This story was originally published in February 2021.
If you watch the Super Bowl this year, it won’t be because the New England Patriots are playing but because it might be interesting to see what Tom Brady does for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s going to be a while before Bill Belichick rebuilds the Patriots well enough to get them back at the Super Bowl with any of what was our accustomed regularity. Still, the Super Bowl is a kind of national holiday and lots of us were accustomed to getting together with friends that evening to watch the game. I suspect that will happen less this year, so there’s little call for vats of three-alarm chili, seven-layer bean dip and piles of chips.
This party snack mix, however, satisfies mid-game munchies, keeps well, and will go with soup or salad at lunch time for weeks after the game. My former brother-in-law Larry who lives in Connecticut mixes this up during the holidays and sends it to his daughter, Sarah, who shares some with me. It is better than the usual and is reasonably wholesome compared with some of the other junk we pick up as snack food.
Even if you can buy this kind of snack pre-made, you can make more of it yourself for less overall. If all you want is a handful or two, then by all means buy a package to go with your brew or soda.
The ingredients are pretty common. You may already stock up on some of the prepared cereals in the recipe so acquiring more may expand your family’s breakfast choices or make it easy for you to double or triple up a batch of snack mix. The recipe calls for mixed nuts which I like, and which Sarah says she could live without. If you like peanuts, use those alone, or assemble your own nut mix from what you have on hand.
Seasoning salt is pretty common in many kitchens. Most of the commercial ones feature salt, sugar, paprika, turmeric, powdered onion and garlic. If you don’t have seasoned salt, assemble some with those ingredients. You’ll need two tablespoons of salt, two teaspoons of sugar, one teaspoon paprika and about a quarter to half a teaspoon of the turmeric, onion and garlic powders.
Most of us have Worcestershire sauce, even if it is ancient. If I was out of Worcestershire, I’d substitute soy sauce or tamari. Butter or margarine is the remaining ingredient; I prefer butter.
The problem with the mix is that it is so delicious that I’ll have to hide a portion of it away if I hope to have any left on the 7th. Or there I’ll be, mixing up more ahead of the game.
Larry’s Party Mix
Makes 14 cups of party mix
2 cups Corn Chex
2 cups Wheat Chex
2 cups Rice Chex
2 cups Cheerios
2 cups mini shredded wheats
2 cups pretzel sticks
2 cups mixed nuts
¾ cup butter
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put all the cereals, pretzels and nuts into a large bowl.
Melt the butter, stir in the seasoning salt and Worcestershire and pour over the cereals, tossing to coat the ingredients.
Spread them in a thin layer in a large baking pan or two, and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Cool the mix on paper towels to absorb excess oiliness, and store in a container with a tight lid until serving.
