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Hello, foodies…

What was one of the first foods you learned how to make? Do you remember? Until I was a teenager, I only “made” foods my mother had already prepped. Since she worked full-time, my mother spent her weekends in the kitchen making dinners for the week. After school, I put them in the oven so they were hot and bubbly by the time she got home. I learned how to boil vegetables (a side to go with dinner) around the same time mom trusted me to “cook” dinner. Then, I think the third thing I learned to make must have been Rice Krispies Treats.

Rice Krispies cereal is fun—it’s breakfast that makes noise and tastes good…what’s not to like? So turning an already-fun cereal into gooey, sugary lunchbox treats is genius. I never outgrew my love for Rice Krispies Treats. But, since it’s One-Pot Meals month on In the Kitchen with David and Rice Krispies Treats are an easy one-pot recipe, we wondered if we could make the classic recipe even better. What if we added peanut butter? And pretzels? The answer? You’d get an AMAZING dessert.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
Serves 15

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter


• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter


• 1 (7-oz) jar marshmallow fluff


• 5 cups Rice Krispies


• 1-1/2 cups roughly chopped thin pretzel "snacks" or "chips"


• 1 (8-oz) bag mini peanut butter cups

Preparation:

1. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan and set aside.


2. Add the butter, peanut butter, and fluff to a large sauce pot and melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.


3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cereal and chopped pretzels, and stir until well combined. Add the mini peanut butter cups and gently mix until fully incorporated.


4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. With lightly greased fingers, carefully press the mixture into the pan until well compacted. Let the treats cool at room temperature for about 4 hours. Cut and serve.

This recipe is prepared with the Cook's Essentials® Premiere 18/10 Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set (K38329).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some incredible people over the last 20 years, foodies. Just in the last five years since I’ve hosted In the Kitchen with David I’ve been star struck more times than I can count. This Sunday, we welcome world-renowned Chef Mario Batali to our QVC kitchen. Mario owns restaurants around the world, he’s written nine cookbooks, you’ve seen him on Food Network’s Iron Chef, and he continues to co-host The Chew on ABC. I’m pinching myself as I think about…and write about this opportunity. I have met Chef Batali when I was a guest on The Chew in New York. And, we also crossed paths at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. But I’ve never had the pleasure of truly working-side-by side with Mario.

Lucky for all of us, he’s bringing his latest book to QVC this Sunday…America Farm to Table. And, the chef has graciously shared two of his recipes with us in advance.

BBQ Chicken Thighs with Lentils and Green Apple Vinaigrette
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 12 cloves garlic, 10 crushed, 2 finely chopped


• ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, plus more as needed


• 2 salt-packed anchovies, filleted, rinsed, and patted dry


• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (¼ cup)


• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs


• 12 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs


• Kosher salt


• 2 shallots, finely chopped


• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over


• 2 cups water


• 1 carrot, cut into ¹⁄8-inch dice


• 2 scallions, thinly sliced


• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar


• 12 tablespoons Green Apple


• Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Combine the 10 cloves of crushed garlic, ½ cup of olive oil, the anchovies, parsley, and bread crumbs in a food processor and process until smooth.


2. Season the chicken thighs with salt and a drizzle of oil.


3. Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with the bread-crumb mixture, turning to coat well. Arrange them in a single layer on a platter, cover, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight.


4. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling, or preheat the oven to 450°F.


5. Oil the grill grates well. Place the chicken thighs, skin side up, on the cooler part of the grill, close the grill top, and grill until the chicken is cooked through, turning once, about 15 minutes per side.


6. Meanwhile, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat.


7. Add the remaining 2 cloves of chopped garlic and the shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes.


8. Add the lentils and water, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, just until tender, about 30 minutes.


9. Remove from the heat, add the carrot, scallions, and vinegar, and stir to combine.


10. Transfer the lentils to a platter and set aside.


11. Arrange the grilled chicken pieces on top of the lentils and serve with a tablespoon of the vinaigrette over each thigh.

Green Apple Vinaigrette
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 Granny Smith apple


• ¼ cup red wine vinegar


• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard


• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Peel and core the apple and cut it into 1⁄8-inch dice.


2. Place the apple pieces in a medium bowl and add the vinegar, mustard, and olive oil.


3. Stir to combine.


4. The dressing should not emulsify but rather remain wet and broken with rivulets of oil.

Fig Tart with Almond Crust
Serves 12

For the Crust:

• Butter, for the tart pan


• ½ cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted


• 2 teaspoons aniseeds


• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed


• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes


• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar


• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt


• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with


• 1 tablespoon cold water

For the Custard:

• 1½ cups heavy cream


• 4 fresh sage leaves


• 1 teaspoon aniseeds, crushed


• 1 large egg, lightly beaten


• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

To Assemble:

• 12 ripe black or green figs


• 24 whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted


• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Make the Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch tart pan.


2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almonds with the aniseeds, breaking them into coarse crumbs. Add the flour, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt and pulse 10 to 12 times to create coarse crumbs.


3. Add the egg and pulse 8 to 10 times, just until the pastry begins to come together.


4. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and form it into a ball.


5. Flatten the ball with a floured rolling pin, and press the dough into the bottom and sides of the prepared tart pan.


6. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.


7. Prick the surface of the pastry all over with a fork.


8. Bake the crust for 12 to 14 minutes until it is firm and pale golden brown, then remove from the oven and let cool.


9. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.

Make the Custard

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sage, and aniseeds and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.


2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until reduced by one-third.


3. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature.


4. Pour the cream through a strainer into a bowl to remove the sage and anise; discard the solids left in the strainer.


5. Add the egg and confectioners’ sugar to the cream, blending carefully.

 Assemble the Tart

1. Halve the figs lengthwise and stuff each fig half with an almond.


2. Lay the stuffed figs, cut side up, in the pastry shell.


3. Pour the custard over and around the figs.


4. Dust the top with the brown sugar and bake the tart for 35 minutes, or until the custard is set.


5. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.


6. Carefully remove the tart from the pan and let the tart cool for 20 minutes more before serving.

Photos courtesy of Quentin Bacon. Recipes from AMERICA FARM TO TABLE by Mario Batali. Copyright (c) 2014 by Mario Batali. Used with permission by Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved.

I’ll see you Sunday at Noon ET foodies. Have a terrific weekend!!

Keep it flavorful!
—David