Slashfood’s Candy Creations Day: Sweet Mix

When I saw that Slashfood was having a day devoted to candy, I knew that I had to submit something. Candy is a staple at our house, which may not be a good thing, but we just can’t seem to give it up!

I work as a teacher in an elementary school. In working at my school, I have found out that teachers will eat just about anything. Some of the older teachers told me about a time several years ago when they decided to play a joke on everyone else. Earlier that day someone had left some frosting and graham cracker sandwiches in the lounge and they were gobbled up before 9:30 that day. So these two particular teachers decided that they would take some graham crackers and put fake frosting in them … Elmer’s glue! They made their treats and laid them on the same plate the others had been on. When they came to check back later, there was nothing but crumbs!

These types of jokes still happen so one should always be careful about what they decide to eat from the teachers lounge! However, you can always count on the following treat to be safe to eat. Whenever there is a special day at school, our media specialist assistant brings this sweet/salty mix. It is basically a caramely covered mix of pretzels and Chex. Add in some dry roasted peanuts and M&Ms and you have a snack mix that will be gone by noon at any school!

Connie’s Sweet/Salty Snack Mix

Ingredients

1 1/3 Cups brown sugar

1/3 cup white Karo corn syrup

2 sticks butter or Parkay

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 box Rice Chex

1 bag M&Ms

1/2 bag pretzels

1 jar dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions

Mix the Rice Chex and pretzels with your hands in a large brown paper bag or large bowl (make sure it can fit in your microwave first!) Set aside.

Bring the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup to boil in a saucepan. Boil for 4 minutes. Take the syrup off the burner and stir in ½ tsp. baking soda. It will bubble up, but keep stirring. The mixture should change color.

Pour the syrup over the Chex and pretzels in three sets, stirring between each addition of syrup. Put the bag or bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Put in the microwave again for 1 minute, the stir. Put the bag or bowl in the microwave for a third and final time, then stir again. Empty the bag or bowl on a flat surface lined with waxed paper. Spread it out and break it up so it cools, about 10 minutes. Put the cooled mix in an airtight container and mix with the M&Ms and peanuts if desired.