Hoisin Garlic Snack Mix

Happy New Year to all.  I hope that you had a wonderful Holiday season with family and friends.  May 2013 be the best year ever for you all.  Thank you for stopping by.

This is what I made to snack on New Year's Day.  I like to keep a snack mix around to munch on while watching TV.  Making up a snack mix is a good way to use up bits and pieces of cereals and crackers.

I usually just make up a mix of whatever cereal  and crackers I need to use up, add a cup of nuts, and a cup of potato sticks.  I most often use Corn, Rice, and Wheat Chex, Kix, Cheerios and small wheat,  cheese or oyster crackers.  It doesn’t make much difference what the proportions are as along as the total makes around 9-10 cups including the nuts and potato sticks.  Small pretzels can certainly be added.  I am not a fan of pretzels so don’t use them.

For this particular mix, I looked in my refrigerator to see what I might have on hand that I could use to flavor the mix and spied a bottle of Soy Vay Honey Garlic Sauce.  Since the original Chex Mix recipe uses Worcestershire sauce, I figured that it would be OK to use some other type of sauce.  I'm sure that Kikkoman's Teriyaki Baste and Glaze would work also and plan to try that one soon.

Honey Garlic Snack Mix
7-8 c. assorted cereals such as Chex, Kix, Cheerios and small crackers
1 c. any nuts
1 c. potato sticks or small pretzels
1/4 c butter melted
1/4 c. Soy Vay Hoisin Garlic Sauce
1/3 c. Soy Vay  Hoisin Garlic Sauce

Combine cereals, crackers, nuts and potato sticks or pretzels together in a very large bowl.  Combine the melted butter and the 1/4 c. Hoisin Garlic Sauce.  Pour over the cereal/cracker mixture and mix to blend well.  Pour out into a large roaster pan.  Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  After 45 minutes pour the 1/3 c. Hoisin Garlic Sauce over the cereal/cracker mixture and mix well.  Bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the cereal and crackers are lightly glazed.  Makes about 9 to 10 cups mix.

Linking to these great parties:
Wednesday Whatsits
Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday
What's in Your Kitchen Wednesday
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What I Whipped Up Wednesday
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Taco Ole’ Munch

Here it is December 10-No birthday yet so be prepared for more goodie posts.  With all of the sugary sweets that I have made and eaten this week along with the cookies I received in the The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, I think it is about time to share a recipe that is not quite so sweet.

 

I love to have a snack mix around to snack on when we are putting up Christmas decorations or just watching TV.  This one gives you a party in your mouth by combining sweet, salty and spicy with a little heat.  I use a homemade taco seasoning for this recipe so you can reduce the amount of chili powder and reduce or omit the crushed red chili pepper if you don’t like much heat.

The original recipe for this came from the Current Card Company back when they sold little cookbooks.  I don’t know if they do that anymore.

I liked the idea of the adding sugar to contrast with the spices.  I have, however, changed the recipe substantially except for keeping the amount of butter, sugar, and the taco seasoning that was in the original recipe.  I have also made this using other dry mixes such as chili, barbecue, sloppy Joe or spaghetti sauce instead of the taco seasoning mix.

The original recipe was primarily a popcorn snack.  I chose to go with way less popcorn and added a number of other ingredients  to create a snack with more interest to my mouth.  Any combination of popcorn, cereal, and crackers can be used as long as the total is about 16 cups.  This is actually a good way to use up small amounts of cereal and crackers that you may have on hand.

Taco Ole’ Munch
1 bag microwave popcorn, popped (about 8 cups)
2 c. Fritos, broken
2 c. Rice Chex
2 c. Corn Chex
1 c. Cheerios or Kix
1 c. small cheese crackers
1 to 1 1/2 c. salted peanuts or mixed nuts
1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed (dark brown, if available)
1 pkg.  taco seasoning mix (or make your own-recipe below)

Combine popcorn, Fritos, cereals, crackers and peanuts or nuts in a very large bowl or Dutch Oven.  Stir to mix well.  Drizzle the melted butter or margarine over the popcorn/cereal mixture, stirring to coat evenly.  In a small bowl combine brown sugar and taco seasoning mix.  Stir well to combine.  Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the popcorn/cereal mixture and stir very well.  Turn the popcorn/cereal mixture into two 10x15-inch baking pans.  Bake at 300 degrees 10 minutes.  Stir mixture and bake 3 to 5 minutes longer.  Let cool in pans.  Store in zip-top plastic storage bags.  Makes 16 cups.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix (from The Thrifty Cook, Farm Journal Books, 1974
2 t. instant minced onion
1 t. salt
1/2 to 1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 t. crushed dried red pepper
1/2 t. instant minced garlic
1/4 t. dried oregano leaves

Combine above ingredients in a small bowl.  Store in a zip-top plastic snack-size bag.  Makes 1 pkg.