Southern Living in a Northwestern Home

or....In Celebration of Butter!

Even though we've lived in the pacific northwest for more than 2 years I just can't seem to let go of my Southern Living subscription. Who cares if the azaleas won't thrive or I can't buy the clothes in the Belk advertisements? I still love ham and biscuits and drink my fair share of sweet tea (made at home, thank you very much!) The truth is, I just want the recipes! My mother read this magazine when I was a girl and some of my favorite, most trusted recipes have come from Southern Living. Case in point: grilled cheese. Not just any grilled cheese, mind you, but a gooey, salty, sweet-peppery pimento cheese grilled cheese with strawberry jam....yum! I clipped the recipe last year and made it for a friend. It was ahhh-mazing! 

Last week one of my sweet co-workers informed me (late Thursday) that April 12th was National Grilled Cheese Day. Say it isn't so! How could I not have known? That's the beauty of being a librarian.....you are always surrounded by wonderful people who know a little bit about a lot of different things! So, when I brought home a 4th pound of butter (and was kindly reminded by JSM about the other 3 in the back of the refrigerator) I knew it was time to do something, with one of them anyway. So, pimento grilled cheese sandwiches with strawberry jam it was.....a few days late to mark the special occasion! Delicious!

homemade pimento cheese

+

butter and a few slices of bacon and bread

=

pimento grilled cheese sandwiches

But there was still butter left over......lots of it! And I had a bag of chocolate chips and a box of rice krispies. How convenient! So, I combined......

fluffy little marshmallows with the butter and rice krispies, topped it with a bag of  melted chocolate chips (I know so unromantic....)

but the piece de resistance was the Fleur de Sel on top. 

Sea Salt and Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

I have to admit that as much as I love to cook, I don't love creating my own recipes. I really like to follow someone else's directions and see my food come out almost perfect (if left up to me, who knows how it would turn out!) For this recipe though, I used a combination of a couple different recipes I've tried before. I really wanted the krispie treat to have a nice caramel flavor, but I also wanted there to be a salty sweet topping. So, here goes:

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. water

2 T. butter, softened

1/4 c. half and half

3 T. butter, melted

6 c. of rice krispie treats

1 10 oz. bag of marshmallows

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fleur de Sel salt for topping

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan (do not stir) over medium heat until it is dissolved and a golden caramel (swirl if necessary, but do not stir.) Remove from heat. Stir in the softened butter and half and half. 

Combine the melted butter and marshmallows over low heat until melted together. Stir in the caramel. Add the six cups of rice krispies and combine. Using waxed paper, flatten the krispie mixture in a greased 9x13 pan. Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips. Pour the melted chocolate over the rice krispie treats and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool for 1 hour and cut into desired size. Bon Apetit!