puffed heart food

Puffed wheat is really a nice segue (I had to look that word up b/c I thought it was segway like the two wheeled thingy but I think segue looks much more romantic if words can look that way) from yesterday’s post about Faye. 

For a time I lived with my grandparents and for breakfast we ate puffed wheat or puffed rice.  I didn’t like it so much.  Gram let us put a teaspoon of sugar on it but usually it was sugar Twin which wasn’t sugar at all.  It was chalky and stuck to the back of your throat and made you want to act like a cat contemplating a hair ball.  So we ate it with milk.  Nowadays it seems kids would just say “I’m not eating that”   but in our house there was no room for finicky nor disrespect. 

The irony is now I like puffed wheat and rice.  And Golden Grahams.  And granola.  All mixed together sometimes.

Anyhow using puffed wheat as a substitute in Rice Krispie type of treats is a good way to use them up if you have a large amount sitting in the pantry and you are moving to Boston.  (high five)

This is different than the Rice Krispie recipe just in case you are using them.

Puffed Wheat/ Rice Bars

3 TBSPN butter

4.5 cups mini marshmallows

4 cups puffed wheat (which is unsweetened and usually in a bag not a box)

1 cup puffed rice (also in a bag near the puffed wheat)

2 tsp butter flavoring (this is my secret ingredient , is it bad for you? I’m not sure but it makes them taste good.)

In a large pan melt butter and add marshmallows. Remove from heat and add puffed cereals and butter flavoring. Stir well .  Spray a piece of wax paper with nonstick cooking spray and use it to press mixture into 13x9 pan.  Sometimes I press in M&M’s or dried cherries.  Let them cool then cut into squares…or hearts if you love the people that are eating them.

Tootles, friends!