Mock Cherry Crispy Treats

Another re-run tonight.  I meant to write up a new post today, but I have not felt well most of the day, so I'm resorting to this again.  This recipe was first published in July 2009. :-)
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Here is a recipe for crispy rice treats that I found on the Internet. The person who posted it had made some changes to the original, and I made some changes of my own. One thing I did was to substitute dried cranberries for dried cherries and add almond flavoring instead of vanilla. This makes you think that it really is cherries in the treats. For some reason almond flavoring will fool the taste buds that way when combined with dried cranberries (I use Crainsins® brand which are pre-sweetened). My family liked the results quite well!

Mock Cherry Crispy Treats

3 Tbl. butter

1 (10 oz.) bag of marshmallows

1/4 C. white chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

5 C. crisp rice cereal

1 C. dried cranberries

1/2 C. semisweet or 60% cacao chocolate chips

1 Tbl. butter

Line a 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil leaving excess foil to hang over the edges of the pan. (Thinner treats may be made by using a 9x13 pan). Butter or grease foil.

Melt butter in a large pot over low heat. Add marshmallows, white chocolate chips and salt. Cook, stirring constantly about 8 minutes, or until melted and smooth. Stir in almond flavoring.

Remove from heat and stir in crisp rice cereal and cranberries until well mixed. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and press into the corners with a greased spatula or spoon. (Use the back of the spoon.) Let cool for about 1 hour.

Melt chocolate chips and 1 Tbl. butter over low heat in a sauce pan stirring constantly just until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over the cooled treats. Allow to cool, about 45 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift treats out of pan to a cutting board. Cut into squares. Sever or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.