Recipe: Peanut Butter & Bacon Cereal Treats

If your Halloween from days gone by were filled with homemade treats, rather than boxes of individualized candy, you may want to whip up this bacon-packed version of a rice cereal treat in time for a trick-or-treat down memory lane. In addition to the nostalgia of homemade Halloween treats, this simple recipe for peanut butter and bacon cereal squares incorporates some kitchen recycling with the use of rendered bacon fat.

What you’ll need…

  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 3 tbsp bacon fat, strained
  • 1 cup peanut butter chip
  • 40 large marshmallows or 4 cups mini marshmallows
  • 6 cups rice cereal

Directions:

1. In a medium pan, fry bacon until just crispy. Remove bacon and place on kitchen paper; allow to cool and then crumble or dice into small pieces. Strain the leftover bacon fat and reserve until next step.

2. In large saucepan, melt peanut butter chips with bacon fat over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and mixture is uniform in colour. Remove from heat. Add cereal. and stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wooden spoon, press mixture into 9 x 9 inch pan coated with butter, cooking spray, or additional leftover bacon fat. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Cereal treats are best enjoyedthe same day.

Pork it up during YEG’s Live Local’s Winter Fork Fest 2014

Every year I wait in anticipation for Live Local’s annual Winter Fork Fest – a promotion that encourages local foodies to venture out of their homes into a world of great dining. With a number of locally owned and operated restaurants offering multi-course menus at $25 and $45 per person from January 19 – 23 and 26 – 30, 2014, it will be a personal challenge of mine to visit as many participating restaurants in two weeks that I can.

Check out a full listing of restaurants and menus by clicking here:

$25 multi-course menus featuring pork:

SELECT RESTAURANT
3 course lunch & dinner menu
Pork Schnitzel with potato broccoli salad
10018 106 St | Edmonton

MERCER TAVERN
4 course menu
Slow braised baby back pork ribs served, house made apple butter BBQ sauce, crisp apple slaw
10363 104 St | Edmonton

ABSOLUTELY EDIBLES
3 course menu
House made Italian sausage grilled, accompanied by creole sauce
9567 118 Ave | Edmonton

ACCENT EUROPEAN LOUNGE
Local brew or house glass of wine, started and entree
Breaded Pork Tenderloin
8223 104 St | Edmonton

UPPER CRUST CAFE
3 course menu – Tuesdays during Fork Fest
Rosemary and roasted garlic glazed Pork tenderloin served with an Apricot and brandy chutney, roasted baby potatoes and grilled vegetables
10909 86 Ave | Edmonton

 

$45 multi-course menus featuring pork:

CREOLE ENVIE
3 course Dinner menu
Grillades and Grits using Pork Tenderloin from D’Arcy’s Meat Market
6509 112 Ave | Edmonton

SABOR DIVINO RESTAURANT
3 course lunch & dinner menu
Pork tenderloin with clams, Olive oil, garlic, cilantro, pimento, white wine
10220 103 St | Edmonton

SLOPPY HOGGS ROED HUS
3 course lunch & dinner menu
Hogg Nadds – Crispy wrappers filled with spiced pulled pork
House smoke BBQ St. Louis ribs & ½ chicken – Served with your choice of side
10406 118 Ave | Edmonton