Recipe for a Christmasopherous amount of Party Mix

Recipe for a Christmasopherous amount of Party Mix

One box Honey Nut Chex

1/2 box Wheat Chex (about 4 cups)

1/2 box Rice Chex (about 6 cups)

!/2 Box Corn Chex (about 5 cups)

6 Cups Cheerios

1 pound bag of the thinnest pretzel sticks you can find

1 lb. box cheese crackers (like Goldfish — but I prefer Stauffer’s Whales)

1 large bag regular Bugles

4 smaller bags Caramel Bugles

1 or 2 boxes Ritz original flavor Munchables Buttery Thins 

1/2 large can (like Sam’s Club size) Cashew pieces

1/2 large can spanish peanuts

3 lbs. Pecans (large pieces)

Mix all these together in a very large container.  (Needs to hold 7-8 gallons)

I toss these together until it looks like party mix.

Dressing

5 cups vegetable oil

6 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce

6 Tbs.  Seasoned Salt (like Lawry’s)

4 Tbs. Garlic Powder

 

Using a wire whisk, mix together very thoroughly.  Then drizzle several cups over the already mixed ingredients and toss together well.  Continue doing this until the liquid is all gone.  I whisk the mixture very well just before drizzling each time, otherwise the spices will sink to the bottom and stay there.  When all the liquid is gone, I toss the mix a while longer, just to be sure I have maximum coverage.

Once you are satisfied that it is pretty evenly distributed, put into four large foil pans.  
(The really big ones that are the size of a large cookie sheet and have deep sides.) 
I believe they are the size of the large pans in a steam table.

About now, you should preheat oven to 250 degrees   (If you have access to two ovens, use both.  It will cut the baking time in half)  Space the racks enough apart that you can slip a four inch pan on the bottom rack and still have room to have a large pan on the top rack.   Like so:

You are going to bake this mixture for two hours at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes.  One of the secrets to having really good Party Mix is to be very attentive while you are baking it.  I use a timer, set EVERY SINGLE TME.  I also set a second timer for 2 hours.  Otherwise I loose track of when I am actually done.  I’m pretty OCD about making Party Mix correctly.  It is expensive, and can be such a disappointment if I don’t pay attention.  And I don’t “stir” my Party Mix.  I use the fifth foil pan, and gently dump the top rack’s pan into that empty pan, then take the bottom rack’s pan out and dump it into the now empty pan from the top shelf.  I put the mix that had been on the bottom rack on the top rack, and the one that had been on the top on the bottom, and that helps to keep things more even.  (At least it works that way for me, in my head, in my practical application.)  🙂 

When it is all done, I pour it onto a counter or table that has been covered with brown paper

and let it cool.  

 

Then, I put it back into the original container (carefully washed and thoroughly dried) to use as desired.  There is no reason why you couldn’t pack it into pretty Christmas bags or containers, although I try to put it into a plastic bag when I put it into a container, just so it will stay fresh.  

And then you are ready to give it away.  If you have a husband or offspringin’s that look at that big container of Party Mix and think there is “plenty” there, and give it away to strangers that happen to stop at the house to deliver something, or take big bags to work so people can eat it all in one day,
IT WILL NOT LAST LONG!!!

Believe me, dear friends.  I know!
But I am so happy that it is so popular.  
And if you have questions, just ask.
I will try hard to answer.