September 6: Payroll Bars

Payroll Bars

Ingredients:

Crust
6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 large egg

Filling
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter
2 cups peanut butter chips
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups salted peanuts
2 cups crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9x13 metal pan with nonstick foil, or line it with regular foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Make the crust: In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter on high for 30 seconds, or until melted. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, mix the cake mix, melted butter, and egg at medium speed to make a dough. Press the dough into the prepared pan and bake for 12-18 minutes.
3. Make the filling: Sprinkle the marshmallows evenly over the baked dough and return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes to melt the marshmallows. In a large (3 qt) saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the peanut butter chips and corn syrup. Stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, peanuts, and cereal. Drop blobs of the cereal mixture over the marshmallows, spreading gently to cover. Let cool completely, then chill until very cold so the bars will be easier to slice. Grasp the foil, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and use a chef's knife trim the edges. Cut the bars into squares.

Crust Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

Addition of peanut butter chips and light corn syrup

Addition of vanilla

Addition of peanuts

Addition of rice krispies

Thoughts: It was another straightforward recipe. I used a cake mix that was 15.25 oz and 1 bag of peanut butter chips that equaled 1 2/3 cups instead of 2. I baked the crust for 13 minutes. We both thought it was just ok.