Talkin' Snacks

I’m trying to remember when the last time was that we didn’t have on the A/C. We’re heading towards another weekend with temps near 100, and I know we aren’t the hotspot in the US. I am attending a pool party Saturday and needed to bring something snack-worthy. Everyone knows that I can cook, and there are expectations when I bring something anywhere that it is going to be good, so I can’t show up at a family gathering with a bunch of sacks of salty processed chips. I made Chex Mix, one of my favs, and easy, easy, easy, but I embellish the ingredients. I don’t add just pretzels, I add honey-mustard; it’s not just peanuts, it’s gourmet deluxe mixed nuts. I love rye crisps in it, and garlic bagel bites too. I toss some of this in the seasoning and some of that, but always use as the base- butter, worchestershire sauce and Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. I also add garlic and onion powder, dry mustard, some cayenne if I feel feisty or maybe some of my caramel crystals that I use for making caramel corn if I feel like making it a little sweet. I bake it until it’s aromatic, crunchy and lightly browned and then I watch as the men in my life make for it with hands bared and mouths wide open. It’s like popcorn; you can’t just eat a little at a time, no way…it tastes best when you grab a handful and shove it in your mouth where all the multiple flavors can collide on your tongue in a crunching, crashing mass. While it’s wonderful right out of the oven, it’s pretty good sitting in a container on the counter for as long as it lasts. Now if I can only hold on to it until Saturday.

Chex Mix Kate’s Way

3 c. each Chex- Rice, Corn and Multi Grain (don’t use the Wheat), 1 c. mixed nuts (or your choice) 1 c. broken pieces of pretzel, 1 c. garlic bagel bites or rye crisps, break ‘em up if you want. Place all ingredients in large roasting pan and mix to combine. Use your hands, it’s fun!
Melt together 1/2 stick butter (NO margarine!) 2 T. Worch. sauce, 2 t. Lawrys Seas. Salt, 1/2 t. each garlic and onion powder, 1/4 t. dry mustard. If you combine the dry stuff in a little bowl and add to the butter slowly while stirring, it will mix better. Stir it up until the seasonings have dissolved for the most part, then drizzle it in portions over the pan, stirring to mix and pouring and stirring until it’s all over the place and your counter is covered with errant pieces of cereal and other goodies. Scoop them all back in the pan and place in a 250 degree oven, stir every 20 minutes or so, and bake for an hour or so until the house smells so good you can’t stand it. Cool it down a little and dig in.