Of all the holiday recipes, this one brings back the most memories and smiles. There seemed to be large, decorative tins of Nuts and Bolts in the kitchen, dining room and den at all times from Thanksgiving to mid-January. My brothers and I also packed them for hunting and fishing snacks and road trips.
There are many versions of Nuts and Bolts, which is also called Chex Mix by some. This one is very similar to the one Mom made except I added a little chile powder and everything bagel seasoning. Feel free to adjust to your own taste and make a bunch — it goes quick!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cheerios
- 2 cups Rice Chex
- 2 cups Corn Chex
- 2 cups pretzel sticks
- 2 cups salted peanuts or mixed nuts
- 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 3 to 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Measure out the cereal, pretzels and nuts and place them in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan and when just melted, add all of the spices and the Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Slowly add the melted butter mixture to the cereal mixture while stirring so that as much as possible is coated. Place the mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. I usually use a 9 ¼ x 13 ¼ x 1-inch casserole dish, but a 10 x 15 x 1-inch dish works well, too. When done, remove the mix from the oven and let it cool completely. You can leave it in the casserole dish or turn it out onto a sheet pan to cool more quickly. Store in an airtight container, and it will last for at least a couple of weeks.
Yield: 10 cups
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
