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By Request
Betty Shimabukuro
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It's time to check out Chex mixes
THE HOLIDAYS are approaching at warp speed, which means people are starting to think about Chex mixes, that perennial homemade gift idea.
If you're looking to beef up your repertoire, visit the Chex cereal Web site, www.chex.com, for endless varieties, including Chai-and margarita-flavored mixes, for adult tastes.
Below, in celebration the holiday that looms first, is a Halloween mix, a sweet treat with white chocolate and candy corn.
But first, Elaine Ennis e-mailed for a version with Wheat Chex and without the pepper seasoning that's common to many recipes. I couldn't find one exactly like that in my recipe sources, so here's an adaptation.
It's extremely flexible, so if you like some other kind of Chex, feel free to use it, or add a few drops of hot pepper sauce, switch the brown sugar to white, or the butter to vegetable oil. It's all a matter of taste. You can also mix in pretzels, peanuts or whatever other crunchy snack item seems complementary.
Furikake Snack Mix
1-pound box Wheat Chex
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup (Karo)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 jar (1.7 ounces) nori fumi furikake
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Pour cereal into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Set aside.
Combine butter, sugar and corn syrup in saucepan and stir over medium heat to melt butter and dissolve sugar. Stir in soy sauce.
Drizzle over cereal, a little at a time, tossing between each addition. Sprinkle with furikake and toss again to evenly coat.
Bake 1 hour, until mixture is crisp, stirring every 10 minutes and scraping bottom to prevent sticking. Cool. Makes 9 cups.
Halloween Chex Mix
www.chex.com
4 ounces white chocolate baking bars, coarsely chopped
3 cups Corn or Rice Chex cereal
2 cups bite-size pretzel twists
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup candy corn
2 tablespoons orange and black candy sprinkles
In large microwavable bowl, microwave chopped chocolate pieces high 1 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.
Gently stir in cereal, pretzels and raisins until evenly coated. Stir in candy corn and decors. Spread on waxed paper or foil until cooled and chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Break into chunks. Store loosely covered. Makes 18 cups.
Nutritional information unavailable.
Send queries along with name and phone number to: "By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. Or send e-mail to
bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com