Let me get the possibly obvious out of the way: I, Deb Perelman, unapologetically, shamelessly, unwaveringly love Chex Mix. Sure, the last time I made it to the letter I was in high school and decided to have a party where we’d invite boys too (yes, I was as cool in high school as you’d expect) and it seemed so strange to me, this aggressive mix of steak sauce, spices and butter, but holy moly was it good.
So, let’s not pretend this is anything but a Smitten Kitchen homage to this beloved mix — which I’m sorry to reveal, did not bring all of the boys to my yard, er, parents’ wood-paneled living room. These days, I make it a little differently. At some point, the Chex cereal became popcorn, not because I don’t like crispy crunchy magically woven pillows of corn, wheat and rice cereal, but because I love popcorn that much more. I add nuts, pretzels and something cracker-y to it. And then, as should surprise exactly nobody, I brown the butter for extra toasty depth. I add some mustard, in both Dijon and powdered English mustard formats; smoked paprika, because it completes me, and sometimes a tiny bit of dark brown sugar too. I tend to make massive amounts of it and
…Hide it from myself. I can’t be around it. I’ve tried again and again but it never works. It always leads to awkward dinnertime conversations like “Why aren’t you hungry, mommy?” and then I have to lie to my sweet, impressionable child and tell him it’s because I ate too much broccoli at snack time.
So, do the right thing: make this and bring it to a party, preferably at someone’s apartment, far from the clubby madness below. Think about what a weird — here might be some grievances, but even I cannot stand the sound of me complaining — but also wonderful year it’s been — a new Smitten Kitchen! a new book on the (distant) horizon! and maybe even a redesign at last! — with, I hope, an even better one ahead. Cheers to you, friends. This wouldn’t be any fun without you.
Your Favorite Smitten Kitchen Recipes of 2014:
- Corn, Cheddar and Scallion Strata
- Blue Sky Bran Muffins
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Carrot Cake with Cider and Olive Oil
- Better Chocolate Babka
- Homemade Dulce de Leche
- The Crispy Egg
- Sizzling Chicken Fajitas
- Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix
- Coconut Brown Butter Cookies
- Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Sunken Apple and Honey Cake
- Grilled Peach Splits + News!
- Chicken Pho
- Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline Sauce
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Cauliflower Cheese
My Favorite Smitten Kitchen Recipes of 2014:
- Cheese Blintz
- Warm Lentil and Potato Salad
- Squash Toasts with Ricotta and Cider Vinegar
- Pretzel Parker House Rolls
- Cauliflower Slaw
- Cold Noodles with Miso, Lime and Ginger
- Three Ingredient Summertime Salsa
- Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Hearts
- Broccoli Cheddar and Wild Rice Casserole
- Morning Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel
- Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew
- Better Chicken Pot Pies
- Nancy’s Chopped Salad
- Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles
- Carrot Salad with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas
- Three-Bean Chili
More New Year’s Eve Snack Ideas: Over here.
More New Year’s Eve Cocktail Ideas: Over here.
Popcorn Party Mix
3 tablespoon olive or a neutral oil
6 tablespoons (70 grams) unpopped popcorn kernels
1 cup nuts (I used peanuts, which weigh 140 grams)
2 cups bite-sized pretzels, or bigger ones, broken up
1 cup broken-up plain bagel or pita chips, oyster crackers or melba toast
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons (8 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, adjusted to taste
1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Heat oven to 250°F (120°C).
Pop your popcorn: Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 to 3 kernels in a 3-quart or larger pot and cover with a lid. Turn heat to medium-high. When you hear these first kernels pop, add the remaining kernels and replace the lid. Using potholders, shimmy the pot around to keep the kernels moving as they pop. When several seconds pass between pops, remove from heat. You should have just over 6 cups. Dump into a giant mixing bowl and add the nuts, pretzels, chips or crackers to the popcorn.
Brown your butter and make the sauce: Wipe out your empty pot and place the butter in it, set over medium heat (no lid needed). Melt the butter and keep cooking it, stirring occasionally and watching out for hisses and splatters, until the bits at the bottom of the melted butter puddle begin to turn golden and light brown. Remove from heat, and whisk in Worcestershire, sugar, spices and salt. If you ended up using pre-popped or seasoned popcorn with salt, or salted nuts or crackers, you might go easier on the salt. If you like your mix quite traditionally salty and none of your packaged ingredients were coated with salt, you might up it to a full teaspoon.
Pour butter-spice mixture over popcorn mix and toss, toss, toss, until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Spread out on your biggest baking sheet or two medium-sized ones. Bake for 45 minutes, tossing the ingredients around every 15 so that they cook evenly. Let cool completely on trays, then pack into jars and get on your way.
my mom made a version of this when i was a kid, and it was called “nuts & bolts” with cheerios, pretzels, peanuts, cheese nips and shreddies!!! this is bringing back all kinds of memories! love the addition of popcorn. happy new year deb + family!
What a great end-of-year post – a nibble for greeting the New Year and an opportunity to re-visit favorites (your and ‘ours’) – thank you for a year of great posts and a beautiful cookbook. Happiest of New Years’ to you!
Re: “and maybe even a redesign at last!” I, for one, love this site and how it proves that simplicity in design can be timeless (or, as timeless as anything in the blogosphere can actually be, so, relatively timeless). I’m not a resistant-to-change type, either! The navigation is intuitive, the archive is complete, and I haven’t seen a food blog with any flashy features that I miss in this space. It seems to me that you have evolved in great ways with formatting posts to include more mining of your own archive, tiled photo spreads like those above, and using Pinterest as a useful catalogue of topic-sorting. So I have total faith that if you do undertake a redesign, it will be with the typical intelligence and intuition, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what’s already here!
Happy New Year Deb! Can’t tell you how much I love and appreciate your writing and cooking. All the best in 2015!
From 10pm to the countdown I will be munching on this! Happy New Year’s everyone!
Now this sounds like a great way to ring in the new year! i’ve never made a snack mix like this, but it looks delicious :)
Please don’t change the site. I agree with Katharine, it is so simple and perfect as is.
Also, the Pretzel Parker House Rolls didn’t make the list? Really?!?
How long does this remain fresh? Not that it will be sitting around for very long…
I am totally making this today and unashamed to say that I will totally be eating it all myself! Happy new year Deb!
Was just about to send my OH out for chex mix ingreds along with the bubbly. I will be making this instead! I am a fellow popcorn lover, (seriously -the number of times my dinner is popcorn, is shameful for a woman in her mid-30s), and have all the ingredients already! Happy New Year to you, Deb!
Looks amazing Deb! Perfect for a new years party! Wishing you a happy new year!
I like the addition of the popcorn! When I have made the ‘old’ chex mix I always added (in addition to the Worcestershire sauce) a tablespoon of naturally brewed Soy Sauce. Adds a great layer of flavor to the sauce.
Brown butter on popcorn is my absolute favourite snack, so I’m pretty sure that I would be unable to stop eating this mix! This sounds way better than chex mix!
Happy New Year!
Looks and sounds so good. I’ve always liked the idea of chex mix, but it’s not a thing in the UK, so now it’s finally within my (disappointingly metaphorical right now) grasp.
Such a great round up, am looking forward to what 2015 will bring.
I love that your corn, cheddar, and scallion strata made the top of the list – I made it a few months ago and loved it! It actually spurred a huge strata making phase for me. I’ve made at least 4 variations since.
Looking forward to trying some of those other recipes!
I love this strata too. It is very amenable to variations.
I was contemplating trying to make the classic Chex mix recently, but this looks even better! I am another who tends to have popcorn for a meal surprisingly frequently…
Aunt Baaa, the rolls are there! Top right row of the second set of photos :)
I’m vegetarian and don’t do Worcestershire sauce. Any suggestions for substitutions?
Debbie, this looks tempting and as soon as stores are open again, I’ll give it a try. For now, I want to say thank you for a site that continues to delight me and those I cook for. Happy New Year (and happy cooking & eating) to you and our family!
Happy Hogmany Deb and I too am casting my vote on the perfection that is this site. Also, the wow factor in the ParkerHouse rolls!! I’ve been bread baking for 15 years and these blew me away.
My mom still makes enormous batches (from scratch, no mix!) of the original recipe twice a year- at Christmas and for our family vacation. Delish! She’s had flight attendants (en route to the beach) offer her large sums of money for it :)…
Looking forward to more Smitten Kitchen inspiration in 2015. Happy New Year to you and your family!
P.s. I’m with you- the Pretzel Parker House Rolls go on my top ten. My daughter is still talking about them from Thanksgiving (and it’s not easy to impress an adolescent girl if you’re not Taylor Swift).
Have to say that every morning, I visit smittenktichen for great recipes, but even more for your super writing. I am sitting here trying to figure out what I did in the mornings before your blog. It is like having a far away friend to visit briefly. Sounds cheesy, but you have changed how I cook and eat, plus you have added a good dose of fun to my life. Thanks and happy New Year!
I want all of our favorites and your favorites. I am afraid to make snack mix like this at home as I would eat the whole batch in about 10 minutes. Happy 2015!
Now I know what to make for afternoon company tomorrow. Deb saves the day again! Thank you so much for this space. I mean it. Others are getting all squishy so I figure I might too – my kitchen is infinitely better as a result of your recipes. Matzo ball soup via SK – family staple. Homemade oreos (my smitten kitchen gateway drug – they started everything), blueberry crumb bars, silky smooth pumpkin pie and countless others, all major frequent flyers in our family food culture. Also, my husband thanks you for the Crispy Egg because I’m pretty sure it is one of his favorite things. Happy New Year!
Also Rachel – if you’re looking for vegan worcestershire sauce, try this (http://www.mingspantry.com/orwosa10oz.html). It’s super yummy! A bit more watery than traditional woozie sauce, but definitely hits the taste profile pretty well. Plus, vegan, gluten free and no HFCS or other yucky things. I love the GF tamari from that label as well.
oh my word, my family will absolutely love this.
Cannot wait to make this! I’ve been craving something lately, yet unable to quite identify that craving, and now this is it!!!
I love your website too Deb! Its easy to use and you highlight your answers so they are easy to find.
In 2008 my son found a picture of your chocolate peanut butter cake, so I made it for him. I’ve been a follower ever since. Delicious food, great pictures and writing.
Happy New Year
We’ve never been huge fans of Chex Mix but this recipe might just become a new obsession! xx
Looks like I am making this for a party nibble tonight!
Thanks for all of the wonderful inspiration over the past year ( not like your gorgeous cookbook wasn’t enough!).
Happy to see that the Sunken Apple and Honey Cake made the list. It is so delicious!
Wow this looks so good I will have to try this and serve it at my annual super bowl party. Seems pretty simple to make. Thanks for the share and the good idea for something new to try.
I absolutely love your writing. And recipes. Lol about hiding the mix from yourself. Been there way too many times! xoxo
@Rachel – I don’t use Worcestershire sauce either (because my husband is allergic to the garlic in it). It’s really there to give a some umami flavor, so I usually replace it with extra spices. There is one spice mix I get from the health food store called Veg It! that I really like (it’s probably also vegetarian, but I get it because it has less garlic in it). I don’t know if there are any vegetarian steak sauces out there, but you could sub in a dash of those instead. (There must be vegetarians who miss the sauce but don’t want to eat the steak, no?)
Please don’t redesign. This site comforts me during my hectic day.
I agree that your site is just lovely the way it is! Please don’t change it!
Awesome, awesome, awesome, Deb. My grandmother and mother make a “chex mix” knock off that we all call ‘Trash’- it is so well-loved. Best use for it? My grandmother would pack our birthday pound cake she would send via post with little bags of ‘Trash’ as stabilizing packing material.
Thanks for this wonderful “Best of 2014” post- it gives me some direction on what I haven’t gotten a chance to tackle yet. And thank you for another wonderful year sharing such great food, writing and humor- 3 cheers for Smitten Kitchen!
Oh my god this looks delicious. I may have to go buy the stuff for this. Pronto.
This is amazing! Just made it with pretzel chips, pita chips, sliced almonds, and pepitas – it came out so well, tastes just like Chex mix. Happy New Year, Deb! You continue to make me and my family happy with each recipe you write.
Would it be weird to use coconut oil instead of butter? Happy new year!
I agree with the others, love your site layout. I am a total idiot at figuring out websites and have never had trouble with yours so whatever you change I hope you can keep the overall aesthetic and ease of use you have now.
I also love Chex mix, now I need to get some pretzels.
Just in time. I’m going to make a big batch and get my movie marathon on. Happy New Year!
The redesign — Thank you and I promise, your number one concern — that nothing really changes — is mine! I love the simplicity here. But, you know what this site needs? A mobile template, I mean, a good one, one that looks like the site. And a slightly bigger font. And threaded comments, so people who have made the recipe and people who just want to talk about it end up not annoying the other group. :) Plus, an archive page where you can also view recipes by their images, though I’m not touching the bare bones Recipe Index as I use it all of the time. And it needs some improved functionality so it’s easier for you all to Pin and share and all of that modern stuff. And I’d like to dust off that Tips blog and find a way to weave it into here because there’s so much more I’d like to do there. But the aesthetic shouldn’t change. I like things plain and simple, so it’s really easy to find what matters: the food!
(And seriously, thank you. I threw this template together in 2006 with only a barebones understanding of how CSS works — trial and error, right? Sheesh, I’m pretty sure I made the logo in Microsoft Paint with a font I downloaded free from the web. Barely a single line of code has changed since then, which would be “charmingly” retro if it didn’t come with its own set of behind-the-scenes problems. Mostly, that’s what we’re fixing up.)
P.S. Speaking of 2006, baking blondies now, as I usually do in the hours before a party.
Worcestershire — A soy sauce might work. You’re looking for something a little funky and salty. And the above suggestion of an anchovy-free steak sauce is a good one.
kim — Mine is on three days. The biggest issue will be when the popcorn gets stale, but I think you can definitely expect this to keep for a few days, as mine has.
Count me in on no redesign! It works fine as it is. Well, except one little thing, the font size could be larger. Other than that, it’s functional, not filled up with clutter. I like it the way it is.
Re: steaksauce: because my kids were born with severe food allergies, I quickly learned that for recipes calling for sll amounts of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar worked great. Might be worth a try! You could even reduce it down in a small pot & just add a bit of the concentrate.
Rachel- I use soy sauce or tamari when a recipe calls for Worcestershire. There is a vegan version but I’ve never tried it- you might find it at a health food store.
Holy moly does this look good! I, too, unapologetically love Chex Mix! I still make it! Only now I just use Crispix. This looks like it would go real good with a game of Scrabble – thanks Deb! Happy New Year!
I’m so happy to see that the broccoli and rice casserole made your list of favorites – it definitely is here. It won over a non-vegetable eater! A non cook asked for the recipe!
I love Chex Mix. LOVE it and had all the ingredients to make it for a low-key gathering tonight. I went ahead and make the regular mix, but used this butter combination and it is better then the original. Also, not to sound like a total fangirl, but I also made your blondies for the thousandth time tonight. Now I have two Smitten Kitchen party staples! Best to you and yours in 2015.
Mmmmm, I love Chex Mix and even made a vegan and GF kind. Yum! I love this party mix idea, too!
I would also like to chime in on the “Love your blog design, don’t change it (too much)” party train.
I love the clean lines, and the ease of use for the recipe index–so I read your comment about the minor changes you want to make, and I’m totally on board with them. (Does what I think even matter? Hmm…)
Another food blogger I enjoy had a beautiful clean, simple website. It was changed, dramatically, and now I find that I no longer go to that site…it’s just…too busy. So just sayin’…some people like pancakes, other oatmeal, but my wish would be not to change it too much.
I’ve loved everything I’ve made from your site, and had no failures (unlike other sites which shall remain nameless. Ahem.)
Happy New Year, peace and blessings to you and your family.
Cheers!
PS
My gramma used to make the Chex mix when I was a kid. I hated it. Hated. But I would nibble at it for my gramma’s sake. I should’ve just been honest because that $&^# turned up every family event. Blech.
LOL
This. is. amazing. I made it as soon as I got home from work, and my husband and I can’t stop eating it. It has everything I want in a snack: salty, sweet, spicy, crunchy. Deb, you’ve ruined me.
It’s almost unfair to Chex Mix to compare the two, because this is far superior, on every level.
Not a fan of Chex Mix, ( don’t like Worcestershire) but all of these contributed hints as well as your addition of *brown sugar* and *popcorn* might make a believer out of me. Will try it on Jan.6th for a family get together and see if it flies. It will have to compete with real homemade Ukrainian pierogies though… love this site, don’t change too much please. Happy 2015 to everyone.
Kids and I made this tonight and we all thought it was delicious! Happy New Year!
One change I would like is for you to quote the number of the question when you reply to it. If I am busy I sometimes just skim through to your replies and may want to see the original question, which is often quite far from your reply.
LOVE the question, how long does this remain fresh?
Like that really matters :)
Happy new year Deb, thanks for the pleasures.
As for the perils of change. I actually really liked GOOP but since the new re-design, don’t read it much as it is hard to differentiate new content from old. It frustrates me when I have what feels like eleventy billion sites to read on a weekly basis for work purposes.
Interesting that your list of favourites includes only 2 cakey things but your followers’ list is almost all cake. You may eat more healthily than we out here believe.
Also re: site redesign. I trust your judgement but take a tip from the Guardian newspaper here in the UK. They are pushing a completely rubbish beta version which is alienating.
Please keep your site as is – its fantastic.
Thank you for this recipe! I love Chex Mix and cannot buy it or Chex in general living in Europe. The first thing I do when I arrive in the US is buy Chex Mix. We literally stop at the first gas station for me to get Bold & Zesty Chex Mix and a cold Diet Pepsi. Never thought to substitute popcorn for Chex. Thanks!
Deb, Happy New Year to you and to my fellow fans, Yum. Can’t wait to make this. Love your blog.Everything I’ve tried has been great. I Just got the cookbook for a Christmas gift. Nice to have the glossy paper version too.
If you have room in your freezer, Chex mix freezes beautifully—a good way to hide it from yourself and/or save some for a happy day in a month or two when you’ll be delighted to rediscover it!
Oh Deb, I open few blogs but when it comes to your’s, I hang on every humorous word. I can’t imagine a change that could make it better. Save your energy for the important stuff – the creative, delicious recipes and beautiful photography you so often deliver to my mailbox.
Happy New Year to you and yours! Thank you for being such a reliable source for good recipes and good food. Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions when we have them, and for bringing us all kinds of unexpected deliciousness that make our life better. Here’s to more in 2015!
Don’t ever be ashamed in not being hungry for dinner. Happens to me all the time (usually with homemade granola). Real things.
My only suggestion is exactly what Audrey (#53) said…I read all the comments and then have to go back to see what the question(s) were…looking for the names as opposed to #’s…..otherwise everything else is perfect! A very healthy and happy new year to you and your family…
I wish I could eat popcorn, I once loved it but now, the darn kernels just get stuck in my teeth and gums and it drives me mad! I am able to eat Chex so I will take your seasoning formula and use it on the traditional mix, so thanks for that. I hope the new year brings you everything you desire. Happy New Year!
I made this last night and it was awesome! I added honey roasted peanuts to add to the spicy/salty/sweet mix. Happy New Year Deb!
Just reading all these comments made that old Beatles song come to mind, with the lyric “The love you take is equal to the love you make …” Isn’t that how it goes?
Happy 2015, Deb!
Deb,
Happy New Year!
I treated myself to your book as a Xmas gift, and started off with the chocolate brioche pretzels today. They. Are. Perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for making my friends and family think I’m a gourmet chef. My DH has been prompting me to tell you how much he loves you (he is a Crunch Connoisseur) and now with this economical and delicious snack it’s time I pass on our love. I trust you, each and every recipe, and I trust your website remake won’t include all that awful Flash stuff that confuses my computer on so many other food sites. Kudos for being my favorite food blog.
I must try this! And if you’re redesign means mobile responsive, then I will be a happy reader!
I’m so excited to try this recipe. So inspirational!
I am a sucker for all kinds of snack mix but especially those that involve mustard and browned butter.
I trust you, Deb. Go for a good website redesign! Not to worry, we’ll all still be on board.
I’m always torn trying to choose which of the huge number of tempting SK recipes I want to try (First World Problems, Volume Eleventybillion), and would love to see which recipes of yours have made it into folks’ regular rotations, and which are their favorites for special occasions — any chance you could make a couple posts that people could chime in on?
Also, if it’s not obvious, I love SmittenKitchen, and am buying the book not because I want more recipes (see above), but just because I appreciate your site. Thanks, Deb, and happy new year!
surely i can’t be the only one who read “…and maybe even a redesign at last!” and started kicking and screaming “no! noooooooooooo!” (figuratively, of course.)
but if you’re doing it, i’m inclined to trust you, too. and so long as music never autoplays when i come to your site, there is nothing that will stop me from reading ;)
i’ll just still always be one of Those People who hates change when it pertains to anything i find even remotely nostalgic.
Ditto Diana (60) (except, forgive me, I’m a copyeditor, the errant apostrophe) but especially the writing, warm and funny. Happy new year too.
okay okay, i read your response on site design and i feel much better now. (i don’t think the font needs to be any bigger – but i’m a designer who is always getting asked to do this so maybe i’m just digging my heels in – i think people can ctrl+ + if they feel that way.)
i agree one feature i was going to suggest would be replies/threaded comments – i always push for this on any website i frequent as it makes things so much easier for readers & participants. i hope also that we’ll be able then to receive replies via email (if we want) and this way even old threads can still be useful (i.e., “how did that substitute turn out after all?” etc). the kitchn just implemented this and it has been pretty great so far.
anyway, to the recipe, i like neither popcorn or nuts, but my gramma always made The chex mix and it was so good. my aunt makes it now, she has one that it is regular that she calls nuts & bolts or trash (which i also saw in the comments) and then a sweet one with m&ms and some kind of white sweet coating called…white trash! i don’t have much of a sweet tooth but i won’t even open that stuff or i’ll eat the whole bag.
HNY to you and your family, Deb! I agree with the consensus on the site–plain and simple. One question, though–when I copy and paste a recipe to Word in my collection of online recipe book docs (i.e., one for poultry, one for holidays, one for cakes, one for Italian, etc.) the Ingredients section comes up with annoying tabs in it. Is it the way my docs are set up, or the way you set up your docs? I’d really like to know, as I am a complete computer shlub. Thank you for your online companionship (I always feel you’re in the kitchen with me) and your thoughtful advice, as well as some very good recipes. I appreciate all the work you put into the blog.
I love that our favorites list is full of sugary goodness and your list is far more balanced. Don’t stop those savory posts…this site and your book are my first go-to when I’m bored with my usual meals and need to try something new. Next up: that grape and olive chicken from your book (though I’m seriously tempted to just make your grape and olive toasts and eat it for dinner all week long instead!)
stephanie, thanks for the hint on ctr + + I had no idea… I have long arm disease now and need larger fonts.
I don’t use worcestershire sauce because I don’t eat cane sugar. I used 2 T soy sauce, 1-2 t tamarind and 1-2 t maple syrup and is has the right flavor. Tamarind is the key ingredient in worcestershire sauce. It is vegan so the vegans out there might enjoy this.
Soo delicious!
Oh yeah this looks so amazing.
This looks yummy and addictive — and so much more appealing than The Mix that gets brought out at the holidays at my parents’. I’m a teeny bit wary of making it, though…. I’m certain I will eat all of it. In the same day. And not share. :)
And Happy New Year to you and yours Deb. As others have mentioned, your blog and book have changed the way I cook and the way my family eats. Thank you!
NOW here is a mix that I would enjoy. I can take it or leave plain ol’ chex mix.
This is MUCH more fun.
Oh god, I agree with #3Katherine regarding the redesign – I love how functional it is now.. I really dislike the jumbled up front page style that seems to be the “go-to” redesign on most other popular blogs lately where there are several categories arranged in blocks. It’s just too busy and stressful to look at. I’ve noticed I no longer read any of those type blogs even though I loved them at one time. On the other hand, it’s forced me to discover other more readable blogs. My eyeballs (and my brain) really appreciate zen simplicity (along with excellent photography and writing) in a food blog. Look forward to seeing your new look, whatever happens. Happy New Year!
Great party mix, we will try it next week :) Thank you. Eliza :D
Wow! Using popcorn instead (or along with) classic Chex cereal sounds amazing. My grandmother always makes a humungous amount of the classic version. My dad calls it “nuts & bolts” so I grew up knowing it only as such until adulthood. She sections it into ziplock bags & gives them away with gifts to everyone. I mean nearly everyone: with neighbor’s holiday cards, church folk, family members near and far (thanks grandma for the card, $20, & nuts N bolts), the mailman etc. Darn; now I gotta find my hidden stash & have a snack. Thanks!
Ditto this: “i agree one feature i was going to suggest would be replies/threaded comments – i always push for this on any website i frequent as it makes things so much easier for readers & participants. i hope also that we’ll be able then to receive replies via email (if we want) and this way even old threads can still be useful (i.e., “how did that substitute turn out after all?” etc).”
Threaded comments are so much easier to follow/respond to. If implemented, I would be sure to add the reply form/button above the comments, as I’ve noticed some people reply to the first comment they see, whether relevant or not [see: Ree Drummond’s site].
And I love being able to receive subsequent comments in my email or feed reader.
I made this last night it was delicious and guests loved it!
Thanks for listing your favorites–just what I need in January, someone else choosing recipes for me (it’s like someone else choosing a book for me to read, I get out of the same old same old and think a little)–although we share many, I will make it my resolution to make the rest!
As far as the website goes, I would really like it if there were a recipe search, in addition to a site search. If I don’t know what I’m looking for, I can end up with a lot of results that are comments, not recipes. And yes to making the tools section a little more in your face. Happy New Year!
YUM. we love this – my granny always made some with whatever was leftover (incl popcorn) and called it mixture. sometimes it’s be indian flavors, sometimes mexican, sometimes regular – it always makes us happy!
Long time reader, but I don’t think I’ve ever commented. New Years resolution is to be more engaged with my favorite blogs.
But OMG check-mix. I haven’t had that in such a long time, with all the MSG and other crap in it, but I loved the pretzel bits in it. I’d suck all the mustard goodness off, then eat the now soft pretzel.
This is amazing! I omitted the pretzels and bagel chips to make it gluten free, and stuck with corn and rice chex (but added the popcorn as suggested). I also went with cashews instead of peanuts. The sauce here was amaze. The addition of mustard and brown sugar blew our socks off. I was a little worried about baking popcorn, I thought it might get hard, but not at all! It just got perfectly crisped up. We could.not.stop. eating this on NYE. Thanks Deb!
It looks amazing Deb! Looks a nice warm snack to have while sitting by the fire. The pita chips seems like a creative addition too :). When I make this I may end up omitting the popcorn though, we’ll see!
It looks amazzzingggggg! So delicious! Need to try this recipe.
Happy new year!
Serendipity! I have a long plane ride coming up and have been thinking about snacks to bring. I adore Chex-Mix and was wondering about making my own, and how it would taste to make it with some roasted chickpeas. This recipe sounds wonderful and I think I will try it on some roasted chickpeas as well. Thanks Deb!
I’m pleased to see that your list of favorites lines up well with mine (lots of savory dishes). Keep doing what you’re doing!
Hi Deb – first of all ditto on the comments on the site – this is one of my very favourite blogs for its simplicity and ease of finding things!
Just wondered if you know how much the butter measurement is in grams?
Thanks!
Jen — Thank you. I added the weights that were fairly standard to the recipe, including the butter: 85 grams. Hope that helps!
Please don’t change the site: it is so simple and perfect as is. All the best to you and to your family!
I made this yesterday and I’m unashamed to say that I have totally eaten it all myself!
Your Popcorn Party Mix recipe is very good and very delicious.
I like to give a good instruction to cook vegetable.To cook salad you need to wash a pot and boil the pot.After, put shortening/1 tablespoon/ and garlic/half/ in pot and cook ,after put 3 tablespoon flour and mix with shortening .Add 1000 ml cold water and mix the flour .Put the pot to the stove and add 1000 ml milk.Cook to boil,but all the time use a tablespoon to mix because the flour can bring in the pot. Close the stove.Bring the salad /like 3 big bunches/wash pic by pic the leaves ,after put water in boll and bring the lives , and put in the pot.Open the stove and boil .Close the stove and add sour creem.
I thing the women use flitz metal when cook.Is a polish metal.I saw in the movie a girl flitz on line to remember something.I hate the people fliz nose when they eat in the plate.In Chicago is very nasty.
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Totally fantastic! Great with Crispix cereal and goldfish crackers instead of bagel chips, thanks Deb!
sigh- read that 250 degrees to be 350 and found out it burns real quick. the rescued parts were delicious though. i added crispix too- couldn’t resist. only 5 cups of popcorn instead
Too much broccoli at snack time. I’m totally using that!!
I am excited to try this mix! It has long been the tradition in my family to make Chex Mix during the fall/winter holidays. My mom made it at Christmas. When I took over I started making it at Thanksgiving as well. I only make it 2 times a year. Granted i make triple batches each time, but I will not allow myself to make it outside of those 2 holidays. That A) Keeps it special and B) Keeps us all from becoming Chex Mix addicts! I am going to try the popcorn mix sooner than Thanksgiving to give it a trial run before putting out there for the family and friends!
How much does it make?
When I combined the butter with the worcestershire sauce & spices, there was lots of foaming and the result (even with much whisking) was kind of a separated sauce of butteryness + gloppy brown. I’m still using it and it’s still going to be good (according to my taste tests – it’s in the oven now), but should I do something differently next time? Should the sauce be smooth? Thanks!
Truly addictive! Used small pretzels, and I think they are my favorites in the whole mixture. What a great combo of flavors! Thanks, and happy New Year.
Deb I’d completely forgotten about this recipe until I was browsing through your site right now and came across it again!! I love Chex mix but hate all the poop that’s in it (artificial this that and the other thing…) I am so looking forward to trying this for the first time for Thanksgiving! Hopefully it makes it to the actual table and I don’t eat it all in the kitchen ;-) lol
This is seriously addicting; I’ve been making it every other day for the past week for our use and gifts. There are two comments I would like to make: 1. It doesn’t need additional salt and 2. In browning the butter, you really need a splatter shield, even with one there is a fair amount of mess. However, it is soooooo very good, any mess is a minor inconvenience.
Ok. My name is Stephanie and I am a Chex mix junkie. Totally traditional, except way more garlic (we are Italian after all). But this was maybe my favorite description of yours EVER… clearly, we must somehow be related. I will be venturing out. Don’t tell Mom.
I made this for Halloween for coworkers as a reprieve from candy – loved it! I didn’t have onion powder, and skipped the salt – still turned out tasting just like Chex mix – but better!
Just made this to use up odds and ends before a move and it was a perfect moving snacks. I had to leave out the bread thing because I’m out of bready things, but I can’t wait to make it again with cheez-its as my bready thing…unless I can find rye crisps (the best part of any snack mix) then I’ll use rye crisps and cheez-its.
This party mix is a nice change from the Chex mix and is as addictive. I made 3 batches to give to friends and couldn’t stop munching from the sheet pan. Using pre-popped popcorn was a huge timesaver. This recipe is a keeper!
My family loved this. As ever, a few changes: I only had pretzels and nuts, but then there were stale Cheerios on the counter, so I added those (knowing that a stint in the oven crisps up stale tortilla chips, and assuming it would do the same for cereal-it did). I am out of onion powder so I did 1 3/4 t garlic powder. I’m out of brown sugar, so I did a heaping half tsp of cane sugar. I went a little light on the paprika and added about a tsp of dill, since my oldest loves the ranch/dill party mix. I also found I had more sauce than needed, so I ended up adding more popcorn: a little over a half cup of kernels total. I’m bringing some to a campfire girls night tonight, and I can hardly wait!
Hey Deb: Are the peanuts salted or unsalted in this recipe?
Thanks!
I use salted but I absolutely love salt here.
I made popcorn as instructed and came out with 12 cups of popcorn rather than 6. How much should I use in the recipe?