I do not claim that this is an original recipe for a holiday party mix. This is my version and I have adapted it to my tastes. It is not cheap to make. The ingredients can add up to a large dollar amount, so I advise to buy the generic brands for the mix. You and your guests will not know the difference when it is being consumed. The secondary effect is on the depletion of your beer supply.

This stuff is worse than peanuts or potato chips. Large quantities have been known to disappear in a short time. This Party Mix is not intended for children. (Go buy the commercial Chex Party Mix for the kids.) Too expensive and too spicy.

The operative word here is spicy and that is subject to each person’s individual taste. (Spicy being defined as a pleasant, tingling, peppery, aftertaste in the mouth and throat easily cooled by a generous quaff of your favorite cold liquid beverage. Mouth and tongue blisters and early AM trips to the Emergency Room for treatment of enlarged, inflamed hemorrhoids are beyond the scope of this recipe.) Ice Cream in the morning should not be required.

The first thing you need to acquire is a hefty throwaway, aluminum turkey-roasting pan from the supermarket. Get the largest pan that will fit in your oven. You will use this pan to mix, cook and serve the ingredients to the hungry hordes. It is washable and reusable for the next batch.

Shop Wal-Mart for the generic brand cereal and nuts. .

(Wal-Mart’s “Great Value” (GV) store brand)

You will use about half of the ingredients (you will need more nuts) to make one batch. The second batch is a no brainer.

Large box of Corn Chex

Large box of Rice Chex

(Optional) Large box of Wheat Chex—See Caution below!!!

Important Note: The small crumbles and cereal “dust” in the bottom of each box must not be added to the “mix”.

One can of Tavern or Beer Nuts (Planters “Sweet and Crunchy” Peanuts preferred.)

One can of Planters Nuts and Sesame Stick Mix

One can of Cashews (Whole or Parts)

One bag of pretzels

Box of Cheese Tid Bits (or cheese crackers) (Hard to find these, they look like one inch long, sub-miniature hot dog buns) See Caution below!!!

Three sticks of Butter (Margarine works just as well)

Large Bottle of Worcestershire Sauce (Buy the cheapest available, I.E. Heinz vs. Lea & Perrins)

Garlic powder

Spicy Seasoned Salt (I prefer the spicy version or just use regular seasoned salt and add a dash of Ground Red Pepper to the mix.)

In the process of writing this I made a trip to Wal-Mart and here is the results:

Great Value Toasted Corn, Rice and Wheat cereal (12 Oz) at $1.97 each.

Sunshine Brand Cheez-It “Hot & Spicy” cheese crackers @ $2.50.

Snyder’s Mini Pretzels @$1.67

Heinz Worcestershire Sauce 18 Fl Oz @$1.43

Pound of GV Margarine @ $0.44

GV Cashew Halves and Pieces 16 Oz @ $3.47

GV Party Peanuts 16 Oz @ $1.97

Planters Cashew and Sesame Mix 12 Oz @ $2.87

Planters Sweet and Crunchy Peanuts 10 Oz @ $2.36

5th Season Brand Ground Red Pepper @ $0.50

Aluminum Turkey Pan @ $2.17

All of the above, out the door for $26.55 on the plastic.

In a saucepan melt (low heat) the three sticks of margarine or butter. Measure the Worcestershire Sauce in “running” tablespoons. Use a tablespoon and tip the Worcestershire Sauce bottle to start it flowing. Without stopping the flow, measure/count ten tablespoons into the saucepan. (We are not mixing rocket fuel here) Add a 1/2-tablespoon of garlic powder. Stir. I know the butter and Worcestershire Sauce will not readily mix.

In the past I’ve added the seasoned salt to the saucepan liquid but it does not dissolve so now I sprinkle it over the mix. How much? I don’t know, I just season to taste. Even with a “liberal” applications I have never gotten too much.

In the turkey pan we want to start adding layers of the cereal and nuts and the other stuff. The idea here is to get a pan full with room to toss and turn the mixture without it spilling all over the table or stove. Depending on the size of the cereal boxes you can just use a half box of each and use the other half for the next batch. Just remember about the “dust” in the bottom of the cereal box.

I use a plastic four-cup measure for this event. (Thanks Tupperware) Add four cups of Corn Chex as the first layer; add a half can of nuts and then four cups of Rice Chex. Add more nuts and pretzels. Caution: Do not add the Wheat Chex or Cheese Tid Bits/Cheese crackers at this time.

If you have done it correctly then you should have a pan full of ingredients. From the top down there should be pretzels, nuts and then the cereals. The Corn and Rice Chex are like little sponges and by having them on the bottom of the mix before we start sprinkling the liquid on top keeps them from absorbing so much of the mixture. Remember what I said about having room to toss and turn the mix.

The saucepan contains the warm butter/Worcestershire Sauce/Garlic powder mix. Use a small teaspoon and start sprinkling over the top of the Mix. Stir, dip and then sprinkle. Tedious, but necessary, the idea here is to get an even coat of the liquid on the top of the mix, without soaking. Use about one quarter of the liquid and stop. Sprinkle the mix with an even coat of seasoned salt.

With a large serving spoon get to the bottom of the pan and roll the mixture over. When you’ve got a layer on top that is dry then sprinkle another quarter of the saucepan over the top. Add more seasoned salt. Toss and Turn. Continue until you have used all the liquid mix and coated everything with seasoned salt. When all of the liquid has been sprinkled you can add about four cups of Wheat Chex, Cheese Tid Bits and toss again to mix them into the pan. The Wheat Chex seems to have the ability to absorb more of the liquid and always seems to burn and blacken in the oven. That’s why, if I use them, I always add them last.

You should have a pan full of soggy, soaked party mix. For some reason the nuts always seem to go to the bottom of the pan. Make sure to keep the mixture evenly distributed in the pan.

Turn your oven to 250 degrees and put the pan in for 15 minutes. Remove and toss the mix and put back in for another15 minutes. There is no time limit for “drying” out and “recrisping” the mix. If you increase the oven temperature you will burn it. If I remember it will take about one and one half-hour minimum to crisp it up. The tossing and turning is important to insure even crisping.

As you turn every 15 minutes use the taste test. If it needs more seasoned salt then add it at this time. If you want more spice then try just a dash of Ground Red Pepper sprinkled over the top. Feel free to experiment. A little bit goes a long way. If you like it spicier than others then take your bowl and add to your hearts delight. Remember about the early AM trip to the Emergency Room.

I usually make this mix late in the evening and when it is finished I just turn off the oven heat and leave the pan inside and go to bed. The residual heat in the oven will do the final crisping. (Yes, you can eat it for breakfast.)

The party mix is a blend of tastes. The Corn/Rice/Wheat Chex are the main taste with the Worcestershire Sauce and seasoned salt adding their unique spicy flavors. The Cheese Tid Bits/crackers adds the flavor of cheese and the sugar-coated nuts add a slightly sweet taste to the nut mixture.

Serve in large bowls with ice cold beer to your guests. Or do like I do and hide the batch so I can have it all for myself.

Enjoy,

Have a Happy and Safe Holiday.