Snacks

Snacks

Anytime good stuff….

Nut Mixes  |  Popcorn Mixes  |  Chex Mixes

Blue Cheese-Walnut Shortbread

• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cut up
• 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, chop together walnuts and sugars. Add butter and blue cheese and blend just a couple of seconds, until a crumbly consistency (don’t let it form a ball). Add flour and pulse about 10-20 times. Pat into an 8-inch cake pan. Score with a knife into 8 to 12 wedges.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, deepen score with a knife, and return to oven. Bake at 325 degrees F for another 15 minutes, or until done. Cool on a rack.

Parmesan-Pepper Shortbread

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or Romano
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350 deg.F. Cream butter and cheese in large bowl of electric mixer. Beat in flour, pepper, salt, basil, and red pepper flakes just until thoroughly combined. Roll dough to 1/6 in. thickness. (If necessary, chill dough for easier handling.)Cut into shapes, put on ungreased cookie sheets, and bake 5 – 8 min.

You could also form the dough into a log, chill, and slice. Doesn’t make very many, only about a dozen.

Cheddar Shortbread Bites

Shortbread

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1/2 cup cold Butter
• 8 ounces (2 cups) Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Topping

• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Combine flour, salt and red pepper in medium bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Add cheese; mix well. Shape dough into circle; wrap in plastic food wrap. Chill 2 hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350°. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. (It will be hard to roll at first, but will soften. Press together any cracks that form on edges of dough.) Cut dough with 1 1/2-inch cookie cutters or pizza cutter into desired shapes (triangles, squares, circles). Place on ungreased baking sheets.

Combine poppy seeds and sesame seeds in small bowl. Beat egg white and water together in another small bowl. Brush cut-outs with egg wash; sprinkle with seed mixture.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges. Immediately loosen from pan; let cool on pan.

60 appetizers

Reindeer Munchies

This is a sweet and easy recipe the kids can help make.
Santa and Rudolph will gobble it up.

5 cups sweetened corn & oat honeycomb-shaped cereal or cereal squares
2 cups thin pretzel sticks, broken in half
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (11.5-ounce) package (1 1/2 cups) real milk chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup red and green candy-coated milk chocolate candies

Storage Ingredients:

2 (1-gallon size) resealable plastic food bags

Combine cereal and pretzels in 4-quart bowl; set aside.

Place butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving until butter and chocolate are melted
(15 to 45 seconds). Stir until smooth.

Immediately pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl; stir until well coated. Spread mixture evenly into single layer on two waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes to set.

Break into bite-sized pieces; place half of mixture in each plastic food bag. Pour 1/2 cup powdered sugar into each bag; seal bags. Shake bags until mixture is well coated. Place
1/2 cup candies in each bag. Seal bags; gently shake bags to distribute candies. Store mixture in sealed bags or airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 weeks.

TIP: Add more powdered sugar after storage, if needed.

Toll House Party Mix

This recipe courtesy of Back of the Box Recipes.

2 cups toasted cereal squares
2 cups small pretzel twists
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 cup (about 20) caramels , unwrapped and coarsely chopped
1 2/3 to 2 cups (11- to 12-ounce package) Nestl é TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate,
Butterscotch Flavored or Premier White Morsels

COAT 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE cereal, pretzels, peanuts and caramels in large bowl.

MICROWAVE morsels in medium microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power
(100% power for semi-sweet chocolate morsels) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave
at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Pour over
cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.

SPREAD mixture in prepared baking pan; cool for 30 to 45 minutes or until firm.
Break into bite-size pieces.

Makes about 8 servings

Parmesan Bacon Biscuit Sticks

A biscuit stick that’s a perfect “on-the-go” snack! Also, great served with soups or salads.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold LAND O LAKES® Butter
2/3 cup milk or half & half
2 tablespoons real bacon bits

Topping Ingredients:

1 tablespoon milk or half & half
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425°F. Combine flour, 1/4 cup cheese, baking powder, Italian seasoning and salt in large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 2/3 cup milk and bacon
bits; mix just until flour is moistened.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead 5 to 8 times or until smooth. Roll out dough to 10×6-inch rectangle. Cut into 10 (1-inch) strips.

Place sticks 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 10 biscuit sticks
TIP: For longer storage, freeze in airtight container or resealable plastic freezer bags up to 2 months.

Cheddar Cheese Pull Apart
Cheesy-garlic biscuits disappear one pull-apart at a time!

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (12-oz.) can Pillsbury® Hungry Jack® Golden LayersTM Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line 8-inch round cake pan with foil. Generously spray foil-lined pan with cooking spray.

2. In small bowl, combine cheese and garlic powder; mix well. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters. Layer half the biscuits in greased pan. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layers.

3. Bake at 400°F. for 20 to 26 minutes. Lift biscuits from pan using foil. Cool 5 minutes. Carefully remove foil from biscuits. Place on serving plate. Serve warm.

Makes 10 servings

Hearty Pizza Loaf

A quick bread filled with all the things you love about pizza.

Prep: 10 min – Start To Finish: 1 hr 10 min

Grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, if desired
1 egg
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped pepperoni
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 teaspoons baking powder

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease loaf pan, 8 x 4  or 9 x 5 inches; coat with Parmesan cheese.

2. Mix milk, oil, basil, red pepper and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread in pan. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides and bottom of loaf from pan; remove from pan and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. Store tightly wrapped in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Makes 1 loaf ( 16 slices)

Nutty Caramel Clusters

• 25 caramels
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 c. salted dry roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp. shortening

In a 1-quart microwave-safe dish, combine the caramels, butter and milk. Microwave, uncovered on high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Stir in the almonds, peanuts and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined sheets. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until blended. Drizzle over clusters. Chill until firm. Store in the fridge. Makes 1-1/2 dozen.

Nabisco® Cheese Nips®

Here’s a clone recipe that gets one very important ingredient from another packaged product. The powdered cheese included in the Kraft instant macaroni & cheese kits flavors this homegrown version of the popular bright orange crackers. You’ll need a can of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Cheese Topping or two boxes of the most inexpensive instant variety of macaroni & cheese; you know, the kind with the cheese powder. Two boxes will give you enough cheese to make 300 crackers. As for the macaroni left over in the box, just use that for another recipe requiring elbow macaroni.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour (plus 1/2 cup
divided and reserved for kneading and rolling)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Cheese Topping
powder (or 2 packages dry cheese powder from 2
boxes Kraft macaroni & cheese)
3 tablespoons shortening
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt (for tops, optional)

1. Sift together 1-cup flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cheese powder in a large bowl.
2. Cut in the shortening with a fork and knife with a crosswise motion until dough is broken down into rice-size pieces. Mixture will still be very dry.
3. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until dough becomes very moist and sticky.
4. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the reserved flour over the dough and work it in until the dough can be handled without sticking, then turn it out onto a floured board, being sure to keep
1/4 cup of the reserve flour for later. Knead the dough well for 60 to 90 seconds, until the flour is well incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a light coating of cooking spray on a baking sheet.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and use the remaining reserve flour to dust a rolling surface. Roll about one-third of the dough to just less than 1/16th of inch thick. Trim the edges square (a pizza cutter or wheel works great for this), and then transfer the dough to a lightly greased baking sheet. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough. Simply pick up one end of the dough onto a rolling pin, and roll the dough around the rolling pin. Reverse the process onto the baking sheet to transfer the dough.
7. Use a pizza cutter to cut across and down the dough, creating 1-inch square pieces. Use the blunt end of a skewer or broken toothpick to poke a hole in the center of each piece.
8. Sprinkle a very light coating of salt over the top of the crackers (crackers will already be quite salty) and bake for 8 to 10 minutes mix the crackers around (so those on the edge don’t
burn) and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes or until some are just barely turning a light brown. Repeat the rolling and baking process with the remaining dough.

Makes approximately 300 crackers.

Cheese Pennies
These flavorful, round cheese bites are a zesty baked snack that you’ll want to pop down one after another.

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (1.5 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

Directions

1 In a medium bowl, knead together butter, all-purpose flour, Cheddar cheese and dry onion soup mix. Divide into two equal portions. Form each portion into a log shape. Wrap with wax paper. Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator,
until firm.

2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3 Cut the log shapes into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick.

4 Arrange slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
* 1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese, at room temperature
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 envelope dry onion soup mix
* cayenne pepper
* pecan halves optional

Combinebutter and cheese and mix well. Add rest of ingredients, except pepperand pecans. Add a few grains of cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly. Divideinto 4 pieces. Roll each into a cylinder (silver dollar size), wrap infoil and freeze. To serve, partially defrost roll, cut slices 1/4 inchthick, top with pecan halves if desired and bake on a greased cookiesheet at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan while warmto prevent breaking.

Concocted after Auntie Anne’s pretzels recipes went on the net and found to be to hard. This revised recipes prdouces a much softer and desirable pretzel.

2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Nonfat Dry Milk
1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
2 Teaspoons Dry Granulated Yeast (or 1 packet)
10 oz. warm tap water

(For raisin pretzels only, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to dough)

Preheat oven to 450 when dough is finished kneading combine with breadmaker in “dough” mode, till agitation stops, then allow to stand in a greased container for a few minutes, while preparing garnishes, etc.
Coating Egg Mixture: 1 or 2 eggs, with 1 teaspoon of water per egg. Mix with fork till uniform, and set aside for pretzel coating. Keep coarse salt handy for plain pretzels.

To prepare countertop for cutting & forming pretzels, dump dough onto floured countertop. (Lightly dampen counter with a clean, wet-but-wrung-out dishcloth, then sprinkle flour over before it dries. Smooth flour evenly onto countertop. Now it’s ready to receive pretzel dough.)

Decide what kind of pretzels you wish to make. If you want plain ones that can be either salted or covered with cinnamon/sugar, just dump the dough onto the counter, and stretch it out into a “log” roughly 15 inches long, and about 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick. This should resemble a large dough “slab” on the countertop, from which you can now use the pizza cutter to shave off pretzels. Starting from one end, cut pretzel strips from the near edge of the dough, with each strip being about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Then carefully dust each strip with flour from the countertop, and stretch each strip evenly till it lengthens to at least 18 inches, then twist into a pretzel shape and place onto lightly greased cookie sheet. When sheet is ready, place in center or a little lower than center of oven.

When pretzel is just beginning to brown on the edges and ends, remove from oven and brush with egg mixture, then if pretzels are intended to be plain, or are filled with japapenos, sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. If you intend to make cinnamon pretzels, do not use the salt, use just the egg mixture. After brushing with egg mixture and applying salt if needed, put on higher rack in oven to finish browning to golden brown.

For cinnamon pretzels, dip into or brush on melted butter or margarine while still warm, allow to drain at least 30 seconds. Then dust thoroughly in cake pan filled with 1 to 2 cups of sugar/cinnamon mixture. Serve warm.

Jalapeno or raisin pretzels: Immediately after removing dough from breadmaker and placing onto floured countertop, fold in jalapenos thoroughly. Then stretch out the dough as before, cutting into strips, stretching out and twisting into pretzel shapes then partial baking, coating and final baking.

Raisin pretzels: Icing can be prepared by mixing powdered sugar, melted butter or shortening, and water. About 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon water thoroughly combined will make icing that can be spread or strung over pretzels after baking. If icing is too thick, add slightly more water. If too thin, add more sugar.
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1.) Mix thoroughly 1/2 quart of water & 3 heaping teaspoons of baking soda & place in shallow pan, to dip pretzel string into before forming and baking. This is what makes them turn brown in color, and enhances the flavor. Dip just before forming pretzel & placing on pan to put in oven.

2.) The key to making good, tender pretzels seems to be the technique of raising, cutting and forming them, as much as using the proper ingredients.
a. Make sure to allow the dough to rest after kneading for at LEAST 1/2 hour. If you won’t be needing the dough immediately, you can refrigerate it for use hours later, perhaps even 24 hours later, though I haven’t tried it–6 is the maximum I’ve waited before “pounding down” the dough and cutting pretzels from it.

b. If you intend to make “cinnamon-sugar” pretzels, don’t coat with the egg mixture. Use that only for plain or jalapeno pretzels. It keeps the cinnamon-sugar mixture from properly clinging to the pretzel.

c. Carefully (making effort to keep the dough as uniform as possible in thickness) stretch out the cut pretzel to at least 18″ in length. Lay the last 4 to 5 inches of the strip onto the floured counter, one end over the other in an “x.” Then twist them around as you would splice two wires together, then fold them back over the “O” (the remainder of the pretzel) to form the pretzel shape. Then place onto pan and put into preheated oven and bake till golden, (not dark). The egg-coated pretzels will be darker, more traditional-looking pretzels.

Peanut Candy Popcorn Balls

• 4 quarts of popped popcorn
• 1-1/2 c. salted peanuts
• 1-1/2 chopped pecans
• 1 package (16oz) M&M’s
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pkg (16oz) mini marshmallows

Ina large bowl, combine the first four ingredients; mix well and setaside. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, oil and marshmallows;cook and stir until smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture; mix well. Whencool enough to handle, shape into popcorn balls. Let stand at roomtemperature until firm before wrapping in plastic wrap. Makes 20 balls.

CRITTER CRUNCH

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup Crispix
1 1/2 cup Cheerios
1 1/2 cup animal crackers
1 1/2 cup bear-shaped honey graham snacks
1 cup miniature pretzels
1 cup raisinets
1 cup gummy worms

In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, heat butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until butter is melted; mix well.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 5 ingredients. Add butter mixture and toss to coat. Place in a greased 15 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 300ºF for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

When mix is totally cool. Stir in the raisinets and gummy worms. Store in an airtight container. Yields about 8 cups.

Makes 15 servings.

1 cup vegetable oil
1 package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (15 ounce) package mini twist pretzels

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2 In a medium bowl, mix together vegetable oil, dry ranch-style dressing mix, garlic salt and cayenne pepper.

3 Place pretzels in a medium baking dish. Coat with the vegetable oil mixture.

4 Stirring occasionally, bake coated pretzels uncovered in the preheated oven 1 hour, or until toasted and crispy.

Candy Coated Pecans

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

1 egg white
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 dash vanilla extract
4 cups pecans

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a
cookie sheet with wax paper. Spray the wax paper with
cooking spray.

2 Beat egg white until stiff. Add brown sugar and
vanilla. Stir until smooth. Mix in pecans and stir until
coated. Pour the nuts onto the prepared cookie sheet.

3 Bake until browned, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

1 large egg white
1 teaspoon water
4 cups assorted shelled nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg white and water until frothy. Add the nuts and toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, Essence, cayenne, and salt. Add to the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Spread the nuts on the prepared pan and bake until dry, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to separate. Let cool on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Essence (Emeril’s Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from “New New Orleans Cooking”, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993. Yield: 4 cups

CAJUN-HONEY SPICED NUTS
4 c. mixed nuts
1/4 c. honey
1 tbsp. margarine
3 tbsp. Cajun spice mix
Melt honey and margarine together in large microwave dish (a microwave
popcorn popper is perfect) on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir in spice mix, then
stir in nuts until well mixed. Cook on high for 7 minutes, stirring
after each 2 minutes and at end of cooking time. Spread out in 9×15 inch pan
to cool, stirring to break apart. Store tightly covered.

SPICED NUTS #1
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 tbsp. water
1/2 lb. nuts
Mix together sugar, salt, spices and water. Boil to soft ball stage (138
degrees). Add nuts, remove from heat and stir until all turns to sugar.
Pour onto platter or waxed paper. When cool, break apart.

SUGAR AND SPICE NUTS
3 c. mixed nuts (1 c. each of walnuts, pecans, almond)
1 egg white
1 tbsp. orange juice
2/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
Heat oven to 275 degrees. Mix ingredients together all except nuts. Toss
mixture with nuts, coating well. Pour onto greased cookie sheet. Spread
out so they don’t touch. Stir every 15 minutes cooking for 45 to 55 minutes
until brown. Store in air tight container.

SPICED NUTS #2
2 tbsp. margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 can (12 oz.) mixed nuts
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir margarine and spices until well blended.
Pour over nuts; mix well. Spoon into 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake 7-10 minutes stirring halfway through cooking time. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

SPICED NUTS #3
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
6 tbsp. water
2 c. nuts
Boil mixture until it forms a ball; add nuts. Remove from heat and stir until they glaze. Pour on waxed paper and break apart when cool. (Again half toasted nuts make the result even tastier.)

SPICE NUTS #4
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. boiling water
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. nuts (walnuts, mixed nuts, etc.)
In a saucepan mix sugar, cinnamon, boiling water and cream of tartar.
Bring to a boil. Then add vanilla and nuts. Stir until mix is evaporated. Pour
out and cool. Store in airtight container.

SPICED NUTS #5
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 c. nuts
Mix and cook in pan until candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees. Remove from heat and add nuts. Stir until nuts are covered. Place on a greased paper or wax paper. After they cool, separate nuts.

SPICED MIXED NUTS #1
1 slightly beaten egg white
1 tsp. water
1 (18 oz.) jar unsalted dry roasted nuts
1/2 c. unblanched almonds
1/2 c. walnut halves (can use other nut selections, if desired)
3/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp. salt
Combine egg white and water. Add nuts to this mixture. Next, combine sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Again, add nuts to this mixture. Toss until well coated. Line cookie sheet with foil. Place nuts in a single layer on cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Remove and place on waxed paper to cool. Break clusters up before storing in tight container.
Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

SPICED MIXED NUTS #2
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg white
2 1/2 tbsp. water
1 c. walnut halves
1 c. pecans halves
1 c. Brazil nuts
Heat oven to 275 degrees. Combine sugar, and all spices. Stir inslightly
beaten egg white and water until blended. Add nuts, about 1/2 cup at a
time. Stir with a fork until the nuts are totally covered with syrup.
Drain off excess and place singularly on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 45
minutes, nuts will be golden and crispy. Store in a covered container.

SPICY NUT MIX
1 1/4 c. raw cashews or peanuts
3/4 c. soy nuts
1 c. sunflower and/or hulled pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. corn oil
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Combine nuts and seeds in large bowl. Place oil and spices in covered
container. Cover and shake. Sprinkle over nuts and seeds. Toss to coat.
Spread in baking pan. Bake 20 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool and store in
covered containers in refrigerator.

SPICED PECANS
2 c. nuts
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Bring water and sugar to boil. Add cinnamon and nuts. Stir until all
liquid is taken up.

SPICED NUTS #6
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg white
2 tbsp. water
2 c. nuts
Sift dry ingredients together into a small bowl. Combine egg white and
water and beat slightly. Dip the nut meats in the egg white mixture.
Roll them about in the dry ingredients lightly, keeping them separated. Place
on an oiled cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees about 1 1/2 hours. Cool on the cookie sheet. Store in a tightly covered container.

SPICED NUTS #7
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/2 tbsp. water
3 c. walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts
(or combination)
In large microwave proof bowl, combine sugars, spices and water. Cook 1 1/2 minutes on High (full power). Stir once. Mix in nuts with a fork. Pour mixture into baking dish. Cook 4 minutes on High (full power) or until syrup hardens slightly. Cool on wax paper.

HOLIDAY SPICED WALNUTS
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. each, nutmeg, and cloves
1 1/2 c. walnuts ( I mix in pecans, hazel nuts, black walnuts,
butternuts)
Combine all ingredients except nuts with 1 1/2 tablespoon water in a 2 quart glass bowl. Microwave on High for 3 minutes, stir occasionally. Stir in walnuts until well coated. Microwave on High 5 minutes, or until syrup hardens slightly. Spoon onto waxed paper to coat. NOTE: Microwaves vary ipowder so watch carefully.

AUTUMN SPICED NUTS/PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
1 egg white (beaten)
1 tsp. water
4 c. mixed nuts
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (see following recipe)
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
Combine egg and water, add nuts and toss. Combine sugar and spices. Toss
with nuts. Put on a single layer greased baking sheet. Bake at 300
degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on waxed paper and break into clumps. Combine
and store in a bottle. Use 4 teaspoons of blend to one large can pumpkin

BBQ’D NUTS

3 cups dry roasted peanuts
1/3 cup measquite smoke-flavored BBQ sauce
1/2 tsp. onion salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Spread nuts evenly on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Cool then store in an airtight container. Makes 3 cups.

CAJUN PRALINES

2 cups sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 T. light Karo syrup
4 cups pecan halves

Combine first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 225 degrees. Add pecans and continue cooking, stirring constantly until mixture reaches the soft ball stage (236 degrees) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to thicken. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased waxed paper. Let stand until firm.  Store in an airtight container. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

GINGERED NUT MIX

1/2 lb. shelled peanuts, unsalted
1/2 pound unsalted almonds
1/2 lb. unsalted pecan
1/2 lb. golden raisins
1/4 pound hulled, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/4 lb. candied ginger, chopped

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Placein a tightly covered container and refrigerator. Also freezes nicely. The mix defrosts in about 4 hours in the refrigerator. Makes 2 1/2 lbs.

SPICED PECANS

3 T. unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
dash of Tabasco
1 2/3 cups pecans (6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter in a heavy small saucepan over low heat. Mix in salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and hot pepper sauyce. Place pecans in a medium bowl. Pour butter mixture over, toss
thoroughly. Spread out nuts on heavy large baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container. Makes 1 2/3 cups.

ORANGE PECANS

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 T. grated orange peel
4 cups pecan halves (about 1 pound)

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 30 seconds. Stir in pecans. Spread pecans on waxed paper. Cool completely. Separate pecans if necessary. Can be prepaed up to 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container. Makes 4 cups.

Savory Spice Mixture –
2 tsps. curry powder,
2 tsps. chili powder and
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place nuts in a large bowl. Pour butter over and toss to mix. Spread nuts on a cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally for 20 minute until they are golden.

Combine ingredients for either mixture in a small bowl. Sprinkle over nuts and toss to mix. Bake for 5 minutes then cool.

CANDY-COATED NUTS

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each – ground cloves and ground ginger
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3 cups walnuts or pecans
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a 2 to 3-quart pan, stir together sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and milk. Stir over high heat until mixture reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the nuts and vanilla until nuts are well coated. Spread on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. When cool, break candy into evenly-sized chunks. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Makes 6 cups. GREAT!!!

CITRUS NUTS

1 cup walnut halves
1 cup pecan halves
1 egg white
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
dash salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix nuts, unbeaten egg white and peels until nuts are coated and sticky. Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over nuts, stirring until sugar is dissolved and nuts are completely coated. Spread on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet while warm. Cool, then place in a can with a tight fitting lid. Makes 2 cups

CURRIED ALMONDS

2 cups whole almonds, blanched
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. curry powder
seasoned salt, to taste
dash ground cumin
1 tsp. grated orange peel

Spread nuts on a shallow cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until a light golden color.

Melt butter in a small skillet and stir in seasoned salt, curry, orange rind and cumin. Stir to blend. Pour over nuts and continue roasting, stirring occasionally for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread on a paper towel to drain. Cool and store in a tightly-covered container. Makes 2 weeks. and will keep up to 6 weeks.

CURRIED ALMONDS #2

1/2 Cup olive oil
2 T. curry powder
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups almonds or pecans

Heat first 3 ingredients in a heavy skillet. Stir in nuts. Place in a roasting pan lined with brown paper. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Store in a jar with a tight lid.

SPICED WALNUTS

1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 T. grated orange peel
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tspp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
pinch nutmeg

In a heavy skillet combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly until all of the liquids have evaporated and the walnuts are coated with sugar. Spread on a non-stick cooking sheet, separating the nuts and allowing them to cool.

Ginger Scented Pecans

5 C. Pecans
1/2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. groung Ginger
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Canola Oil

Preparation:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place the nuts in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast until the nuts are fragrant, 10 to 15 minuts. Rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Meanwhile combine the sugar, salt, and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine honey, 2 tablespoons of water and the oil in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the roasted pecans. Cook stirring once or twice, until all of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a boil, and add sugar mixture, and toss until well combined. Spread the nuts in a single layer of parchment paper to coll. These pecans may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for one week.

Cheese Popcorn: Mix 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 1.5 T melted butter or margarine and toss with 4 cups popped popcorn.
Sweet Cinnamon Popcorn: Shake popcorn with cinnamon sugar
Zesty Popcorn: Top popcorn with grated Parmesan, then spice it up with a dash of garlic salt.
Tex-Mex Popcorn: Add a pinch of chili powder or taco seasoning to melted butter, pour over popcorn, toss.
Pizza Popcorn: Mix a pinch of oregano, basil, and parsley in melted butter before tossing.
Power Popcorn: Sprinkle with 1 T of nutritional yeast for a healthy alternative to salt and butter.
Red-Hot Popcorn: Add a dash (or more!) or hot sauce to melted butter and toss with 4 cups popcorn.
Corny Caramel: Heat caramel or butterscotch sauce, pour over popcorn, and stir until coated. Spread on waxed paper to dry or roll in balls.

Cheesy Barbecue Popcorn

2 T butter or margarine — melted
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t onion powder
8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients; pour mixture over popcorn, stirring to coat. Sprinkle with cheese, stirring well. Yield: 8 cups

Italian-Style Popcorn

1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 t dried Italian seasoning
1/4 t garlic powder
10 cups warm popped corn
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Melt margarine or butter. Stir in italian seasoning & garlic powder. Toss with popcorn, coat evenly. Toss in parmesan cheese.

Cajun-Style popcorn

Prepare as above except:omit italian seasoning, garlic powder, & cheese.
Use instead:
1 t paprika
1/2 t garlic salt
1/8 t of each….. white, red, and black pepper
1/4 cup margarine or butter
10 cups popped corn

Peanut Butter Popcorn (Microwave recipe)

2 quarts popped corn 1 peeled, crushed garlic clove
2 T. butter or margarine 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 t. vegetable oil

Put popcorn in bowl. Combine remaining in 1-pint measure, cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until peanut butter is very soft. Stir well, pour evenly over popcorn & toss well to mix.

Sugar Popcorn

This originally came from The White House Cookbook, 1886.

We don’t follow their recipe exactly – it says to cook to hard-crack but we like the sugary-textured popcorn better. We make this up in batches of different color for different holidays – let the batches set up for a few minutes and then mix them together. People will wonder how you made popcorn in all different colors. This is really cheap to make, makes a lot, and is kind of a fun thing to take to a holiday potluck.
1. We add the food coloring – just a few drops – right after we take the syrup off the
heat. We don’t actually ever try to get rea l”red” – it gets too bitter with enough food coloring to do that.

Valentines – 1 batch pale pink, one batch darker pink, one batch white.
St. Patrick’s Day – 1 batch green, 1 batch white
Easter – 1 batch each of white, blue, pink, green, yellow (and mix other colors – to
make colors like violet and orange – to
make other batches if you need that much popcorn!)
Cinco De Mayo – 1 batch green, 1 batch red, 1 batch white
4th of July – 1 batch dark pink, 1 batch blue, 1 batch white
Halloween & Thanksgiving – 1 batch orange, 1 batch white.
Christmas – 1 batch red (dark pink, actually), 1 batch green, 1 batch white.
1. Pop up a large bowl of popcorn – like about a dutch oven full – for each batch you are making. Transfer to another bowl with your hands, leaving the “old maids” behind. Spray a bowl or pan with non-stick coating or rub with butter. Pour in your popped corn. Sprinkle lightly with salt (optinal).
2. In a large pan or dutch oven (teflon really helps, too), put 1 Cup sugar, 2 T butter or margarine,
and 3 T water. Bring to a boil, let boil, stirring constantly, a couple of minutes.
3. Remove from heat, add a little food coloring, stir, then immediately drizzle over popcorn, stirring the popcorn all the time. It really helps if you have someone help. Keep stirring the popcorn until it’s pretty evenly coated with the sugar.
4. Then let it sit for a few minutes to set up.
5. Then put it in another bowl (or a grocery sack) while you make the next color. Dump in each successive batch when it is set up.
6. When you have done all the colors you want, shake the bag to mix all the colors. You can do this with walnuts and other nuts. Put the nuts in the syrup and stir until coated and at least partially set up and separated, rather than the drizzling part.

Popcorn from Jello website

8 c popped corn
1/4 c butter or margarine
3 T light corn syrup
1/2 c packed brown sugar or white granulated
1 small pkg jello any flavor…[dry, right from the box]

1. Heat butter and corn syrup. add sugar and jello.
2. Bring to boil over med. reduce to low heat and simmer 5 minute.
3. Pour over popcorn [in buttered dish] and toss with spoon sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or well greased.
4. Spread on greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 300 degrees for 10 min. let cool thoroughly and break into pieces.

Baked Caramel Corn

Nonstick cooking Spray
6 quarts popped Jolly Time Pop Corn
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250 F. Coat bottom and sides of large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place popped pop corn in roasting pan.

In heavy saucepan, slowly melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.

Gradually pour over popped pop corn, mixing well. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.

Makes about 6 quarts

Campfire Popcorn

1 bag Betty Crocker Pop Secret 94% FatFree microwave popcorn, popped
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

Heat oven to 350 F. Place popcorn in large bowl. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly grease.

Place marshmallow creme in medium microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring every minute, until melted. Pour over popcorn. Toss until evenly coated; spread on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until marshmallow coating begins to turn light golden brown. Spread on waxed paper or aluminum foil to cool. Store loosely covered.

Chex Snack Mixes

Original Chex Mix
– 3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
– 3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
– 3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
– 6 tablespoons butter*
– 2 tablespoons LEA & PERRINS® Worcestershire sauce
– 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
– 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
– 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
– 1 cup mixed nuts
– 1 cup pretzels
– 1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces

*Do not use spread or tub oil products
Heat oven to 250°. Melt margarine in large roasting pan in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container. 12 cups snack.

Microwave Directions: Melt margarine in large microwavable bowl uncovered on High. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

Muddy Buddies (we call it “Dog Food or puppy chow” at Gunston)

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Skippy® peanut butter
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/4 cup margarine or butter*
9 cups Chex® cereal (any variety)

Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and margarine in 1-quart microwavable bowl, uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into large plastic food-storage bag; add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. 9 cups snack

Holiday Munchies
5 cups Corn Chex® cereal
2 cups pretzel sticks, broken in half
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 package (11.5-oz) milk chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate candies

1. Cover 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. In 4-quart bowl, mix cereal and pretzels. Set aside.
2. In medium microwavable bowl, mix butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Microwave on High 45 seconds; stir. Microwave 15 to 45 seconds longer until butter and chocolate are melted. Stir until smooth. Immediately pour over cereal and pretzels in bowl; stir until well coated. Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes or until set.
3. Break snack mix into bite-sized pieces. Divide mixture evenly into two 1-gallon food-storage plastic bags. Add 1/2 cup powdered suger to each bag; seal. Shake each bag until mixture is well coated. Add 1/2 cup candies to each bag. Seal bags; gently shake to mix.
10 cups snack

Chex School Fuel

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons margarine or butter*
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups Corn Chex® cereal
4 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Microwave brown sugar, margarine and corn syrup in large microwavable bowl uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until margarine is melted. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Stir in cereals. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes; break into bite-size pieces.
Microwave chocolate chips in small microwavable bowl on High 1 minute 30 seconds or until chocolate can be stirred smooth (bowl will be hot). Drizzle chocolate over snack. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container. 8 cups snack.
For pretzel or peanut lovers: Stir in 1 cup broken pretzels or 1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts with the cereal.

Sugar and Spice Mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups Corn Chex ® cereal
2 cups Rice Chex® cereal
2 cups Apple Cinnamon Cheerios® cereal
3 cups Bugles® original flavor snacks (half of a 6-ounce package)
1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons orange juice or water
1 cup sugar
Heat oven to 300°. Grease jelly roll pan, 15 1/2×10 1/2×1 inch. Mix cereals, snacks and peanuts in large bowl; set aside. Beat egg whites, orange juice, sugar and cinnamon, using a wire whisk or hand beater, until foamy. Pour over cereal mixture in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Spread in pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, stirring about every 15 minutes, until light brown and crisp. Cool completely. Store in airtight container. About 10 1/2 cups snack.

Chewy Marshmallow Pizza

4 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine or butter,* softened
1 egg , beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped honey-roasted peanuts, optional
1 or 2 Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® chewy fruit snack rolls (any red variety), torn into pieces

Heat oven to 375°. Crush cereal; set aside. Mix sugars, peanut butter, margarine, egg and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in cereal; spread evenly in ungreased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle evenly with marshmallows to within 1 inch of edge. Bake 5 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned. Sprinkle chocolate chips, peanuts and fruit snack pieces over marshmallows to look like pizza toppings. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 16 wedges. Store covered. 16 servings.
*Do not use spread or tub products

Apple Snack Mix

3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex ® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup red cinnamon candies
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter*, melted
1/4 cup water
1 cup cut-up dried apple pieces (1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces)

Heat oven to 300°. Mix cereals and pecans in large bowl; set aside. Heat candies, sugar, margarine and water in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted and blended. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Spread in ungreased large roasting pan. Bake 20 minutes. Stir in apple pieces. Bake 15 minutes longer. Spread on waxed paper or aluminum foil to cool. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired. Store in airtight container. 10 cups snack.

Pink Powder Puff Crunch

9 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup margarine or butter*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 package (8-serving size) strawberry-flavored gelatin
Measure cereal into large bowl; set aside. Microwave chocolate chips and margarine in 1-quart microwavable bowl uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Mix powdered sugar and gelatin in large plastic food-storage bag; add cereal mixture. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container. 12 cups snack.

Ranch Chex Mix
9 cups Chex® cereal (Corn, Rice, Wheat or combination)
2 cups small pretzel twists
2 cups bite-size cheese crackers
3 tablespoons margarine or butter,* melted
1 package (1 ounce) Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® salad dressing and seasoning mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix cereal, pretzel twists and crackers in large resealable plastic food-storage bag. Add remaining ingredients and seal bag. Shake until well mixed. 13 cups snack.
*Do not use spread or tub products.

Ranch Chex Mix ala Ms MacK!!

• 5 cups corn Chex
• 5 cups Bran Chex
• Half a bag of pretzel sticks
• Half a bag of rye bagel chips
• Half a bag of pumpernickel and onion chips (snyder’s)
• 1 can mixed nuts
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (dry mix)

Mix all the ‘chex snacks’ together in a large bowl.  Add the melted butter SLOWLY, mixing even so often to ensure it’s evenly covered with butter.  Sprinkle Ranch mix from envelope little by little, stirring to coat all the mix nicely.  Bake in 325 oven for one hour, stirring mix every 15 minutes to ‘roast’.  Store in air-tight container.  Makes:  LOTS

Honey Butter Chex Mix

4 cups Wheat Chex® Cereal
1/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter or Magarine, melted
1 cup raisins
1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate candies
1 jar (12 oz) dry roasted peanuts

1. In large bowl, mix cereal and honey butter; toss to coat.
2. Add remaining ingredients; toss to mix. Store in airtight container.
8 cups snack.

Caramel Chocolate Drizzle
2 tablespoons margarine or butter*
1/2 package (14-ounce size) caramels (about 25)
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted**
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
2 tablespoons milk

Heat oven to 300°. Grease 15 1/2-inch baking sheet with sides. Mix cereals in large bowl; set aside. Heat milk, margarine and caramels in 2-quart covered saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Pour over cereals, stirring until evenly coated. Spread in pan. Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 10 minutes. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Drizzle with chocolate. Let stand in refrigerator about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container. About 7 cups snack.

Chex Brittle
8 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1 cup salted peanuts
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 325°. Spray two jelly roll pans, 15 1/2×10 1/2×1 inch, with cooking spray. Stir all ingredients in large bowl until evenly coated. Spread in pans in single layer. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on waxed paper. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container. 10 cups