Chocolate-Peanut Butter Marshmallow Lunch Box Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy.

Combine remaining ingredients and then add to creamed mixture. Mix well to combine.

Spread mixture into pan. It may seem a bit thin, but just smooth it out. It will puff up when baking, and the remaining layers will make for a good-size bar. Bake at 350F for 18 minutes or until set. Remove to a cooling rack.

Immediately after pulling it from the oven, sprinkle marshmallows evenly over the cake/brownie layer. Return to the oven for two minutes.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack, gently “smush” the softened marshmallow down with greased fingers to flatten slightly. Cool for 15 minutes.

Mix together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Using short bursts of power, heat the mixture, stirring every 30 seconds until the chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Add in the crisp rice.

Drop the mixture by spoonfuls over top of the cooled marshmallow layer. Spread gently with an offset spatula.

Place pan in refrigerator until chocolate is set, then cut into 24 (or more) generous bars. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge, for a firmer, fudge-ier bar…Or store covered at room temperature for a softer bar.

Freezes very well.