Cherry Bing Bars

Still deciding what to make for your holiday guests (or just to satisfy your own sweet tooth)? This is a great recipe that tastes every bit as good as it looks, plus the bars keep well so you can always make them a few days in advance and no one will ever know that you weren't slaving away until the last minute. I've seen this treat on many a holiday platter, but for whatever reason the taste always seems a bit off from the recipe I make. I'm sure everyone has their favorites, but the biggest compliment I can give to this particular recipe is that Darrell won't eat this sweet off any holiday tray unless it's mine because from the other variations he's tried he's convinced that I'm the only one who does this recipe "right". Granted, he's also the one that has to go home with me at the end of the night so he might just be acting sweet (ha, no pun intended), but if I'm being honest with myself, I have to agree. Not that I can actually pinpoint what tastes different about the other recipes, and I've never actually seen or tried another recipe, but if it ain't broke don't fix it, right?

Cherry Bing Bars


2 tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup half and half
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup cherry baking chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Lightly grease an 8x8 square pan, then line with waxed paper. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, salt, and half and half. Heat at medium-high until boiling, stirring occasionally. Boil for five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the marshmallows and cherry chips. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Spread over the cherry mixture. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

The bars are plenty sweet (like a fudge), so don't be afraid to cut the pieces small. Plus that way you can justify having two (or three or four) pieces!