Saturday Night Special: Chex Mix
Saturday night I was cleaning -- wild times, I know! -- and I felt snacky.
I decided to make my favorite version of Chex Mix, which some people think of as a Christmastime treat. I eat it year-round. Especially since I found many variations on the original recipe.
When I was a kid in the 80s, there was the original recipe of Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder and butter mixed and poured over Chex cereal, pretzels, peanuts and sometimes crackers or bagel chips. There was also a sweet version called puppy chow (maybe because Ralston Purina, which invented Chex and then sold all its brands to General Mills), which Chex also called Muddy Buddies. It was made with peanut butter and chocolate and powdered sugar. Besides that the only innovations I saw were GM packaging the cereal with a seasoning packet at the holidays and marketing bags of ready-made Chex Mix, which tastes nothing like homemade.
Until I was an adult.
In the late 90s/early 2000 when giving homemade mixes as gifts was popular, I found a recipe for Goin' Fishin' Munchin' Mix, which incorporated Pepperidge Farm goldfish and some other things in the mix. I made a big batch and gave it to my husband's guy friends.
Two years ago, General Mills, the makers of Chex cereal, held a contest looking for variations on its Chex Party Mix recipe. I tried the Buffalo for New Year's Eve that year. I made the Deviled Chex Mix many times over the following year.
When I went looking online for the deviled recipe Saturday night, I found almost 75 recipes for the snack mix at Chex.com!
There are sweet mixes I want to try: Chai Crunch, Bananas Foster Crunch Mix, Ginger-Honey Crunch, Honey Nut-Cherry Crunch, Tin Roof Crunch, Coffee-Toffee and Hot Buttered Yum.
And there are savory mixes I want to try: Moroccan Crunch, Combo Curry, Chexicago (based on Chicago popcorn flavors that blend cheese and caramel), Chili & Garlic, Chili-Lime, Indian Spiced and Steakhouse.
Among the odd flavors are Margarita Fiesta and Loaded Baked Potato.
Winter is going to be fun!
Here's the recipe for Deviled Chex Mix because I have tried it and I like it. The recipes for the others I've mentioned can be found at Chex.com.
DEVILED CHEX MIX
3 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup assorted unsalted nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup miniature cheese crackers
1 cup miniature pretzels
In small bowl, mix sugar, paprika, chili powder, curry powder, cumin, coriander, pepper and salt; set aside.
In large microwavable bowl, combine oil and nuts. Microwave uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in cereals, crackers and pretzels until evenly coated. Stir in sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until mixture is thoroughly heated. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.
I decided to make my favorite version of Chex Mix, which some people think of as a Christmastime treat. I eat it year-round. Especially since I found many variations on the original recipe.
When I was a kid in the 80s, there was the original recipe of Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder and butter mixed and poured over Chex cereal, pretzels, peanuts and sometimes crackers or bagel chips. There was also a sweet version called puppy chow (maybe because Ralston Purina, which invented Chex and then sold all its brands to General Mills), which Chex also called Muddy Buddies. It was made with peanut butter and chocolate and powdered sugar. Besides that the only innovations I saw were GM packaging the cereal with a seasoning packet at the holidays and marketing bags of ready-made Chex Mix, which tastes nothing like homemade.
Until I was an adult.
In the late 90s/early 2000 when giving homemade mixes as gifts was popular, I found a recipe for Goin' Fishin' Munchin' Mix, which incorporated Pepperidge Farm goldfish and some other things in the mix. I made a big batch and gave it to my husband's guy friends.
Two years ago, General Mills, the makers of Chex cereal, held a contest looking for variations on its Chex Party Mix recipe. I tried the Buffalo for New Year's Eve that year. I made the Deviled Chex Mix many times over the following year.
When I went looking online for the deviled recipe Saturday night, I found almost 75 recipes for the snack mix at Chex.com!
There are sweet mixes I want to try: Chai Crunch, Bananas Foster Crunch Mix, Ginger-Honey Crunch, Honey Nut-Cherry Crunch, Tin Roof Crunch, Coffee-Toffee and Hot Buttered Yum.
And there are savory mixes I want to try: Moroccan Crunch, Combo Curry, Chexicago (based on Chicago popcorn flavors that blend cheese and caramel), Chili & Garlic, Chili-Lime, Indian Spiced and Steakhouse.
Among the odd flavors are Margarita Fiesta and Loaded Baked Potato.
Winter is going to be fun!
Here's the recipe for Deviled Chex Mix because I have tried it and I like it. The recipes for the others I've mentioned can be found at Chex.com.
DEVILED CHEX MIX
3 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup assorted unsalted nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup miniature cheese crackers
1 cup miniature pretzels
In small bowl, mix sugar, paprika, chili powder, curry powder, cumin, coriander, pepper and salt; set aside.
In large microwavable bowl, combine oil and nuts. Microwave uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in cereals, crackers and pretzels until evenly coated. Stir in sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until mixture is thoroughly heated. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.
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