning it) so save yourself the clean-up on your measuring cup. When you get it all in, just pull it out via the plastic wrap, flip it over and it plops right into the pan. Then just toss that piece of plastic wrap. Yay!
Next, you add a tablespoon of butter or margarine. For those of you who are really observant, yes, I am aware that this is 1/2 a tablespoon. All my tablespoons were dirty, so I filled and emptied this one twice. I wouldn't even bother confessing such a tiny thing but the spoon is clearly marked 1/2 tablespoon. I didn't want to get you confused. I am confused enough for both of us.
Stir this lovely mess constantly until it is all melted. Please note that there will be lumps in this. Always. These lumps are the peanuts from the peanut butter. Do not stir and melt until these go away--I promise you won't like the result.
This is how it looks when all the chips and peanut butter are melted with the lovely peanuts still marring the smooth surface of the chocolate. Yay!
Next, remove your pan from the heat (I am never sure if that means turn off the heat or take the pan off of the burner) and add your 10.5 ounces of mini marshmallows. If you have a 16 ounce bag and a three quart pan, for pity sakes, don't add them all! See how a mere 10.5 ounces threatens to overtake this pan? When I stir this, a few marshmallows just can't help falling out of the pan and then I have the dog between my feet trying to catch them mid-air. Not fun. That is why you should use a four quart pan if you have one. If you have two, send one my way. You need to be quick about this part because you don't--I repeat--DON'T want your marshmallows to melt. You want them in their fully gooey constituted state. It makes for a more satisfying experience when you eat them and that is what this is all about!
A note of caution here. Do you see how there is a bunch of melted chocolate at the bottom of the pan, hidden under the rest of it up above? You need to get that up and over and into the rest of it. Just keep scraping the bottom and turning it over and over so that it is all evenly mixed or you will have a layer of chocolate on the top of your cookies that won't have marshmallows in it. On second thought, that could be good in its way, but you really want to make sure the marshmallows get a nice coating of chocolate so that it seeps in between each and every one. Wait--I need to go get me one right now! Okay, I'm back but I had to lick my fingers first. And then wash them. And dry them. Sigh. Now I'm hungry again.
This is how it looks when it has good (or rather, good enough) coverage. Don't fret if there is some white, or rather, peanut buttery brown, peeking out. It doesn't have to be perfect. It should finish evening out as you pour it into the pan.
Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't recommend setting the cooking pan in the cooling pan. The problem is, I was the one taking the pictures and I couldn't hold the pan, wield the spoon and take a picture all at the same time. Could you? Wait, don't answer that question. I don't wanna know. Meanwhile, just spread that gooey chocolately mess into your pan as evenly as you possibly can. Oh, and so sorry for the fuzzy picture.
Then scoop out the bit of non-marshmallow chocolate goodness that will end up, despite your best efforts, at the bottom (and sides) of your pan and spread it evenly over the top. OR, spread it all over one corner and reserve that part for yourself. I mean, really, if you don't take care of yourself, who will?
Cover it over with a piece of plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least three hours. If it isn't totally cooled and hardened, then it is just a bit too sticky and ooey-gooey. At least it is for me but if you enjoy picking strings of marshmallow out of your teeth, you have my blessing. Make it just before you leave to go somewhere and then come back after a hot afternoon running around in the car and take it out of the fridge. Oh boy!!
This is what it will look like when you remove the plastic wrap. Did I say Oh Boy already? Now, this is supposed to be cut up into 36 pieces but I always only get 32 and that is only if they are really small and only if I bother to cut them into pieces. Generally, we just hack at it with a knife and customize our size per the situation and the craving level.
Here are a few tiny pieces--dont' they look divine? If you love chocolate, peanuts, peanut butter and marshmallows, you really can't miss with these. Let me just add that cutting them and putting them out like this is a mistake on oh, so many levels! It is best to leave them in the fridge, especially if it is warm (or hot, or burning, like it has been here) and cut your piece, one at a time, as needed. The edges do dry out a little, sort of like brownies do, so the less surface area that is exposed (by that I mean the inside--the top will be fine) the better. Try to stick the cling wrap to the sides as it is cut up, that will help. But, if not, it is still totally yummy, so not to worry. Don't worry about the calories, either. If you really must know the details, ask away, but I don't recommend it.
Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't recommend setting the cooking pan in the cooling pan. The problem is, I was the one taking the pictures and I couldn't hold the pan, wield the spoon and take a picture all at the same time. Could you? Wait, don't answer that question. I don't wanna know. Meanwhile, just spread that gooey chocolately mess into your pan as evenly as you possibly can. Oh, and so sorry for the fuzzy picture.
Then scoop out the bit of non-marshmallow chocolate goodness that will end up, despite your best efforts, at the bottom (and sides) of your pan and spread it evenly over the top. OR, spread it all over one corner and reserve that part for yourself. I mean, really, if you don't take care of yourself, who will?
Cover it over with a piece of plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least three hours. If it isn't totally cooled and hardened, then it is just a bit too sticky and ooey-gooey. At least it is for me but if you enjoy picking strings of marshmallow out of your teeth, you have my blessing. Make it just before you leave to go somewhere and then come back after a hot afternoon running around in the car and take it out of the fridge. Oh boy!!
This is what it will look like when you remove the plastic wrap. Did I say Oh Boy already? Now, this is supposed to be cut up into 36 pieces but I always only get 32 and that is only if they are really small and only if I bother to cut them into pieces. Generally, we just hack at it with a knife and customize our size per the situation and the craving level.
Here are a few tiny pieces--dont' they look divine? If you love chocolate, peanuts, peanut butter and marshmallows, you really can't miss with these. Let me just add that cutting them and putting them out like this is a mistake on oh, so many levels! It is best to leave them in the fridge, especially if it is warm (or hot, or burning, like it has been here) and cut your piece, one at a time, as needed. The edges do dry out a little, sort of like brownies do, so the less surface area that is exposed (by that I mean the inside--the top will be fine) the better. Try to stick the cling wrap to the sides as it is cut up, that will help. But, if not, it is still totally yummy, so not to worry. Don't worry about the calories, either. If you really must know the details, ask away, but I don't recommend it.
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on Monday, June 23, 2008
at Monday, June 23, 2008
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