The Need-to-Know Mom Guide

I don't know what you want to actually call them... but yummy they are! I had a few peanut butter chips that I needed to use up... ok, that's a lie, wanted to use is more like it! I found a recipe that used Peanut Butter Chips, Crisco and Corn Flakes. Well, I didn't have any Corn Flakes, so I decided to make them with Rice Krispies instead. So, I started melting the Crisco and Peanut Butter Chips, but it didn't really make a nice creamy mixture that would coat cereal very well... so then I just started throwing things in.

What ended up in the pot you ask?

The Crisco (half a stick)
1 stick of Butter
1 Bag of Peanut Butter Chips
.5 Bag of Chocolate Chips
10 Mini Reece's Peanut Butter Cups
Rice Krispies (I just poured in enough to use up the melty mixture, but I'd guess it was 3-4 cups, but it could have been 5-6 too!
After it was all mixed together, I added a baker's bag of mini Reece's Pieces.

Scoop and cool! I used an ice cream scooper, so it could pack everything together, but I bet this would be a fun project to do with kiddos too, and let them press them into cookie cutters or roll them into balls.

So, I know it sounds weird, actually, maybe a little gross. But, my sister, Becky, is a nutrition major at school and is on a ‘find everything healthy’ kick. She found this recipe for baked kale… yes kale as in the nasty green leaf that comes on your plate at restaurants. Not so nasty tasting if you make it right I guess!

1. Heat oven to 350
2. Tear the Kale into pieces, about 2-3 inches each… not really a big deal here.
3. Wash them in a colander and spread them out on a towel. Pat the pieces dry with another towel.
4. Spray with a butter flavored spray
5. Sprinkle seasoning on, I like Salt and Pepper, with or without Garlic, but this is an open book here!
6. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan Cheese, not too much (use sesame seeds or another topping for variety)
   
7. Bake until the pieces have a dry brittle feel to them, 5-10 minutes

• These are good plain or dipped in ketchup, ranch, or any other dip you’d like to try!
• A full bag of Kale will feed 2-3 people… it looks like a huge pile, but really isn’t that much once you start eating!
• The one downfall to this recipe… the odor that will be left in your kitchen isn’t awful, but doesn’t exactly smell great. I suggest candles or an open window.
• She could tell you all the benefits of this stuff, apparently it’s really great for you… I just know it tastes YUMMY!!!