Barbara Block of Berrien Springs, Mich., was searching for a recipe for Rice Krispies treat ice cream bars that she said were very popular in the 1960s.

Rose Barnes of South Bend, Ind., sent in a recipe that she started making years ago with her children and now enjoys making with her grandkids. She was sure it was the one Block was seeking.

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal hit store shelves in the 1920s and was a success with adults. However, the breakfast cereal’s real popularity with kids didn’t come until more than a decade later, when Rice Krispies treats were created by a Kellogg’s employee, Mildred Day. She mixed the cereal with butter and marshmallows, and an instant sensation was born. This recipe is proof that Rice Krispie treats can be easily adapted and used in many different ways, and are surely as popular today as they have always been.

These ice cream sandwiches are fun to make and decorate with children. They can be assembled, wrapped in plastic, placed in a freezer bag and frozen for later. It’s easy to make the treats with different flavor combinations. Simply add 1⁄2 cup of your favorite mix-in, such as chocolate chips or peanut butter, after the marshmallows are melted and before you stir in the cereal. The variations are limited only by your imagination.

After I made the basic recipe, which naturally was a hit with my gang, I added chocolate chips to make chocolate Rice Krispie treats. I then made some sandwiches with strawberry ice cream and some with peanut butter ice cream.

Request

Suzy Urick from Crownsville, Md., is looking for a recipe for a spicy mini-muffin cookie that her mother used to make around Christmas. She remembers that her mother bought the filling in a jar — she thinks it was likely mincemeat — and that she baked them in a mini-muffin pan. The coloring was on the dark side and they were a little bit spicy.