Linda Marrone
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the measuring, mixing, baking, cooking, shopping, wrapping, bagging, giving and receiving. It’s the time of year that is delightful for some and not so much for others.
If you want to get into the spirit all you need to do is go to a place where there are children hanging out and soaking in all of the delight of the season. It was abundant at Chamber’s Capital Tree Lighting and will be again this Saturday at the Governor’s Mansion, Cookies with Santa, which is a new event (location wise) this year. You can see the steam when you drive by the Railroad Museum and the packed parking lot, all having to do with a fun train ride and the jolly old guy.
Once my tree (always a real one) and decorations are up I start getting out everything I have preserved all summer and fall and the biscotti baking, and Chex mix mixing begins. There are some jars that only family get like “Ralph’s Own” spaghetti sauce, just too much prep and work making 20 quarts to give that away, but we gladly share the recipe.
On a last note, we will be introducing two new columnists in 2024. Branden, the chef at Z Bistro, and Elaine Marriot, a longtime friend, nurse and adventurous cook will be filling out the lineup. I leave you with a little reminder, “the best gifts are tied up with heartstrings.” Merry, merry everyone.
Ralph has been making his own version of this mix for quite a few years and until this year I’ve never even looked at the back of the box to see their recipe. Turns out we have been doing it wrong but that’s OK because it tastes great, has way more ingredients and takes less time to bake. Whatever bags and boxes we buy, they go into a big bowl and just get mixed up.
Ingredients
Corn, Rice, and Wheat Chex (just use part of the bags)
Pretzels (more than one kind; smaller is better)
Honey roasted peanuts or mixed nuts, corn nuts, small cheese crackers, Goldfish, sesame sticks, any veggie or potato sticks, mixed rice crackers (you get the gist; we just walk down the aisles and anything that looks good goes in the cart).
Directions
Mix all your ingredients into a big bowl or two. Add seasoning salt, garlic powder and onion powder about a teaspoon each (less if your bowl is small) and then pour melted butter (at least 1/2 cup or more depending on the size of your bowl) over the mix and stir well.
Bake at 300 for 25-30 minutes. This recipe is a guideline, and you can adapt it by adding different spices, ingredients or whatever suits your fancy. Enjoy!