Leftover Makeovers

There have been many times that I've purchased a box of cereal and diligently had it for breakfast for a few days and then I end up throwing half of it away because it's gone stale.

I hate wasting food so I've put that too stale to have for breakfast cereal to good use. In sweets! Here are two Leftover Makeovers for virtually any cereal, and you don't have to wait for them to be stale to make them. I would have included pictures of the final products but they're already eaten by the time I think to take one. Enjoy!

Caramel Crunch Cereal ( I really like this one on Honey Nut Cheerios)

Ingredients:

2 - 4 cups of cereal

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Grease a large cookie sheet and preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large, heavy saucepan mix the sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until its boiling. Let it boil for 5 minutes without stirring. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. Quickly add the cereal to the pot and stir to coat. Once evenly coated quickly move to greased cookie sheet and place in preheated oven.

Bake for approximately30 - 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Stay nearby to prevent burning. If you start to smell that burnt sugar smell, remove it from the oven quickly! Once you remove it from the oven quickly transfer it to a sheet of wax paper to cool. Once cool, break into pieces.

Additional options:

You can add peanuts, mix cereals or add spices like cinnamon if you'd like. I drizzled mine with melted chocolate and used it as an ice cream topping. Delicious!

Marshmallow Bites (Honey Bunches of Oats with Strawberries is awesome in this recipe!)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

1 package or regular marshmallows or 4 cups of mini marshmallows

6 cups of cereal

(Feel free to cut this recipe in half if you don't have 6 cups of cereal left)

Directions:

Butter or line a 13X9 inch pan with wax paper. (You can also use non-stick cooking spray)

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add your cereal to the saucepan and stir to coat.

Evenly press your cereal mixture into the greased pan and allow to cool. Cut and serve.

Additional Options:

My sister likes to sprinkle hers with mini chocolate chips. Cookie Crisp Cereal and Cocoa Puffs also make great Marshmallow Bites.