Sharing bits and pieces (and in this case Pebbles) with your children is part of the fun of being a parent. However, during a trip to Walgreens I picked up a box of Post Cocoa Pebbles and my son pointed to Fred and Barney on the front of the box and asked, "Who's that?"
Oh, Hanna Barbara. We had work to do.
Kinda a fail on my part I felt for never airing an episode of "The Flinstones," until at least I found very few clips of the classic cartoon online. Thankfully, iTunes gave us some options to make a real formal introduction, but it seemed like unlike the recent surge in my favorite childhood boy bands reclaiming the limelight, the Bedrock buddies I watched as a kid, had slipped into an oblivion.
After my enjoying my own moment of nostalgia, I decided to use the opportunity to talk about the Flinstones' prehistoric period (how people did it then) with a little Cooking 101 using our box of Post Cocoa Pebbles - with both the almost-two-year old and five-year old. (I'm pretty sure my head was full of rocks.)
After a huge fight about who got to stand next to mama in the chair, who got to crack the egg and who got which apron (they are exactly the same color), we began putting together a dessert that we later would call "Bedrock Brownies," a layered "rocky-road type" desert using brownie mix, cheesecake filling, crushed Cocoa Pebbles, marshmallows, chocolate chips, nuts and icing. And you're right, it ain't fat-free.
We talked about measurements, learning patience (all of us during the process), taking turns putting in the ingredients and of course, stiring the mix. Things were going pretty well at this point until my oldest asked if we created another episode of "his cooking show." Always happy to share my blogging adventures with my kids, I was elated to go behind the camera to direct while he set up for his intro...
Unfortunately after about the 20th take, I gave up on this time creating the next Bobby Deen. He was tired, I was tired and by this time the toddler had escaped with a couple of tastes of the mix and fled to the living room to play with her dolls. We just needed these sweeties to get done so we could break "brownies" together.
In the meantime, I've also added a link here for a $1 off 2 boxes of Post Pebbles at Walgreens, so you too can create this Yabba-Dabba delicious dessert that is creamy, chocolately and crunchy. It's so good you might consider running your car around the block with your bare feet in order to burn off the calories just so you can have another one.
It's a whole new way to eat your milk and cereal!
**************************************COUPON*************************************
$1 off 2 boxes of Post Pebbles at Walgreens **********************************************************************************
Bedrock Cheesecake Brownies Ingredients
- First layer:
- 1 pkg favorite Brownie Mix
- Second layer:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter–softened
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup semi-sweet choc chips
- Third Layer:
- 2 crushed Cocoa Pebbles
- Fourth Layer:
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
- Fifth Layer (Frosting):
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup milik
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup Cocoa Pebbles
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan.
- In mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the bottom layer until mixed well. Press/spread batter into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan. Set aside.
- For the second level, in mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg at medium speed until smooth. Stir in the 1/4 cup pecans and pour over chocolate layer in bottom of pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cream cheese layer.
- Now layer the crush Cocoa Pebbles over the cream cheese covering the last layer.
- Bake 26–28 minutes, until filling is starting to lightly brown on top. Take out of the oven and sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the top. Bake an additional 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa and milk. Heat to boiling while stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in the powdered sugar. Stir until well blended. Add the vanilla, 1 cup Cocoa Pebbles (and 1 cup chopped pecans.)
- When the two minutes of roasting the marshmallows is finished, remove the pan of rocky road bars from the oven and immediately pour the frosting mixture over the marshmallows. Spread evenly to cover and let cool 30 minutes.
- Refrigerate about 2 hours to set. Cut into small squares. Store in the refrigerator.