Better Than Sex Chex Mix.....heaven in snack form!

Better Than Sex Chex Mix

8  cups Chocolate Chex® cereal (1 box)

3/4  cup packed brown sugar

6  tablespoons butter or margarine

3  tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4  teaspoon baking soda

1  cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, MINI size

1 cup mini Hershey Kisses

1 cup Snickers Bites

1 cup MINIATURE marshmallows

1/2  cup caramel bits

1 Tbsp heavy cream

1/2  cup MILK chocolate baking chips (or more if you wish)

1/2  cup vanilla (white) chocolate baking chips

 

Into large microwavable bowl, measure cereal; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.

 

In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave brown sugar, butter and corn syrup uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking soda until dissolved. Pour caramel mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave on High 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet. Cool 10 minutes. Break into bite-sized pieces.

 

Make sure Chex mixture is cool to the touch (so candy doesn't melt.) Evenly sprinkle mini peanut butter cups, Snickers, Kisses and miniature marshmallows over Chex mixture.

 

In small microwavable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle over snack. Microwave the milk chocolate baking chips next, starting with 20-seconds and stirring, then at 20 second intervals until the mixture is completely smooth (microwave temps vary, so watch the chocolate and stir frequently until it's of drizzling consistency). Drizzle over the snack mixture. Then microwave the vanilla (white) baking chips in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth, and drizzle that over the snack mixture. (Note: The vanilla and milk chocolate chips should not need cream added.)

 

Refrigerate until set. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.

 

Enjoy!!

-Jessica

Peanut Butter Popcorn with Chocolate Drizzle

 
   It could be said that I am a peanut butteraholic. I come by it naturally though, my father is also a peanut butteraholic. We can both eat peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon. I don't need it to be ON something. I love it just plain or mixed in ice cream, or in a cookie, or on a cookie....you get the picture. I LOVE peanut butter!
    It was more than obvious to me that I would be making this recipe when I ran across it on Pinterest. Peanut butter + popcorn = AMAZING!
     A few years ago there was a company that mailed out samples of their gourmet popcorn. They had a variety that was Chocolate and Peanut Butter. It was SO yummy. It was also SO expensive. Their popcorn had a kettle corn base, then covered in PB and Chocolate. I just can't justify taking out a bank loan for popcorn though....so no order from me. However their free sample ROCKED! ha
    So when I ran across the peanut butter popcorn recipe on Pinterest my mind immediately went to the chocolate peanut butter expensive popcorn. I decided I could just make my own!! So that folks is what I did.............enjoy!

Peanut Butter Popcorn with Chocolate Drizzle

3 Quarts Popped Popcorn (no kernels allowed, they break teeth so check carefully for them)
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Honey
1/2 C. Corn Syrup
1C. Peanut Butter
1tsp Vanilla
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips

In a large heavy saucepan combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup. Bring to a hard boil for 2 min. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until melted and smooth. Working quickly dump the popped popcorn into the mixture. Using a spoon toss to coat all of the popcorn.

Spread the coated popcorn out on waxed paper to cool. Melt the chocolate chips. Drizzle melted chocolate over the coated popcorn. When popcorn is cooled and chocolate is dry store in an air tight container.

Umm ya so I cheated....I used microwave popcorn. It was MUCH cheaper than buying the kind that you pop yourself. The cheaper bag of popcorn said may contain traces of wheat so that was out, the other brand was almost $6. OUCH! So Microwave was the obvious choice.

2 bags of popped popcorn was equal to 3 quarts for me. Don't forget to remove any unpopped kernels. Those are painful to get when you are inhaling this yummy stuff.

Combine honey, sugar, and corn syrup in a large heavy pan.

Bring the mixture to a rolling boil (boil 2 min). Keep stirring though, you don't want it to burn.

Remove from heat, add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until creamy, but work quickly.

Spread the popcorn out on wax paper to cool.

Once you have the chocolate melted it is easiest to drizzle by putting into a plastic baggie and snipping off the corner of the bag.

To make life easier while filling the baggie sit it down in a coffee cup.

Once the bag is full of chocolate, snip the corner and start drizzling!

When the chocolate is set and popcorn is dry store in an airtight container.

Chex Mix....it's just not the holidays without it.

     There are just certain things that must be around during the holidays. Certain recipes that have to be made. Bags of goodies that are expected to be available at all times to munch on. Chex mix is one of them!!
      Of course, making it gluten free you just have to get a little creative with what you put into it. Those little bagel chips are not gf (until some genius comes out with those). Of course the wheat chex have to be left out of the traditional recipe. Spices and brands must be checked to be sure they are gluten free. However, in my opinion the left out stuff isn't really missed.
      I also tweak the recipe in the seasoning department. The original recipe calls for onion salt. I don't keep onion salt on hand, and I hate to buy it for one recipe that I make once a year. So I leave it out and bump up the other two spices.
      Here is my version of Chex Mix:

Chex Party Mix

4 1/2 C. Corn Chex
4 1/2 C. Rice Chex
2 C. Gluten Free Pretzels
2 C. Cheetos
6 T. Butter or Margarine
2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, pretzels and cheetos; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Check the brands of all of your spices and ingredients to be sure that they are gluten free!

Stir the mixture well to be sure that everything is coated before putting it into the oven.

This is the chex mix BEFORE going into the oven.



See how the party mix is golden and browned after coming out of the oven. MMm