Miso Sesame Marshmallow Squares

 I LOVE rice krispy treats! But I had a giant thing of miso paste and decided to see what it would be like with marshmallows. And because toasted sesame seeds make my miso caramels absolutely delicious, I threw some of those in, too. I was right. The combination is fantastic! 

First: toast 3 Tablespoons of white sesame seeds in a dry skillet on medium heat until they are light golden brown. Pour onto a paper towel lined plate and let cool completely. 

Then make your favorite recipe for rice krispy treats but put 1 Tablespoon of white miso paste in the pot while you are melting the butter and marshmallows together. I push my miso paste through a fine sieve into the pot. Also add 2 Tablespoons of the toasted sesame seeds in with the crisp rice cereal. 

As soon as they are pressed into the pan, sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds. I had some black sesame seeds, so I added those, too. 

Cut into squares when cool. 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Brownies

You can make these chewy, fragrant brownies by browning the butter, but you don't have to. They'll be delicious either way. The perfect dessert for a beautiful fall day! Oh, and eat your first one when they are still a little bit warm. 

1 cup browned or melted butter, let cool to room temperature 

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (you can buy it or make my recipe HERE)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Place two strips of parchment paper going in opposite directions in a metal 9" baking pan.

If you choose to brown the butter, place in small saucepan and melt on medium heat. Continue to heat the butter until it becomes foamy and starts to turn golden brown. Be careful, it can easily burn! 

Place melted or browned butter in large glass mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature. 

Mix flour, cornstarch, spices, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. 

Dump brown sugar into the cooled butter and stir together. Whisk in pumpkin and vanilla until smooth. 

Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick! 

Carefully and evenly spread into paper-lined pan. 

Sprinkle the top evenly with a mixture of: 

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is no longer jiggly and a pick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs on it, but not wet batter. 

Cool on wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Lift out using the parchment liner. Cut into small squares.