Sweet Treats Made With a Surprise

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Feb 14, 2013) - (Family Features) It's unlikely you'll find a surprise toy in your cereal box these days, but you can still win prizes from your breakfast favorites. Your box of Fruity or Cocoa Pebbles™ Cereal can help you win a free trip to WrestleMania 30 and the chance to meet WWE Superstar John Cena. Through May 31, 2013, log on to www.pebblesmania.com to play games and enter a unique code found inside specially marked Pebbles cereal products for the chance to win prizes. The Grand Prize winner will receive a trip to WrestleMania 30, and get to meet WWE Superstar John Cena. For full details and official rules, visit www.pebblesmania.com.

You can cheer on John Cena while enjoying some great snacks, too. Breakfast cereals can add color and crunch to quick breads, sweetness to snack mixes, and can be used to make recipes like these:

• Champion Chocolate Pretzels couldn't be much easier. Just three ingredients -- chocolate, pretzels and new Fruity Pebbles Xtreme Cereal -- give you a sweet, salty and crunchy treat in no time, with bright neon colors. You can customize these confetti bites with different combinations of chocolate and toppings.
• Cocoa Crunch Bars are the perfect WrestleMania snack. Mix coconut, Cocoa Pebbles, marshmallows and caramel sauce for a chocolate treat with a tropical twist.

You can find more recipes that let you enjoy cereal any time of day at www.postfoods.com.

Champion Chocolate Pretzels
Makes: 26 servings

6		squares semisweet chocolate
26		pretzels
2		cups Fruity Pebbles Xtreme Cereal (or Fruity Pebbles Cereal)

Place chocolate in 1 cup glass measuring cup. Microwave as directed on package. Cool 5 minutes.

Dip pretzels halfway into chocolate, tilting cup to evenly coat each pretzel. Scrape off excess chocolate. Holding pretzels over plate, immediately sprinkle with cereal. Place in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.

Refrigerate 15 minutes or until chocolate coating is firm.

Tips and Suggestions

• Peanutty Chocolate Pretzels: Coat pretzels with melted chocolate as directed. Sprinkle with 2 1/2 cups finely chopped dry roasted peanuts instead of cereal.
• White Chocolate Pretzels: Substitute 6 ounces white chocolate for the semi-sweet chocolate. Sprinkle coated pretzels with 8 finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies instead of the cereal.
• Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pretzels: Stir 3 tablespoons peanut butter into the melted chocolate before using to coat pretzels. Sprinkle with 8 finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies instead of cereal.

Cocoa Crunch Bars
Makes: 24 bars

5		cups Cocoa Pebbles
2/3		cups snowflake coconut
1/2		cup nonfat milk powder
1		cup mini marshmallows
2		sticks butter, melted
3/4		cup dulce de leche or other caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Mix cereal, coconut, marshmallows and butter. Press firmly into a greased 6-inch square baking pan.

Bake 25 minutes. Hot out of the oven, drizzle caramel sauce over bars. Cool completely. Cut into 24 bars to serve.

Tips and Suggestions

• Use small molds -- muffin pans or other shape -- metal or silicone -- to make individual bars.
• Use Fruity Pebbles and sweetened condensed milk in place of Cocoa Pebbles and caramel sauce. Stud with your favorite nuts.

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