The last several weekends, I’ve been working in my garden with friends and family. Springtime gardening is terribly rewarding, especially when you can enjoy a delicious homemade meal outside at the end of a hard day of work.

A couple weekends ago, after two days of working outside, I had the urge to have friends over for a simple, yet playful, meal. This was the first of many dinners outside of my picnic table that I plan to host this year.

With a freshly painted table, I was excited to pull out the handmade table-runner from my cousin, Callie. I encourage you check out her prints, here!  Her pink and blue tones inspired me to make grilled salmon, a colorful salad with chickpeas, avocado, sweet potato and roasted beets …. and a dessert. I arrived quickly at the idea of homemade rice krispy treats. While they are far from sophisticated, they are fun and everyone loves them.

Smitten Kitchen has the best variation with brown butter and sea salt. Try it soon for a surprise playful dessert!

Smitten Kitchen Brown Butter Rice Krispy Treats

• 8 ounces butter, salted or unsalted, preferably cultured, plus extra for pan
• 1 10.5-ounce bag marshmallows
• 1 12-ounce box Rice Krispies cereal

1. Line rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or wax paper, or butter it well.

2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Watch closely and stir often.

3. When butter is evenly browned, stir in marshmallows. (If using unsalted butter, stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt.) Melt and cook, stirring often, until mixture turns pale brown, then stir constantly until lightly browned but not dark, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Turn off heat, add cereal, and mix well, preferably with a silicone spoon or a spatula. Scrape into prepared pan and press down lightly. If necessary, butter hands to press mixture flat. Let cool, and cut into squares or bars.