If you have actually suffered through this conversation with your child, or have a young one and predict you will one day, then this recipe is (hopefully) for you, because it is simple, fast and only uses 4 ingredients. YAY!!!
It is also a no-bake recipe. DOUBLE YAY!!! (but you do need to have room in your refrigerator for all these little guys....)
By the way, I said hopefully, because I know there is a lot of focus on food allergies these days, and since this has peanut butter in it, it may or may not be the salvation you're hoping for. But it was either this or Aunt Barb's Rum Ball Recipe, but somehow I think the local school board would not enjoy the humor in that selection.
Anyway. I can keep this post short and simple because the recipe is short and simple! So here we go!
Peanut Butter Haystacks
Ingredients:2 - 11 oz package of butterscotch flavored morsels
1 1/2- cup creamy peanut butter (approx 380g)
1 - 12oz bag chow mein noodles
1 - 10oz bag miniature marshmallows
Directions:
Clear out the top shelf of your refrigerator.
Line the bottom side of a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicon sheet and set aside.
Measure out your peanut butter. SUPER COOL TIP: if you have a food scale, place a piece of parchment paper on it and plop the peanut butter on it until you get to 380g.
I learned this trick at the South Bay School of Cooking when I learned how to make fondant and believe me, this is a much easier way to measure out messy peanut butter than using measuring cups. 😊
Fire up your double boiler - or, if you don't have an actual double boiler, fill a small saucepot with about an inch of water and let come to a simmer.
Place the butterscotch morsels in the top part of your double boiler - or, if using the sauce pot method, place the morsels in a large bowl that doesn't sink too far into the opening of the saucepot and place over top of the simmering water.
By the way, I just noticed the cute little note on the bag the last time I made these. I love Nestle's. So sweet and happy.
When the morsels start to melt, stir until creamy (do not let water come into the bowl).
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| I don't have a double-boiler, so I use the bowl and pot method |
Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter.
Next, stir in the chow mein noodles and marshmallows.
Carefully stir everything until well blended. Try to not destroy the chow mein noodles. You want them to keep their shape to give these dudes their "haystack" look.
Using a couple of spoons, drop a well rounded tablespoon onto your prepared sheets. These don't bake or spread, so you can put them as closely together as you'd like.
Continue making piles of "haystacks" until you run out of dough.
Refrigerate until firm.
By the way, the reason I have you put the parchment paper on the flip side of the cookie sheet - you can line it up with your refrigerator shelf and easily slide the paper onto the shelf at the same level and then keep using the same pan. If you put the parchment paper inside the cookie sheet, you have to maneuver around the lip of the pan and it can be a bit more difficult. But it's truly a matter of preference
Peel off parchment paper and store in airtight container in 'fridge.
And that's it! Assuming a grocery run takes 30 minutes, and since it should only take you about 30-45 minutes to crank these out, you could still be in bed just in time for the 11 o'clock newscast. Kids have cookies... and you still get 3-5 hours of sleep.
Oh...and stay tuned. Aunt Barb's Rum Ball Recipe is coming up next.
You didn't think I'd let you suffer through the holidays without a little hooch, now did you? 😉
Enjoy and happy non-baking!!
Adapted from a recipe by Nestle; you can find the original HERE
