Husband Pleasers

A husband pleaser comes in the form of a scotcharoo.  What's a scotcharoo?  It's a cookie/bar/candy that my mother in law, Susan, has made since my husband was a child.  Everyone loves them.  They are addictive.  They are crunchy, peanut buttery, chocolaty, and everything else that is good in life.  They are also the easiest recipe I've ever made.  The basic recipe is Special K cereal mixed with sugar, karo syrup, and peanut butter.  That's pressed into a pan and topped with melted semi sweet chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  This is the only way that my mother in law makes them and I made them the same way for years.

However, I was bored with them.  I wanted something more- more flavor and something different.  I started by experimenting with the cereal.  I tried Rice Crispies, but they just went stale after a day.  I then tried Corn Flakes, but it gave the Scotcharoo a corn flavor that was not welcome.  So, I stayed with the Special K since it stayed crunchy and didn't add any flavor. 

I decided that instead of messing with the recipe, I would add things to it- I love caramel and think that caramel should be included in all desserts, so I added caramel between the Special K and chocolate layers.  I also love sea salt and noticed that salt combined with chocolate is simply delish.  A sprinkling of sea salt on top of the warm chocolate really set this dessert off and brought out all of the flavors.

So, after experimenting with this humble recipe, I recreated it and made it a bit fancier and more decadent. 
Here's the new recipe:

6 cups Special K cereal
1 cup sugar
1 cup white syrup (karo)
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
caramel sauce (any brand of your choice)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
sea salt

Measure Special K and place in large bowl.  Set aside
In small saucepan, bring sugar and white syrup to a boil (stirring often so it doesn't burn)
Off the heat, add peanut butter and mix until smooth
Pour sugar/peanut butter mixture in the Special K and mix gently until combined
Press evenly into a greased (or sprayed) 9x13 pan
Let cool
Pour and spread caramel sauce over Special K mixture (as much as you like- I like a lot, so I went heavy)
Let cool and set
Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips (don't burn!) and stir together
Pour chocolate over caramel/Special K mixture and smooth over the top
Sprinkle sea salt evenly over the top of the warm chocolate
Let set at room temp or in the frig until firm and cut into bars

While this is a good start to a new and improved Scotcharoo, I may try mini marshmallows mixed in with the Special K/peanut butter mixture next.  If that goes well, I'll change the recipe again.  As for now, the humble and incredible Scotcharoo got a makeover and they are even better than the originals- Thank you Susan for this recipe!