Recipe: Peanut-Mallow Crunchies

So, let me say that if I ever coin the name for a recipe, the word 'mallow' will not be used.  Regardless if marshmallows are an ingredient.  I made these this past weekend as I was looking through the cabinet and thinking "wow, these marshmallows from the camping trip are still soft, better do something with them."  And having learned that the recipes written on the back of packages actually do have promise, I present to you 'chocolate crunchies' or 'hedonistic haystacks' or 'peanut piles.'  (ok, piles does not make any food sound better...retract!)

30 large marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter/margarine
4 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups unsalted peanuts
(I omitted the 2 cups raisins...why ruin a perfectly good snack)
2 cups pretzel sticks, broken into 1/2 inch lengths

Melt marshmallows, chocolate and butter over very low heat, stirring frequently to blend (this will take longer than you expected).  Combine remaining ingredients in a large greased bowl.  Pour melted mixture over the cereal mixture.  Stir gently until all pieces are well coated.  Pat into a greased 11x17 jelly roll pan or drop on a greased cookie sheet.  Let cool to set.  Makes one pan or 48 clusters.

I used a pan.  Then cooled in the fridge and then broke/tore it into pieces.  Most of it is frozen for future treating.