I dreamed about my Maw Maw (God rest her soul) early this morning. The dream entailed me being inside her house and my family wanting me to figure out how to operate her new thermostat. I could hear her talking from one of the rooms in the house. I was slightly sad when I woke up, even though I woke up next to my beautiful and blessed wife.

While I didn’t see eye to eye with her on numerous topics, I did admire her cooking and I take a considerable deal of inspiration from her cooking.

Also, I sat with her during the final year of her life and while she would pick fights with me on political matters, she also helped me hone my cooking skills.

Since 2019, I have been a staunch Moderate on the political spectrum, but my Maw Maw assumed that I was a conservative. She was a lifelong FDR Liberal and had her television locked on MS NBC.

When she would pick a fight with me about whatever was being said on television, I would rebuff how that is her channel’s narrative.

She would then accuse me of watching Fox News, to which I would again rebuff how could I watch Fox News because I don’t have cable. I was telling the truth, I wasn’t lying, because I see no use in subscribing to cable and am perfectly satisfied with broadcast television.

It never sunk in though because we would argue about this at least once a day, whenever I sat with her.

It truly broke my heart watching her get upset over whatever was reported on the news instead of just trying to enjoy the last year of her life.

Whenever the argument would stop, she would ask me to fix both of us something to eat, usually a piece of Boudin, which is a spicy sausage consisting of ground pork, seasonings, and rice cased in hog intestines. It is one of the most delicious Cajun dishes there is.

My Maw Maw also helped me perfect my Red Beans and Rice recipe and she enjoyed my spaghetti.

We would eat our meal or snack and all would become peaceful.

There was one dish my Maw Maw created that I adored.

The dish was known as Special K Treats and she frequently made them along with some form of fried chicken, to have food while traveling on road trips.

There is also a local Louisiana grocer known as Frank’s that makes a version of this dish.

Today I made my version of it, which I shared with my wife, my adopted sister, my adopted niece, and their company.

This piece will describe the recipe in detail so that you, the reader, can try it for yourself:

I had eyeballed the ingredients, as most Louisiana cooks do, so individual results may vary.

4 Cups of Special K Original Cereal
1 Cup of Light Corn Syrup (Karo will do)
3-4 Tablespoons of Refined Cane Sugar
2 Teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoons of Butter
4 to 4.5 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (I prefer Jif)

Place stove exactly on Medium Heat. Then in a decent-sized pot, pour the corn syrup, sugar, vanilla extract, and butter. Stir until all is even. Bring to a very light boil.

As soon as the boiling commences, shut the stove off and combine the peanut butter.

Once again stir until the mixture is consistent and even.

Add the Special K Cereal and stir until the pieces are evenly crushed and coated.

Take a serving spoon and place the mixture on a non-stick pan and let cool for about 20-30 minutes.

Cut into sizes of individual liking and enjoy!

This snack keeps at any temperature and is excellent for traveling, just as my Maw Maw intended it to be.

If I ever have to evacuate from a hurricane again, I plan to pull an all-nighter and make some fried chicken in addition to this snack, so we can have our food and eat in the vehicle or at the shelter.

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