Ranch-style Cheez-It Chex Mix

Barry is usually not a fan of Chex Mix but I love it so thought I’d try a version that might appeal to him . . . and this recipe that features cheese crackers and ranch dressing mix dud the trick.. The recipe at Delightful Made blog was my inspiration. The recipe can be made in the slow cooker or in the oven. 

Ranch-style Cheeez-It Chex Mix 

4 cups Cheez-It original crackers (a generic brand works)

2 cups Rice Chex or Crispix

2 cups Corn Chex or Crispix

1 to 2 cups small pretzels

1 1/2 cups mixed nuts, heavy on cashews, almonds, etc.

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. dry ranch seasoning mix

Sprinkling of  grated Parmesan cheese (the kind in the can)

1. Slow Cooker Version: In a large slow cooker, combine the crackers, pretzels, cereal and nuts..
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Worcestershire and ranch seasoning. Gradually pour over the snack mix, and stir well to coat the mix.
3. Turn the slow cooker on low heat and roast for 2 hours, stirring the mix every 30 minutes. Note: At first the mixture is wet but it will dry out; I did wipe the condesnsation off the lid every 30 minutes. 
4. When mix is done roasting, spread the mix out evenly on a flat surface lined with waxed paper to cool completely. Sprinkle lightly with the Parmesan cheese.
5. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Cooling will allow the mix to crisp up and dry completely, letting out any heat or steam from the roasting process.

Oven Directions: Place coated mix on baking sheets, and roast at 250° for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Stir the mix every 15 minutes so it toasts evenly. Cool as directed above. Add the Parmesan cheese once mix has cooled. 

4 Easy Pecan Holiday Treats as featured in KANSAS! Magazine

Check out the latest KANSAS! Magazine (2023 / vol 79 / issue 1 / pp. 26-31) for information about fresh, Kansas grown pecan! Kenny Felt’s pecan  photographs are amazing.

                 The magazine is full of ideas for holiday shopping and family excursions. 

Below are their recipes—perfect for the holidays, and easy, too! I’ve also included contact info for each pecan grower that was included in my article on pecans . . . so you’ll have easy ordering access. 

EASY PRETZEL TURTLES   Yield: 30 candies

A kid-friendly candy that Lila Carter makes with 

her grandchildren using Jake Creek Pecans.

INGREDIENTS

30 Rolo® chocolate covered caramel candies, unwrapped

30 square-shaped waffle pretzels 

30 pecan halves, toasted*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. 

2.  Place the pretzels on baking sheet and top each one with a candy.

3.  Bake in oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The candy should be soft but not completely melted.

4.  Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and immediately squish the chocolate with a pecan half. 

* To Toast Pecans: Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan occasionally so the nuts brown evenly without burning. Watch closely as the oil in the nuts can cause them to burn. Toasting adds another layer of flavor to pecans. 

Note: Due to their high oil content, raw and toasted pecans stay freshest if stored in the refrigerator or freezer in sealed containers.

Jake Creek Pecans Orchard

Owners: Brad and Lila Carter

Address: 11469 W 335^th St., Paola, KS 66071

Phone: 913.406.2501

On-line store: jake-creek-pecans.square.site

Webpage: Jakecreekpecans.com

Facebook & Instagram: Jake Creek Pecans 

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SUGAR COATED PECANS    Yield: 1 pound 

Slina 

Prothe uses Prothe Pecans to create these crunchy, sweet holiday treats.

INGREDIENTS

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated (white) sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pound pecan halves

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease or spray one standard-sized baking sheet.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. 

3.  In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

4.  Add pecans to egg whites; stir to evenly coat the nuts. 

5.  Remove and add them to the sugar mixture; toss them in the mixture until coated.

6.  Spread nuts in a flat layer on prepared baking sheet.

7.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

8.  Cool and store in an airtight container. 

 

TOASTED, SALTED PECANS    Yield: 1 pound 

Recipe from Slina Prothe, Prothe Pecans. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable or pecan oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound pecan halves

Salt to taste

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Place oil and butter on a standard-sized baking sheet with sides; place in a preheated 250 degree F. just until butter melts. 

2.  Mix pecans and salt with the oil and butter. Spread nuts in a flat layer on prepared baking sheet.

3.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  

4.  Cool and store in an airtight container. 

 

Prothes Pecans

Owners: Leland and Slina Prothe

Address: 33850 Victory Rd Paola, KS 66071

Phone: 913.849.3358  

Webpage: prothespecans.com 

Facebook: Prothes Pecans

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SPICY HOT PECANS

Kendall Grier’s family adds Bentley Farm pecans to saucy and spicy ingredients to create a savory holiday treat. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups pecan halves

1 tablespoon chili powder, or cayenne pepper for hotter mix. 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2.   Mix ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and shake.

3.   Spread coated pecans on a medium-sized baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring approximately every 10 minutes.

 

Bentley Pecan Farm

Owner: Kendall Grier 

Address: 1216 Chestnut, Halstead, KS 67056 

Phone: 316.209.4588

Facebook: Bentley Pecan Farm

 

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Circle's Pecans & Country Store

Owners: Tom and Barbara Circle

Address: 2499 US HWY 400 McCune, KS 66753

Phone: 620.632.4382 

Webpage: kansaspecans.com

Facebook: Circle’s Pecans & Country Store

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Osage Ridge Farm 

Owners: Travis and Rhea Wilson

Address: 18090 Xavier Rd, Oswego, KS 67356

Phone: 620.238.2965

Email: osageridgefarm@gmail.com

Facebook: Osage Ridge Farm

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Trees

A simple, minimum-mess way to spruce up you Christmas cakes or cupcakes . . .

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Trees 
Chocolate Chips (amount depends upon number of trees you plan to make)
Crushed Peppermint Candy
Pretzel Sticks
Other: plastic storage/freezer bag that can be sealed & wax paper

1. Simple, minimum mess way to melt and pipe chocolate -- Place chocolate chips in a plastic storage/freezer bag. Place bag with chips in microwave and heat for just a minute or two -- until chocolate chips melt. Squeeze chocolate to one of the pointed ends of the bag. Make a small snip at the tip -- just large enough to be able to pipe.
2. Arrange wax paper on a tray and pipe tree shapes on the paper. 
3. Push a pretzel stick into the "tree," allowing part of pretzel to extend (it becomes the tree trunk and what is inserted into the cake/cupcakes; pipe with a little more chocolate as needed. Sprinkle with crushed peppermints (sprinkles, etc.)
4. Let set (or refrigerate) until firm.
   
5. Then, insert trunk of tree into cake or cupcakes.

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Trees decorate
our Christmas Meringue Cake.

Recipe without photos . . .
Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Trees 
Chocolate Chips (amount depends upon number of trees you plan to make)
Crushed Peppermint Candy
Pretzel Sticks
Other: plastic storage/freezer bag that can be sealed & wax paper

1. Simple, minimum mess way to melt and pipe chocolate -- Place chocolate chips in a plastic storage/freezer bag. Place bag with chips in microwave and heat for just a minute or two -- until chocolate chips melt. Squeeze chocolate to one of the pointed ends of the bag. Make a small snip at the tip -- just large enough to be able to pipe.
2. Arrange wax paper on a tray and pipe tree shapes on the paper. 
3. Push a pretzel stick into the "tree," allowing part of pretzel to extend (it becomes the tree trunk and what is inserted into the cake/cupcakes; pipe with a little more chocolate as needed. Sprinkle with crushed peppermints (sprinkles, etc.)
4. Let set (or refrigerate) until firm.
5. Then, insert trunk of tree into cake or cupcakes.

Lauren's Granola Bars

We met Matt Chatfield when he was the chef at the Culinary Center of Kansas. In addition to being in charge of their kitchen, catering and “dinners on demand,” Chef

Matt also taught classes. When we were at the CCKC teaching classes he’d always take time to visit and often times let us sample what he was making! At that time his triplets were just babies.

Over the years those babies have grown and now spend lots of time in the kitchen. Of course that seems fitting since their mom is also a chef.

Chef Matt is often featured on a Kansas City, MO TV program: Cooking with Karli . He recently appeared with his three daughters to show how kids can help make dad delicious foods for Father’s Day.

I made Lauren’s recipe for Granola Bars, a recipe her dad helped her create — they are yummy and stay together, too.

Granola Bars   

2 ½ cups Oats
2 ½ cups Rice Cereal
½ cups Light Brown Sugar
¾ cup Coconut Oil
½ cup Honey
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract
½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used nutty peanut butter)
½ cup Pretzels, crushed
½ cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (I used mini chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a rubber spatula for 2 minutes, till they are mixed thoroughly.
   
   
   
   
3. Line a 9x13 baking sheet (pan) with parchment paper (I used extra pan allowing the end pieces to extend past the pan edges for easy removal), and spray with non stick coating. Spread evenly in the pan. (I used a piece of waxed paper to press down on the bars to compact them.)
   
   
   
   
4. Using a butter knife (bench knife), make separation cuts for the bar shape you want.
   
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
   
6. Remove from oven and let cool uncovered for 2 hours. (Once cooled, I placed the pan in the refrigerator to speed the setting up process. When chilled, I lifted them out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper, and then cut them.)
   
7. Place carefully in an airtight storage container. Good for 2 weeks, but you will eat them all before then!

You might also like to check out:
Tiffany’s Raspberry-WhiteChocolate Brownies 
 Isabelle’s Cheddar and “Local Pig” Bacon StuffedBurgers.

Recipe without photos . . .

Granola Bars   

2 ½ cups Oats
2 ½ cups Rice Cereal
½ cups Light Brown Sugar
¾ cup Coconut Oil
½ cup Honey
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract
½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I used nutty peanut butter)
½ cup Pretzels, crushed
½ cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (I used mini chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a rubber spatula for 2 minutes, till they are mixed thoroughly.
3. Line a 9x13 baking sheet (pan) with parchment paper (I used extra pan allowing the end pieces to extend past the pan edges for easy removal)  and spray with non stick coating. Spread evenly in the pan. (I used a piece of waxed paper to press down on the bars to compact them.)
4. Using a butter knife (bench knife), make separation cuts for the bar shape you want.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
6. 6. Remove from oven and let cool uncovered for 2 hours. (Once cooled, I placed the pan in the refrigerator to speed the setting up process. When chilled, I lifted them out of the pan using the ends of the parchment paper, and then cut them.)
7. Place carefully in an airtight storage container. Good for 2 weeks, but you will eat them all before then!

Chex Party Mix made in the Slow Cooker

     I remember when my mom first made Chex mix back in the late 1950s. We called it Party or TV mix back then and as I was thinking about that first batch, I wondered when the recipe for Chex mix was first introduced so  I did a search and this is what I found on  Wikipedia:

Chex cereal was introduced in 1937 by Ralston Purina.

By 1952, recipes for "Chex party mix" appeared on boxes of Chex cereal.

     Of course the original recipe* was baked in the oven but I was intrigued when I discovered slow cooker versions on several blogs. Here’s my take on the classic recipe and you’ll notice I've added some sugar at the end — I thought it needed a little sweetness to mellow out the taste. Next time I’ll probably add it with the rest of the spices and let it bake into the mixture.

      And, the BEST thing – aromas permeate the air as this mix bakes in the slow cooker. It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas in the our kitchen! However, chances are that I'll need to make another batch before December begins!

Chex Party Mix – Slow Cooker style

9 cups Chex cereal (equal parts corn, rice, and wheat Chex, or any combo of Chex-type cereals)

2 cups pretzels

1 cup Cheerios (I used multi-grain Cheerios)

1 heaping cup mixed nuts

6 tablespoons butter, melted and hot

1 ½ tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Tex Joy®)

¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Add cereal, pretzels, cheerios and nuts to the bowl of a slow cooker.
   
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter and seasoned salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce until combined.
3. Drizzle the sauce evenly over the top of the cereal mixture.  Toss for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is evenly combined.
   
4. Cover and slow cook on low for 3 hours, stirring at the 1 hour, 2 hour and 2 1/2  hour marks so that the mixture does not burn.  Note: I was a little worried when I began to notice that moisture was condensing inside the lid of the slow cooker so I wiped it off each time I stirred the mixture. Also when I opened the slow cooker to stir, I noticed the cereal was a bit moist but by the end of the process (including the next step) the Party Mix was crisp and just like the oven version.
   
5. Spread the mixture out onto a few baking sheets or parchment paper in an even layer until it cools to room temperature. Sprinkle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar if desired.
   
6. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks.

* Just for fun, here’s the original recipe that I discovered at any number of locations on the internet . . .

The Authentic and Original 1952 Chex Party Mix as it appeared on the cereal box 

Wonderful nibbling at snack-time! Try this new PARTY MIX:

Add 1/2 c. butter in shallow baking pan. Stir in 1 T. Worcestershire sauce. Add 2 c. Wheat Chex, 2 c. Rice Chex, and 1/2 c. nuts. Sprinkle with 1/4 t. salt and 1/8 t. garlic salt; mix well. Heat 30 mins in 300 degree oven, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool.

Recipe without photos . . .

Chex Party Mix – Slow Cooker style

9 cups Chex cereal (equal parts corn, rice, and wheat Chex, or any combo of Chex-type cereals)

2 cups pretzels

1 cup Cheerios (I used multi-grain Cheerios)

1 heaping cup mixed nuts 

6 tablespoons butter, melted and hot

1 ½ tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Tex Joy®)

¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Add cereal, pretzels, cheerios and nuts to the bowl of a slow cooker.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter and seasoned salt until the salt is dissolved. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce until combined.
3. Drizzle the sauce evenly over the top of the cereal mixture.  Toss for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is evenly combined.
4. Cover and slow cook on low for 3 hours, stirring at the 1 hour, 2 hour and 2 1/2  hour marks so that the mixture does not burn.  Note: I was a little worried when I began to notice that moisture was condensing inside the lid of the slow cooker so I wiped it off each time I stirred the mixture. Also when I opened the slow cooker to stir, I noticed the cereal was a bit moist but by the end of the process (including the next step) the Party Mix was crisp and just like the oven version.
5. Spread the mixture out onto a few baking sheets or parchment paper in an even layer until it cools to room temperature. Sprinkle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar if desired
6. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks.

Rolo® Pretzel Turtles – Easy, 3-ingredient Holiday Candy

So easy, so good, so festive! Holiday baking begins . . .

Rolo® Pretzel Turtles Small mini twisted pretzels

Chocolate covered caramel candies (Rolo® candies) 

Pecan halves

1.  Preheat oven to 300°.

2.  Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.

3.  Bake for about 4 minutes or until candies melt into “turtle” shape.

4.  While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel.

5.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Recipe without photos . . .

Rolo® Pretzel Turtles Small mini twisted pretzels

Chocolate covered caramel candies (Rolo® candies) 

Pecan halves

1.  Preheat oven to 300°.

2.  Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.

3.  Bake for about 4 minutes or until candies melt into “turtle” shape.

4.  While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel.

5.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.