Chocolate Energy Bars

While at the grocery store the other day, I noticed they had some chocolate marshmallows I hadn't seen before. Have you tried them? My husband is a chocolate lover, so I decided to try them in energy bars since I was due to make a batch.

Since the energy bars have peanut butter in them, I thought a mini Reese's peanut butter cup might taste good in there too. Turns out I was right!

Chocolate Energy Bars

Ingredients:

5 cups Rice Krispies

2 cups quick Quaker Oats

1 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1 cup roasted pepitas

1 package mini peanut butter cups, wrappers removed

 mixture:

2 (10 oz.) bags chocolate marshmallows

1 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup butter

Melt the butter and marshmallows over medium-low heat.

Add 1 cup peanut butter, stirring frequently and being careful the mixture doesn't burn.

In the meantime, unwrap the peanut butter cup miniatures and, in a large bowl, mix together the quick oats, sunflower seeds and pepitas.

When the marshmallow mixture is evenly melted and combined, add it to the oats & nuts.

Stir to combine.

Place half of the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and press mixture into dish.

Arrange the peanut butter cups in the pan.

Cover with the remaining mixture. The mixture is warm so the peanut butter cups will melt a little (or a lot depending upon how warm the mixture is when you put it into the baking dish), press the mixture into the dish.

When mixture cools, cut into squares or bars.

Itadakimasu!


***


Do you remember my dad and his dog Daisy?

I wrote about them after the Green Chile Enchilada Sauce with Leeks recipe.

And also after the Peppers Stuffed with Barley & Quinoa recipe.

 

Early Sunday afternoon my dad called and invited us to dinner to have Chinese food at Sam Woo's. We were having an early dinner at 5 so he and Mom could be home in plenty of time to watch their favorite TV show. They've become hooked on Korean dramas.

I didn't think anything of the invitation, but my husband asked several times, "What's the occasion?" It was my brother Gordon's birthday, but he just visited last weekend, so I knew that wasn't the reason. I really didn't think much of the invitation, I just planned on going--but now that I think about it, it was a little out of the ordinary because we all got together just last Sunday.

 

When my husband and I got to the restaurant, my mom and dad were there sitting way in the back--we made our way back there and sat down--we were the only ones there, everyone else came 10 or 15 minutes later.

 As we sat down, my dad pulled out a framed picture from a bag--it was a picture of Daisy, much like this one, taken when she was young and a favorite of mine, and he said,

"Daisy died today. I invited everyone to dinner to honor her and give her a good send-off."

My heart instantly broke.

My parents adored Daisy.

Daisy's whole life flashed through my mind in the moments I sat grief-stricken.

When my husband was building homes in the high-desert, someone had the cutest puppy out in their front yard, in a kennel, giving her away to a good  home. He called to see if he should bring the puppy home for my dad...My dad walked her everyday, twice a day--having such a hard time leash-training Daisy, but day after day, he'd take her...The first time they walked nicely together, with Daisy in co-operation, my dad sat down and cried tears of joy...Every time my dad would come home from work, Daisy would wait for him at the gate, tail wagging furiously and barking her special bark for my dad--and how tickled he would be that she was so happy to see him...How Daisy would wake my dad up when he would fall asleep in his recliner, in her way saying, 'Get up and go to bed.'

Daisy loved going with my dad to The Barn where he grew vegetables, and she traveled with my parents in their motor home.

Sometime last week, Daisy wouldn't get into the pick-up to go to The Barn and she stopped eating. My dad went to the store and bought steak for her and tried hand feeding it to her. She would lay in the backyard on her side, lifting her head to see Dad and wag her tail, but didn't move much. Soon, the life left her body, and my dad took care of her one last time.

As other family members came to the restaurant, Dad asked if he should tell everyone now or wait until after dinner--and since I was a mess and no longer felt like eating, I said, "After."

After dinner, everyone was shocked, just like I was. There were tears, and Dad recounted the week to the family. Some offered stories of Daisy, which brought comfort. Dad gave Daisy a nice send off with the family there in support.

Dad says he doesn't want another dog--he maybe wants to do some traveling. He worried about Daisy when he was away--that she might be lonely.

I worry Dad and Mom will be lonely without Daisy.

When I went to see them yesterday, Dad simply said, "I miss my dog."

Mom said she expected to see Daisy in her spot, laying on top of the dirt under the avocado tree where it's cool.

I'm thankful to Daisy for taking care of my parents by being such good company and showing me a side of my dad that's seldom seen.


***

Chocolate Energy Bars

Ingredients:

5 cups Rice Krispies

2 cups quick Quaker Oats

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pepitas

1 package mini peanut butter cups, wrappers removed

 mixture:

2 (10 oz.) bags chocolate marshmallows

1 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup butter

Melt the butter, marshmallows and peanut butter in a large pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until all the marshmallows are melted and the mixture is evenly combined.

In the meantime, unwrap the peanut butter cup miniatures and, in a large bowl, mix together the quick oats, sunflower seeds and pepitas.

When the marshmallow mixture is evenly melted and combined, add it to the oats & nuts. Stir to combine.

Place half of the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and press firmly but gently. Arrange the peanut butter cups in the pan and cover with the remaining mixture. The mixture is warm so the peanut butter cups will melt a little (or a lot depending upon how warm the mixture is when you put it into the baking dish), press the mixture into the dish.

When mixture cools, cut into squares or bars.

Energy Bars

Have you had these energy bars?

They're made like Rice Krispies Treats with peanut butter and trail mix ingredients--but I haven't made them before a couple of weeks ago.

I had them at a craft show recently and thought my family would like them, so I rummaged through my pantry and refrigerator to see what I had on hand.

This was my first attempt and my family loved them.

I gave a few to my mother-in-law, she liked them so much she said she wanted to take some for omiyage when she visits Japan soon.

Then she hid them and didn't share them, she liked them so much.

She's funny sometimes.

I've already made them twice.

The first time I made them with an assortment of Chex cereals that I had in my pantry, but this time I'm making them with the called-for Rice Krispies.

They're a great way to use up left-over cereals.

Energy Bars

adapted from the Senshin Cookbook

Ingredients:

5 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups Quick Quaker Oats
4 cups assorted unsalted raw nuts--sunflower seeds, pepitas, cashews, almonds, pecans, peanuts or macadamia nuts
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup diced dried apricots, raisins or dried berries

Mixture:

1/2 cup butter
2 (10 oz.) packages small marshmallows
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Optional:

1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
furikake nori

Put all the dry ingredients into an oven roasting pan and put into a 300ºF oven for about 6 minutes, then remove.

Transfer into a large bowl sprayed with non-stick spray.

I had measured all the ingredients into this sheet cake pan, but it didn't fit in the oven--but it was perfect for setting the energy bars.

Spray the pan (or two 9 x 13 inch baking pans) with non-stick spray and sprinkle 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds in each.

Over medium/low heat, melt 20 ounces marshmallows, 1 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup butter.

Stir frequently.

Stir and cook until mixture is smooth, well combined and all the marshmallows have melted.

Pour over dry ingredients and mix well with a shamoji or large spoon that has also been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Stir until all the oatmeal has been incorporated into the mixture and sticks together.

Turn mixture into the sheet pan or baking pans.

Sprinkle with remaining toasted sesame seeds.

As I was pressing the sesame seeds into the mixture, I wondered if adding furikake nori would give the energy bars a nice sweet/salty taste.

I've been sending the energy bars with Gary & Rick when they've gone golfing, and today Rick ate all the ones with furikake on them first.

It's easy to simply sprinkle a little furikake nori on part of the batch of energy bars.

When they're cool, cut into squares or small rectangles that you can wrap in waxed paper and twist the ends closed, or simply put into an airtight container.

Itadakimasu!

***




Remember my mother-in-law?

She made her Cheese Macaroni here on FOODjimoto?



My mother-in-law has been working on a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle since January.

I posted this picture of it a little while ago in my Grilled Fresh Trout post.

She finished it!

It took her a long time--I gave her this puzzle last Christmas.

My in-laws used to do jigsaw puzzles a lot when my kids were little but stopped when one of the younger grandkids came over and messed the puzzle up.

They haven't done another one until this year--and it was such a difficult one!

She couldn't have finished it without my son Rick.

Rick was conscientious about going over to help Bachan finish The Puzzle.

Whenever we'd go over to help, there would be several pieces--sometimes more than twenty--placed in the wrong spots, but Rick would never call out that he took out a misplaced one.

He's nice like that.

The last time Rick and I worked on The Puzzle we left it like this--with just a little bit left and hoping she would be able to finish it herself.

Sure enough--the next day The Puzzle was done.

Bachan and Jichan finished it the next morning.

Sometimes Bachan wouldn't get one single piece in The Puzzle for A WHOLE WEEK--but she didn't give up and persevered until it was done.

She worked on it for ten months and wanted to hang The Puzzle on the wall when it was done.

When it was done, there were four pieces missing--we all looked high and low, but couldn't find them.

But Bachan didn't let that get her down--she still loved The Puzzle and she decided she was going to make pieces to fill the gaps.

My husband went to help her and they cut pieces from the picture that comes with the puzzle, to fit into the places of the missing pieces.

Then Gary and his sister Nancy helped their mom spread glue over the pieces and frame it.

The Puzzle is finally done.

It was a nice project that brought the family together.

She's got it hanging in the living room right next to the entry so everyone can see it.

***

Energy Bars

Ingredients:

5 cups Rice Krispies

2 cups Quick Quaker Oats

4 cups assorted unsalted raw nuts--sunflower seeds, pepitas, cashews, almonds, pecans, peanuts or macadamia nuts

2 cups dried cranberries

1 cup diced dried apricots, raisins or dried berries

Mixture:

1/2 cup butter

2 (10 oz.) packages small marshmallows

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Optional:

furikake nori

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Spray 2 9 x 13 inch baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds in each. 

Put the cereal, oats, nuts and dried fruit into another large pan and roast in the oven for 6 minutes, then remove and transfer to a large bowl sprayed with non-stick spray.

On medium/low heat, melt butter, marshmallows and peanut butter, stirring frequently until marshmallows are melted thoroughly. Pour sauce over mixture of dry ingredients, mixing quickly with a large shamoji or large spoon sprayed with non-stick spray. Divide into two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes and pat down firmly. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds before giving a final pat.

Cool. Cut into desired sizes. Wrap in waxed paper. Store in air tight container.