Basketball Game Entertaining
College Playoff Tournament
Holding Court
Community recreational activities. I signed up for them all. Jazz. Tap. Ballet. Step. Jazz-Tap. Tap-Ballet. Jazz-Tap-Ballet. Jazz-Step. Interpretive Dance. Ice Skating. Cheerleading… A host of additional dance related classes were just a few of the things my mother carted me to & fro until it was time to try something new. Fourth grade was the year of gymnastics. Sporting a short wedge, a hold over from a second grade Dorothy Hamill moment, I desperately wanted to wear a snazzy leotard & be a gymnist flying through the parallel bars with undeniable grace. You know, like Mary Lou. After weeks on the mat, the first step was to clear the horsey-thing before you could advance to the next level. I sprinted down the long runway & as the vault got closer, my eyes got wider. I began to lose steam. I hit the springboard & stopped short of getting over. It cut me in half. The spotter grabbed my arms out of the socket to pull me to the other side for a successful attempt but I had certainly not earned the right to clear the obstacle. Nonetheless, I returned to the line to try again but the overall experience left me more of a tumbling expert than anything else. The very next year, organized sports came into play. I was a tomboy for sure but I wouldn’t say I was that sporty girl. Now a dedicated runner, probably due to the fact there are no choreographed dance moves required, basketball was my group sport & I definitely had game. I learned the value of being on a team & focusing on a very specific task to achieve honest success & real results. My assignment, at all costs, was to get the rebound. It sounds small but it’s actually a very smart move from a coaching perspective. My friend’s dad presented us with the challenge, the benefits & a reward. Maybe the reward spurred me on but that became my focus & I took it very seriously. I may have been a double dribbler & a bricklayer but I could certainly elbow my way under the basket to guarantee the rebound & pass the ball off to one of my team mates who could secure the score. Dressed out in black jersey’s with white trim, that’s when The Panthers began winning.
Hoops inspired cereal bars are the perfect way to celebrate how far we’ve all come from our first encounter with organized sports & step in for a fun addition to upcoming March Madness basketball game parties. Pass off a round of Peanut Butter Alley-Oop Bars to guests for a slam dunk move & score big with loads of b-ball appeal. While warm, top the surface with mini peanut butter cup nets beside pretzel stick goal posts for added charm. High top cashew halves & little baby orange basketball candies fast break the sweet treat all the way to the next bracket so be certain to reserve a spot for these irresistible bars on your table of game day snacks ideal for fans of all ages.
Peanut Butter Alley-Oop Bars
makes 2 dozen
Rebound
You’ll need to work quickly to get the garnish on top of the bars while still warm. Use a wooden pick to attach the orange candies or nuts in particular with any remaining peanut butter mixture from the saucepan, if necessary. A little dab of peanut butter will work as well.
3 cups toasted oat cereal loops
1 cup pretzel sticks
1/3 cup salted, roasted cashews
2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
A pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup peanut butter
14 super mini peanut butter cups, cut in half
1 Tbsp mini orange coated chocolate candies
12 pretty cashew halves
one
Combine the cereal, the pretzels & 1/3 cup cashews in a large bowl. Set aside.
Bring the butter, the corn syrup, the brown sugar & the salt to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan
over Medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
Working quickly, stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
two
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal blend & coat well.
Press firmly in a lightly greased 1/4 sheet pan, approximately 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 x 1-inch.
Press the peanut butter cups & the orange candies over the surface.
Press two cashew halves together over the surface to resemble pairs of high top shoes.
Let stand 2 hours. Run a paring knife around the pan to gently loosen from the sides.
Cut into bars. Store at room temperature.
… And One
Although the small orange candies match the scale of the other ingredients, use any of your favorite picks to sub in for the b-balls. Larger plain, peanut & peanut butter filled M&M’s make excellent additions or look for orange coated chocolate candies in bulk to purchase the exact amount needed for the recipe.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Tip Off A Basketball Game Party Dessert
B-ball swag deserves a sweet spot on your table of game day snacks.
A pan of these adorable treats get fans ready for the hoops action to come.
Follow a few tips for a slam dunk batch.
The 411
Exercise a full court press when preparing the bars.
The more compact the cereal mixture the better they’ll hold their shape once cut.
Snack bars can be sticky business.
A small palate knife work makes removing them from the pan with ease.
Press additional pretzel sticks on the surface if needed to showcase the design.
Attach with a dab of peanut butter, if necessary.
For a firmer bar, the bars can be made ahead & stored overnight.
etc
Cooking Lessons
Learn the in’s & out’s of crunchy, toasted grain treats
The Basics: How To Make Cereal Bars
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Be sweet.
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