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Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 2:57 AM

What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

The Week Calories Don’t Count
What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen

Another year is drawing to a close. Let’s be honest, the year is basically already over. There is just this delightful week in which it is totally normal to be unsure what day it is and to be stuffed full of cheese. I recommend putting off anything important until next week including goal setting, grant reporting, project planning, and, most importantly, calorie counting. In the spirit of being fat, happy, and wrapped in sherpa blankets I give you these recipes that are delicious, totally not nutritious, and are begging to be made before any sort of diet adherence is part of the dialogue.
First up is a recipe for sugar cookie bars from renowned baker Christina Tosi, owner of Milk Bar. I found this recipe in Neil Patrick Harris’ newsletter, “Wondercade.”  These “cookies” are gooey, crispy, and playfully topped with sprinkles!

Christina Tosi’s Sugar Cookie Bars for Wondercade 
(the way I make them)

INGREDIENTS:
Pan Spray
Graham crackers
Saltine crackers
1 ½ sticks of butter
½ c sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla extract
1 t salt
White chocolate chips
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13” baking pan with pan spray. Place graham crackers in the bottom of the tray to form a complete layer. Stack a layer of saltine crackers on top of the graham crackers.
2. Over medium heat, heat butter and sweetened condensed milk together stirring regularly. Add vanilla extract, salt, and sugar. Continue heating stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Carefully pour the mixture over the top of the stacked crackers until evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes then let cool completely. 
4. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave according to the package directions. Drizzle white chocolate over the top of the treat and scatter sprinkles to your heart’s content.
5.  Cut into the shape of your choice and enjoy.

Here’s another playful and nostalgic recipe for a Christina Tosi treat. This one is a tasty blend of rice crispy treats and peanut butter chocolate balls, both sweet snacks that I enjoyed as a child.

Christina Tosi’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

INGREDIENTS:
3 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal 
½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup peanut butter 
2 cups confectioners’ sugar 
1 tsp kosher salt 
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1 cup + 1 Tbsp chocolate chips 

DIRECTIONS:
1. Grease an 8x8-inch pan and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, toast the Rice Krispies over medium heat until a fragrant and deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil and 1 cup of peanut butter until smooth. Add in toasted rice cereal, confectioners’ sugar, and salt, mix until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the greased pan and press down firmly with a spatula to ensure a flat, solid layer.
5. In a microwave-safe medium bowl, melt the 3 tablespoons of peanut butter and chocolate chips together in the microwave in 30-second spurts, stirring after each, until smooth. Pour this chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the flattened Rice Krispies/peanut butter layer and spread into a smooth layer from corner to corner. 
6. Freeze for 30-40 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the rectangle from the pan and cut into eight 1 x 8-inch strips. One strip at a time, slice on the diagonal every 1 ½-inch length to form diamonds. Serve out of the fridge or freezer.

While these recipes can be enjoyed all year long, I recommend preparing them when you don’t care so much about health and wellness. You will want to eat all the cookies and all the bars. The last week of the year is the perfect time for next-level indulgence. So, indulge!
 

 


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Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
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