I’m not quite sure why we Americans have such a love affair with chicken wings. Maybe it’s because the chicken wing can take on so many different flavors and has a convenient built-in handle. Or possibly our inner children still love to make a mess while we eat and there are fewer finger foods that have such a mess-making potential as the chicken wing. And then there’s the near ubiquitous pairing of sports and chicken wings. A big game watching party is just missing a bit of something if there aren’t chicken wings about.

While I’m a fan of the traditional Buffalo wing with it’s buttery pepper sauce, and I’m not going to turn down a chicken wing bathed in BBQ sauce, I’m always on the lookout for fun twists on wings recipes so I can offer a bit of the unexpected on my game watching party table.

Sriracha-Glazed Chicken Wings from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine embody that twist. Sriracha, a traditional Thai condiment featuring chiles and garlic, add spice and heat to the wings while soy sauce gives some depth of flavor. Fresh ginger offers nice back-of-the-throat burn that’s different but complimenatry to the heat from the Sriracha and honey adds a bit of sweetness to balance it all out. These wings are baked instead of fried making them less-messy and just a little better for you than a traditional fried wing.

Save Yourself Heartburn, Prep Ahead

While it only takes a few minutes to whip the Sriracha glaze together for these wings, and they technically only need 30 minutes of marinading time, you can do the whipping and marinating much further in advance to give you one less thing to do just before the game starts.

• Toss the wings with the sauce the morning before the party, cover, and let sit in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them. Pull the wings out at the same time you preheat the oven so they can shake the chill a bit, then bake as directed.
• Freeze the wings in the marinade in a heavy duty zip-top bag for up to a month. The night before the party move the bag to the fridge so the wings can thaw safely overnight. Set the wings out on the counter while the oven preheats and bake away.

Burn Baby, Burn

Even though the name implies that these wings might be extra spicy, a single tablespoon of Sriracha really doesn’t bring that much heat to the party, particularly when spread over a pound and a half of wings. You can easily double the Sriracha or if your guests have varying levels of heat tolerance, serve some Sriracha on the side so those who so desire can turn up the heat all they want.

Make Extra, It’s Easy

Besides being quick and easy to put together, this recipe is easy to double or triple to serve a bigger crowd. Just be sure to use a big enough baking dish so the wings aren’t crowded while they bake or you’ll risk soggy, undercooked wings. You can keep extra wings warm in a crock pot on low so fans can nosh (or possibly stress eat) throughout the game.

This post has been sitting in my inbox for a few weeks now because I simply couldn’t find the right words to explain the significance of this recipe to my family. I’ve finally decided that the more is less approach is the best way to tell this story.

This is my grandmother’s pecan pie bar recipe. I remember watching her make them standing on a stool pulled up to the kitchen counter. My daughter has been making it with my mom since she was tall enough to stand on that same stool to reach a kitchen counter. Back in September my daughter and I made batches of these bars for a local bake sale to benefit those ravaged by the Texas wildfires. She’s too tall now to need that stool.

The circle is complete. And sometimes a recipe for pecan pie bars is so much more than a recipe. It’s a tradition. A connection.

I look forward to the day that I get to make these same bars with my grandchildren.

It’s August and that means one thing here at Fete & Feast: it’s Hatch Chile Month! Over the last several years Hatch Chiles have become something of a celebrated vegetable here in Central Texas. Given my roots in far West Texas just down the road from Hatch, New Mexico, this thrills me to no end. Last year I celebrated Hatch with the likes of macaroni and cheese, enchiladas, green chile cheese beer bread, and green chile palmiers. This year I’m cooking up cornbread, roast chicken thighs, and even grilled cheese, all featuring the little green chile that could.

To kick the season off I’ve put together this recipe for a hand pie stuffed with squash, green chile, tomatoes, and cheese. It’s a fun take on calabacitas, a traditional way to cook squash with onions and green chiles that was featured at my family’s dinner table many a summer when squash were in abundance. I’ve tucked the squash, chile, and cheese mixture into puff pastry to make it convenient finger food, just perfect for a party. You can make these little bites ahead of time and freeze them unbaked so you have a quick meal or appetizer any time you get a hankerin’ for a taste of Hatch. The filling in these empanadas is so substantial they will hold up nicely as a main dish. Serve them with a side of guacamole and a green salad for an effortless Meatless Monday menu.

Queso flameado (or flaming cheese) is one of my favorite indulgent dishes. It’s nothing more than melted cheese in a cast-iron skillet with some sausage and an occasional green chile thrown in for good measure. It’s served fresh and bubbling hot to be spooned into warm tortillas. The Homesick Texan has an awesome recipe for this dish of cheese and chorizo awesomeness. Yes, I used the word awesome, or some derivation thereof, twice in that last sentence because it’s a totally appropriate usage.

The down side to queso flameado – besides the fact that you might as well just wipe it on your thighs – is that it has to be piping hot to stay ooey and gooey and melty. When it’s fresh out of the oven or off of the grill, that’s just fine. In fact, I’ve been known to serve it from a pan on the grill during an outdoor party. But, when it sits around, it starts to get stiff and not so melty, making it not the best option to sit on a table of party fare for an extended period of time.

When I was trying to come up with a way to serve queso flameado at a party without having to involve a heating element, it occurred to me that it would be great stuffed in bread, with the bread also providing the perfect vessel for transferring the cheese from plate to mouth without the need for a utensil. I put this theory to the test and voila, I offer you bread stuffed with chorizo and cheese.

Bread, cheese, and sausage. What could be better?

Recipe: Chorizo and Cheese Stuffed Bread

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 16 slices
  
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
  

Ingredients

• 1 14-16 oz. ciabatta, rustic Italian, or other rectangular loaf of bread
• 1 lb. fresh chorizo (aka Mexican chorizo)
• 5 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1.5 c.)
• 5 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1.5 c.)
• 1 Tbsp. snipped chives for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the chorizo in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain well on paper towels and let cool slightly.
3. While the chorizo drains and cools, hollow out the bread to create a 1 inch thick bread shell with a wide opening at the top (sort of like a brad bowl, or I suppose a bread tray). Save the bread you remove for fresh breadcrumbs.
   
4. In a medium bowl toss the mozzarella and jack cheeses with the cooked chorizo until well combined.
5. Fill the bread shell with the cheese and chorizo mixture, mounding it in the center until almost overflowing.
   
6. Place the filled bread on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top of the bread nicely browned.
8. Remove from the oven and cut into slices.
9. Garnish with chives.

Recipe for Success

• Be sure to use fresh pork chorizo in this recipe and not cured Spanish chorizo.
• You can substitute Italian sausage in this recipe, or really any other bulk sausage you’d like. For an Italian take on this dish, use hot Italian sausage, a combination of mozzarella and provolone cheese with a bit of parmesan cheese grated on top for good measure. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley or fresh oregano.
• You could easily toss a can of drained4 oz of chopped Hatch Green Chiles (or roasted Anaheim peppers) into this dish for a little more of a kick and depth of flavor.

My daughter’s special treat spot when she gets straight A’s is The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant that’s fun to visit as long as you only go every now and again. Fondue is a lengthy and communal experience and everyone can have their food just the way they like it. It’s a great family experience. What’s funny is I always leave a fondue evening overly full and I’m not always sure why. I do think I’ve found one of the culprits though: potatoes with green goddess dip. I often find myself eschewing the duck or tenderloin on my plate for tender potatoes dipped in their creamy Green Goddess sauce (which is much too thick to be a sauce, for the record). For this dish I’ve attempted to recreate the Melting Pot sauce and I’ve roasted the potatoes in duck fat because they are just so much better that way (try it, you’ll thank me).

My version of the dip uses a mixture of cream cheese (which my research says is the key to their sauce) and Fage Greek yogurt for extra tanginess. While traditional Green Goddess dressing has a slew of herbs added to it, for simplicity I’ve stuck with chives and parsley. A bit of shallot in the background adds a hint of onion and garlic without being overpowering. These potatoes are great for just about any party, from a holiday buffet to a football watching party. The recipe scales well, so you can make this for a crowd and it’s budget-friendly too.

Recipe: Potatoes in Duck Fat with Green Goddess Dip

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 36 servings (for 9-12 people)
  
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
  

Ingredients

• 3 Tbps. duck fat
• 1 lb. size C red potatoes (aka new potatoes)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 oz. fat free Greek yogurt (Fage recommended)
• 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. Drop the duck fat into a cast iron skillet or other heavy-duty oven-safe skillet.
2. Place the skillet in the oven and heat to 425 degrees so the fat can melt while the oven comes to temperature.
3. Wash the potatoes and halve or quarter them into bit-size pieces.
4. When the oven is at temperature, pull the skillet out and add the potatoes. Toss the potatoes well with the fat so they are evenly coated.
5. Return the pan to the oven and cook the potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are nicely browned. In the mean time, make the dip.
6. Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
7. Combine the cream cheese and yogurt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. You can add a little milk to thin the mixture out if you’d like.
8. Add the shallots, parsley, and chives to the cheese and yogurt mixture. Stir to combine. Transfer the dip to a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
9. When the potatoes are done, transfer to a platter and serve with the dip.

Recipe for Success

• Duck fat really makes these potatoes something special but bacon grease or olive oil will work just as well. If you use a fat that is liquid at room temperature like olive oil, toss it with the potatoes before adding them to the hot skillet instead of adding it to the skillet when you first put it in the oven.
• A store-bought green onion dip will work as a substitute for the green goddess if you’re in a hurry.
• You can make the dip up to 24 hours in advance.

We take our football seriously in Texas. We take our food seriously too. It’s only fitting then that we love to mix football and food to produce some spectacular tailgating parties. It’s not your typical dogs and burgers at our tailgates. Nope, we take our pre-game food to a whole new level. But of course, just like good picnic fare, good tailgate recipes have to be easy to make ahead, portable, and reheatable on a grill if not able to be served at room temperature. Even with these limitations, it’s still possible to put together some great meals designed to be served stadium-side.

Tailgate parties tend to be multi-hour affairs with contributions from lots of different folks, so I like to make dishes that can be eaten in just a few bites and don’t necessarily need a plate, much less a knife and fork. Sliders fit this bill perfectly because they can be held in one hand and leave room for other goodies of the edible or drinkable kind. I also like shredded meat as a filler for sliders because you can make it ahead and it you can easily keep it from drying out if it has to sit around for a while.

Pulled pork is common filler for sandwiches of all sorts here in our neck of the woods because pork is flavorful and the shoulder is an inexpensive cut of meat that easily feeds a crowd. It’s easy to prepare in a low oven, or as I’ve done here, a slow cooker. Many traditional pulled pork recipes are vinegar or tomato based, which is all well and good, but sometimes a little change is a good thing. This particular recipe uses orange juice and soy sauce in place of the acidic tomatoes and vinegars found in traditional pulled pork, and in keeping with the Asian theme the flavors of garlic, ginger, and red pepper appear as well. The result is a citrusy and spicy pork that tastes great on a soft bun. It’s right at home at a tailgate party, a football watching party in the comfort of your living room, a picnic, or even a casual buffet.

Are you ready for some football? With these sliders you’re sure to have a great start.

Recipe: Spicy Pulled Pork Sliders

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
  
• Makes: 24 sliders
  
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
  
• Cook Time: 6-8 hours
  

Ingredients

• 2 ½ to 3 lb pork shoulder
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1/3 c. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. five spice powder
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½ inch ginger, peeled and sliced
• 24 small rolls

Instructions

1. Trim the excess fat from the pork and cut to fit in a slow cooker (if necessary).
2. Combine the, soy, honey, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and five spice powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Scatter the sliced onions, peppercorns, garlic, and ginger in the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Place the pork on top of the vegetables and pour the liquid over the top.
5. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.
6. Move the pork from the slow cooker to a sheet pan. Remove excess fat and discard. Use two forks to shred the pork and set aside.
7. Staring the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half.
8. Pour the reduced sauce over the shredded pork and toss to combine.
9. Serve on buns with fixin’s like pickles and coleslaw.

Recipe for Success

• You can use either boneless or bone-in pork shoulder in this recipe. If you do get a bone-in shoulder, go for a slightly heavier piece of meat to account for the weight of the bone.
• You can make this recipes several weeks in advance and freeze the meat in heavy duty zipper bags. Be sure to mix the meat with the sauce before freezing to help keep the pork from drying out. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the slow cooker or on the stove top over medium low heat.
• If your tailgate party doesn’t have electricity, you can warm the pork in the sauce in a foil-covered disposable aluminum pan set over indirect heat. You may need to add a little water (or maybe a splash of beer) along the way to keep the meat from drying out.

Red Chile Beef Empanadas

[Jump right to the recipes: New Twists on Old Favorites, An Elegant Super Bowl, or Red Chile Beef Empanadas]

Football is all about fandom, and half the fun of being a fan is sharing your obsession for the sport with other similarly obsessed folk. For many years I was torn between my love of the sport and my love of the kitchen, often missing part of the big game because I was cooking. Of course I do have a TV within sight of my kitchen, but I’d miss key plays anyway. My solution to this conundrum is to create menus that include a collection of make-ahead dishes that, at the most, need to go into and come of the oven during the game. I do all of the heavy lifting days or hours before the party so I’m free to enjoy ever pass, tackle, fumble, and long run.

To help you with your super bowl planning I’ve put together a collection of make-ahead recipes that work well for me and in some cases my fellow food bloggers. I’d love to know what your favorite big game recipes are, so please share them with me in the comments.

New Twists on Old Favorites

I’m a big fan (no pun intended) of trying new recipes and techniques at my parties because, well, my friends make good guinea pigs. Even so, I’ve learned that while most people enjoy a guided excursion to new tastes, they also enjoy traditional favorites. As a happy medium between the new hotness and the old and comfortable, I try to update favorite recipes or put a new spin on them.

• Sriracha Chicken Wings from White On Rice Couple
  Make the sauce early in the day and then toss quickly with wings when they come out of the oven.
• Soft Pretzels from Big Black Dogs
  These are a great alternative to chips. Serve them with spicy mustard, ranch dressing, or your favorite fondue. You can make these ahead and warm them in the oven before serving.
• Pastry-Wrapped Sausages
  I serve these at most of my parties and they are always a hit. Dress them up with hand-made sausages with interesting flavors like chicken and apple or blueberry and pork. Use a special cheese like a bandaged cheddar or an aged gruyere for a more sophisticated flavor. You can prep these in the morning and pop them into the oven just before you’re ready to serve them.
• Red Chile Beef Empanadas
  Instead of a taco bar, serve up a collection of these little premade pies to make snacking out-of-hand easy for everyone. You can put just about anything you’d put into a taco into an empanada. I like red chile beef with nutty manchego, but you could go with a chicken and Monterey Jack filling or even ground beef and Colby. The possibilities are almost endless.

An Elegant Super Bowl

While it’s true that the Super Bowl is a casual and comfortable affair, if you have an opportunity to host a more refined party, you should – if nothing else just for the fun of it. This collection of recipes isn’t your typical football party fare, but it’s still completely accessible and easy to make.

• Savory Madeleins as made by Lisa from Lisa is Cooking
  Put out a few baskets of these savory treats along with some champagne for a truly refined snack table. Pair them with fruit and a cheese plate for an elegant offering. Make them the morning of the party so all you have to do is set them out before your guests arrive.
  
• Chive, Mascarpone, and Pine Nut Dip as also made by Lisa
  This dip is a refined version onion dip and would be lovely with toasted bread or even pita triangles. Make it the morning of the party so that the flavors have time to meld together.
  
• Tomato Tartlets
  I made these for my holiday party this year and they were a hit. The recipe features just a few ingredients so the flavor of each shines through. You can roast the tomatoes and make the crust several hours before the party so it comes together quickly just before you serve it.
  
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Dates
  These are one of my go-to appetizers for any party because they are so easy to make, so versatile, and yet so impressive to guest. Prep them the morning of your party and bake them off just before guests arrive.

Recipe: Red Chile Beef Empanadas

Adapted from Braised Chile-Spiced Short Ribs with Black Beans

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Makes: 48 empanadas
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the beef

• 4 medium dried New Mexico Red chiles
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chopped canned chipotles in adobo (about 2 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 ½ tsp. salt; divided
• 1 tsp. freshly-ground pepper
• 3 lb. chuck roast, cut into 2 inch by 2 inch pieces
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• ¼ lb. thick-cut bacon, sliced in to ¼ inch pieces
• 2 1/3 c. beef broth
• 1 cinnamon stick

For the empanadas

• 3 boxes of pre-made pie crust or 3 recipes of homemade pie crust for six total crusts
• 24 oz. manchego cheese, grated

Instructions

For the beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wipe dust from dried chiles. Cut and discard the stems from the chiles. Shake the loose seeds from inside the chiles and discard. Tear the chiles into 2 inch pieces.
3. Place the chiles in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cover with the boiling water and place a heavy plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged in the water. Soak for20 minutes.
4. Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with 1/3 c of the soaking liquid. Reserve the remaining liquid.
5. Add the onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo, tomato paste, molasses, cumin seeds, cloves, and 1 tsp. salt to the blender with the chile and water. Puree until smooth.
6. Season the pot roast pieces evenly on all sides with remaining 1 ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
7. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers but doesn’t smoke.
8. Brown the pieces of chuck in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
9. Once all of the meat is browned, drain off the fat from the pot but don’t wipe clean. You want to keep the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
10. Return the pot to medium-high heat and cook the bacon until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon to the platter with the beef. Do not discard the bacon fat.
11. Stir the pureed chile mixture into the fat carefully, watching for splattering, and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Add the reserved chile soaking liquid, the beef broth, and the cinnamon stick to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
13. Add the reserved beef and bacon to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil, and move to the oven.
14. Cook for about 3 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
15. When the meat is done, remove the pieces of beef to clean platter or bowl. Use two forks to shred evenly.
16. Pour the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a fat separator (or a medium bowl if you don’t have a fat separator).
17. Return the liquid without the fat to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
18. Return the beef to the reduced liquid and toss to combine. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed.
19. Let cool before making empanadas.

For the empanadas

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll a sheet of pie dough large enough to cut out eight 3 ½ inch circles.
3. On the right side of each circle of dough place with a scant tablespoon of beef and top with a teaspoon or so of cheese.
4. Fold the left side over the right side to create a half-moon shape.
5. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of the empanada. Use a sharp knife to make three slits in the top of the empanada to allow steam to escape.
6. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, beef, and cheese.
7. Bake empanadas for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and flaky.

Recipe for Success

• You can make the empanadas up to 3 months ahead. Place formed empanadas on a single row on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until solid. Transfer the frozen empanadas to a zip top bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. On baking day, do not thaw the empanadas. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown.
• If you can’t find New Mexican red chiles, any other wide, flat dried red pepper will work.
• You can make the empanadas larger if they are the main dish on your menu. I like the smaller size for a buffet table or as an appetizer.
• Sour cream and guacamole are nice companions for the empanadas.
• You may have some of the beef filling left over depending on the size of your roast. The meat freezes beautifully and is great for taco filling or for making more empanadas later.

Throwing a really great party doesn’t have to be difficult if you do two important things:

• Plan ahead a bit.
• Create a menu that combines a healthy selection of make-ahead recipes with a few choice “serve immediately” dishes. The make-ahead dishes are the backbone of the party and the more time sensitive dishes add a sense of fresh and just made to the whole affair.

To make party planning and cooking easier, I have a whole arsenal of make-ahead recipes in my collection and am always on the hunt for new additions. And just because a dish can be made ahead doesn’t mean it can’t showcase really great ingredients or have a unique flavor profile. Make ahead does not have to equal boring!

For my upcoming pumpkin carving party, 10 of the 21 different dishes I plan to serve can be (and have been) made more than a week in advance. And really, with travel for fun and work filling up the days before the party, I didn’t have a choice. Even if I choose not to sleep for 24 hours before the party, I won’t be able to pull of such an extensive menu without the help of my make-ahead recipes.

Disclaimer: Really, 21 dishes is probably overkill for a pumpkin carving party, but hey, I like to cook. Also, some of these dishes are simple things like a cheese plate and dippers for fondue, so it’s not 21 complex dishes. Mixing easy and more difficult preparations is another key to throwing a really great party. But, I digress…

Three of my favorite types of make-ahead party foods include:

• Flavored nuts. While you could easily set out a dish of mixed nuts for your guests, in an hour or so you can jazz up any plain ol’ nut to make it just a little more special. Most seasoned nut recipes keep for a week or two at least, and most are also easy to prepare. At this year’s party I’m serving Rosemary Roasted Almonds and Orange Chipotle Spiced Pecans. I made both recipes last night between dinner time and bed time. With just a few ingredients, the prep work goes quickly and the oven does most of the heavy lifting. Nuts like these also make great holiday gifts. They are homemade, which everyone truly appreciates, but they fit neatly into a hectic schedule.
• Biscotti. I have extolled the virtues of biscotti in previous posts. They are surprisingly easy to make, can be both savory and sweet, work with almost limitless flavor combinations, and freeze beautifully. For this year’s party I’ve made a Parmesan and Black Pepper Biscotti, a Gourmet recipe that turned out to be my tribute to that great magazine. With only a few ingredients, the parmesan is the star, with the black pepper adding a contrasting bite at the back of the throat after each nibble. They go very well with champagne too, which is always a bonus in my book. I made the dough for this recipe in my food processor because I really hate cutting butter into flour by hand, and it worked beautifully. The biscotti will keep for up to four weeks wrapped tightly in foil and then zipped up in a freezer bag. Let them thaw the night before you plan to serve them. And if you don’t have parmesan on hand, try another hard cheese like an asiago or even a well-aged manchego.
• Nuts and Bolts. My family calls Chex Mix “Nuts and Bolts” although I’m not really sure why. It’s a much more fun name though so I’ll go with it. While you can buy Chex Mix pre-made, I’d highly recommend that you make it yourself because you can control the salt content and the quality of all of the ingredients. It’s also silly easy. If you’ve only ever had packaged Chex Mix, I highly recommend you try a homemade version – the difference is astronomical. Like all of my other favorite recipes, the Nuts and Bolts recipe is infinitely variable. Change up the cereal combinations, the nuts and other mix-ins, as well as the spices you use for flavor. Like seasoned nuts, putting the dish together is easy and the oven does the hard work. These munchies keep for 3-4 weeks in an air-tight container and are perfect to keep on hand during the holidays for when unexpected guests drop by. My recipe is my take on the one my mother has been making since I was a kid.

Recipe: Savory Chex Mix with Pumpkin Seeds

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 36-40 1 cup servings
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ c. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. red hot pepper sauce
• 1 box each Rice Chex, Corn Chex, and Wheat Chex
• 8 oz. pretzels, any shape
• 6 oz. pecan halves
• 4 oz. roasted, shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 1 oz. package Italian salad dressing mix
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
2. Combine the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl and whisk to mix well.
3. Add the cereal, pretzels, pecan halves, and pumpkin seeds in a large roasting pan and stir to combine.
4. Combine the salad dressing mix and the garlic powder in a small bowl and stir to mix.
5. Sprinkle the dry seasonings over the top of the cereal, pretzel, and nut mixture. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil mixture. Do not stir.
6. Place the roaster in the oven. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

Recipe for Success

• My local market has tamari roasted pumpkin seeds in the bulk department and they work beautifully in this dish. You can include unshelled, roasted pumpkin seeds in the mix instead of shelled seeds, but they do make add a shelling component to the munching, so be sure to put out a shell receptacle.
• My family owned a house with a whole slew of pecan trees for most of my childhood, so pecans tend to be our nut of choice. You can however use any nut, or combination thereof, that you like. Buy roasted or raw nuts – which ever you would normally buy for snacking.
• We use standard Chex cereal in our recipe, but you could easily use another similar cereal if you’d like. Experiment!
• If you’d like to add a bit of a sweet element to the mix, you could toss in dried fruit or even M&Ms. Add them at the end after the mixture has cooled.