Salted Pretzel Marshmallow Bars

 Dear Friends,

While visiting my family this past week, we enjoyed making a new dessert that was featured in this month's Food Network magazine. As a subscriber to Food Network, I always try to make at least three to four new recipes from the magazine in addition to recreating new renditions of certain recipes featured. 

A little messy, but we were having fun with it!

 The recipe featured below is very and simple to make. Everyone in my family enjoyed it. Though some of us thought it was just a tad too sweet, you can reinvent the recipe yourself and mix in your own unique toppings, such as nuts, chocolate candies, etc. 

 I would make this recipe again! I thought it would be great for autumn or even the winter holidays! You definitely need a tall glass of milk as a pairing with the bars. It's a perfect cool down for these rich, decadent bars!

Ingredients

For the bars:

• Cooking spray, for the pan
• 1 1/2 cups broken lightly salted pretzel pieces
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract  (*you can also use almond extract if you prefer it to not be too sweet)

For the topping:

• 8 marshmallows, halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

Pulse 1 cup pretzel pieces in a food processor until finely ground (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs). Transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar. Let cool slightly, then stir in the eggs and vanilla. Stir the pretzel crumb mixture into the butter mixture in two additions.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup pretzel pieces on top. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs, 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack, then lift the foil to remove the bars from the pan and transfer to a baking sheet.

Preheat the broiler. Press the marshmallow halves, cut-side down, in even rows on top of the bars. Broil, rotating the baking sheet as needed, until the marshmallows are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes; let cool.

Put the peanut butter chips and 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. Repeat with the chocolate chips and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in another bowl. Drizzle the melted peanut butter and chocolate mixtures over the bars.

*I think next time I may try white and dark chocolate or just straight peanut butter. You can also do mini milk chocolate and or peanut butter chips without melting them! That might be tasty. I was also thinking pretzel M&Ms!

Let harden at room temperature or chill to set before cutting.

Yield: 16 bars

Sweetly,