Slow Cooker Party Mix. New Music From T-Shirt Weather.

Salty, crunchy, savory, sweet, spicy.

This Slow Cooker Party Mix has it all.

I usually whip up a big batch of White Trash or Caramel White Trash every December so that I have a bunch of easy to package snack mix on hand for Christmastime gifts.

This year I decided to try this Chex-style party mix that uses a slow cooker to bake in all of the flavors. The recipe provides a selection of options so you can customize the cereals, crunchy elements, nuts and seasonings all to your liking.

I was intrigued by a Chex-style snack mix that also included Corn Pops (childhood favorite of mine), Fritos and Goldfish crackers. Fun.

Just a note…using a slow cooker doesn’t make this recipe faster or easier than using an oven. I liked the flexibility of not having to turn the oven on. Having the mix cooking on the counter also made the frequent stirrings more convenient than doing so in an oven.

Slow Cooker Party Mix

Ingredients:

6 cups cereal (see options below) **I used a combination of Chex and Corn Pops (puffed corn cereal)
4 cups “crunchy treat” (see options, below) **I used Goldfish Colors crackers, pretzel sticks and Fritos corn chips
3 cups round toasted oat cereal (such as Cheerios)
2 1/2 cups nuts & seeds (see options below) **I used cashews and pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup butter, melted
Seasonings (see options below) **I used taco seasoning
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. Lightly coat an oval 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (The recipe testers said the oval cookers yielded the best results.)

2. In the prepared cooker combine your choice of cereal, “crunchy treat”, oat cereal, nuts and seeds.

3. In a small bowl stir together melted butter, your choice of seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of bottled hot pepper sauce.

4. Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring gently to coat.

5. Cook, uncovered, on high-heat setting for 1-1/2 hours, stirring from the bottom up every 30 minutes.

6. Turn to low-heat setting. Cook, uncovered, about 20 minutes more or until dry and crisp, stirring from the bottom up every 10 minutes.

7. Spread mixture on a large sheet of foil to cool. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Cereal Options (Pick one or mix and match)

Sweetened oat square cereal, puffed corn cereal, bite-size corn square cereal, bite-size rice square cereal, bite-size wheat square cereal, crispy corn and rice cereal, and/or toasted high-fiber corn cereal

“Crunchy Treat” Options (Pick one or mix and match)

Pretzel sticks, small pretzel twists, bite-size cheese crackers, bagel chips, chow mein noodles, fish-shape crackers, corn chips, and/or oyster crackers

Nuts & Seeds Options (Pick one or mix and match)

Mixed nuts, almonds, cashews, pecan halves, walnut halves, peanuts, and/or pumpkin seeds

Seasonings Options (Pick one)

Italian: 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and substitute 1/4 cup bottled Italian vinaigrette salad dressing for the Worcestershire sauce

Ranch: One 1-ounce envelope ranch dry salad dressing mix

Cajun: 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce

Taco: One 1-ounce envelope taco seasoning mix plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Makes 15 cups

Recipe from BHG.com