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Thursday, December 4, 2008

Holiday Gift Series: Chocolate Cereal Snack Mix

One of my favorite traditions of the Christmas season is giving gifts to our neighbors and friends. As a child, I was always excited when the doorbell rang in December because there was a chance that it was someone bringing a homemade goody for our family. Now, I love planning what our little family will take around to our friends and neighbors.

Homemade treats are a great way to show your friends how much you appreciate them, and delivering sweets around your neighborhood is a great way to meet neighbors. No one can resist dessert!

This is the first in a three-part series of treats you can make and share that use only food storage (non-perishable) items.


Today we are making a chocolate cereal snack mix, commonly known as "Chex Muddy Buddies." Although I'm using "Chex" cereal, I actually used the recipe on the back of the "Crispix" box, because it didn't include butter or shortening. You could use any larger rice or corn cereal.



Ingredients: Rice cereal, powdered sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter



I followed the instructions for making the mix in the microwave, although you can make it on the stove instead. First, put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish.



Stick in the microwave for a minute. I would show you a picture, but that would invovle cleaning out my microwave, which I am unwilling to do.



After a minutes, pull the bowl out of the microwave.


And stir it around. Return it to the microwave for another thirty seconds.



When the timer goes off, pull it out and stir it around until all the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.



Add the peanut butter, you could add nuts here too, if you wanted.



Stir it until smooth


Add the cereal, it was at this point when I wished I had choosen a bigger bowl. Stir this mixture around until the chocolate coats most of the cereal.



Get out a gallon size ziplock bag and add the powdered sugar.



Add the chocolate covered cereal mixture to the bag with the powdered sugar.

Close the bag tightly, and shake it all up until the powdered sugar covers and sticks to the chocolate covered cereal.



You're done! Make sure you store it in an airtight container. And remember, this doesn't have any butter in it, so you can eat as much as you want. Really. Red and green M & Ms would be very fun in here too. Add them at this step so the color isn't changed by the powdered sugar as much.




To give as a gift, put the mix in a plastic bag and tie the top. I use thread because I have a lot of it in my home, but a ribbon, string, or even a colored twist tie would work fine. Attach a tag and deliver!




Or, use some of your baby's empty formula containers in NieNie style and make holiday tins to hold your goodies.


Chocolate Cereal Snack Mix
from "Crispix Mix Sweet Minglers"

6 cups cereal (I used Rice Chex)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Melt chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl for one minute. Remove and stir. Return to the microwave for thirty seconds, stir until chocolate chips are all melted. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth. Add cereal and stir to coat. Add powdered sugar to a gallon size ziplock bag, add chocolate covered cereal. Seal and shake to cover. Store in an airtight container.

12 comments:

Aubrey said...

Great recipe! Muddy Buddies are one of my favorites. What a great idea to add m&m's to it. I think this is what I'm giving this year! :)

Eddie Gear said...

This one is neat! Thanks for sharing.

BWei said...

Way to go! I like the container idea, too. Too bad I (a) don't have any formula containers and (b) am too lazy. :-)

Alyosha said...

That is so weird--I just made these this morning for the first time. My way of getting rid of the bag of Wheat Chex that comes in the costco box along with the rice and the corn. And since it's wheat, it's healthy.

Right?

Seriously, though, I made them to satisfy my chocolate cravings with a lot less actual chocolate.

Kathy Habel said...

Thanks for the recipe with no butter needed.

Kindra-At Home With K said...

What a wonderful gift for a friend. Homemade/handmade is the best!

I found your blog a few days ago from Money Saving Mom. I am just amazed on helpful and loving people are out there on the net! I want to thank you for taking the time to do this blog for us starting out...Do you recommend me starting from the beginning of your blog to start my emergency kits/food storage? Thanks!

Garrett said...

Oh sweet mercy.........

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

I made that for a gift today! We call it Puppy Chow, which is what the girl scouts in Iowa called it when we lived there.

I never thought of adding the M&Ms. I have extras! What a great idea. Tomorrow morning when I put them in plastic bags, I'll add the candy and it will look very festive.

Angela said...

I've been waiting for my neighbor since the summer to give me this receipe, since I tried it at her house and it was quite yummy. I'm so glad I found it here..since I still don't have the receipe..lol.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE this recipe and can eat the WHOLE RECIPE if I'm not careful. I had planned on doing a tutorial too, because it's such an easy, popular treat. I don't have to now; thank you!

I linked to you here: http://giveldsgifts.com/2008/12/food-storage-gifts-giveaway-alert/

gift to Philippines said...

This is an interesting article. I like this cool gift ideas and I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for guiding me through this. Rarely do I find good entries that would walk me through. Great post.


-pia-

Huffman Family said...

This is great. My hubby has celiac and this would make a great snack for him and it includes things he can eat without getting sick. Thanks for sharing.