You know what we have a lot of in the pantry? Cereal. Know why? There have been some great cereal sales lately! Now my {personal} “rule” for purchasing cereal is {about} a dollar a box after sales and coupons. Occassionally I’ll make exceptions, but rarely, and I NEVER spend more than $1.50 a box. Ever. Ahhhh, the luxurious life of a couponer. Actually, it’s hard to believe I used to pay double that before I started couponing. Sheesh.
Chex is on sale this week at Kroger and when you combine with the $1/2 coupon it comes to $1.29/box–right there in my price range. Our family has a favorite Chex mix recipe we call “gooey treat” cause it’s well, a gooey treat! Profound, right? My sister-in-law shared this recipe a few years back and it’s since become a Christmastime tradition to visit my inlaws and sit around with the question jar and a bowl of Gooey Treat. Good times.
I’m warning you, Gooey Treat is addicting.
Oh, and I’m also warning you, this makes a HUGE batch, so you may want to halvsies it.
Just sayin’.
Gooey Treat
Combine in a large bowl:
- 12 oz. Corn Chex
- 12 oz. Rice Chex
- 12 oz. Wheat Chex (OR Golden Grahams)
- 2 cups small pretzels
- 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup sliced almonds (I like to toast them first!)
Combine in a saucepan:
- 1 cups butter
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 2 2/3 cups sugar
Heat, stirring constantly, to boiling. Boil and stir for one minute. Pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Lots more Chex recipes here.
The kids and I made these the other day (except we use Rice Chex) and they were yum.
(Photo source: Chex.com)
While we’re on the subject of gooey snacktime treats. . .observe the poor neglected, pantless, starving child who has to rely on eating the crumbs left by her siblings.
Geez, who’s this kid’s mother?
Yep, just keepin’ it real, folks.
Since it’s a great time to stock up on Chex (don’t forget to print your coupons!), how about a $25 gift card to Kroger!* (This gift card is actually good at Kroger affiliates too, so you can use it at Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Hilander, Owen’s, Jay-C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Scott’s Food & Pharmacy, Fred Meyer, and Food 4 Less.)
To enter just leave me a comment about your favorite snacktime food (or favorite Chex mix recipe!). You’ll get a second entry by tweeting about the giveaway (here’s a shortlink to include in your tweets: http://keepinglifecreative.com/?p=2685). I’ll be picking a random winner on Monday.
I need some new ideas as my snacktime creative juices have recently run dry. At least I know my children won’t totally starve thanks to a pantry full of practically free rice cakes and a freezer full of 29 cent boxes of Gogurt. (Have I mentioned yet how much I like couponing?).
Print coupons here:
EDIT: Congrats to Cara who won the giftcard giveaway! I’ve e-mailed you :).
*Gift card provided by the good people at Chex and Kroger through My Blog Spark, but opinions and cute children are my own :).
Jade says
I also tweeted…
http://twitter.com/#!/jigarn
Jade says
I use that same recipie, but we put crasins in it! YUM!
Hilary says
I make mini muffins all the time. A perfect snack for little ones.
Nicole-Lynn says
Very nice! I’d love to try their Muddy Buddy Mix Recipe! When I entertain I like to put out some of their Original Mix.
Seasidesmitten@aol.com
Tracy Robertson says
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/tracylr233/status/13509807780663296
thanks!
Tracy Robertson says
I like the premade Chex Mix (original) sold in a bag.
Karin says
I like chips or Cheez it crackers.
Connie says
one of my favorite snacks is rice chexs with milk and a bit of sugar yummy
Jessie C. says
tweet.http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/13355598619873280
Jessie C. says
My favorite snacktime food is rice cake
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
Caitlin says
One of my kids favorite snacks is “Kid Coffee” (a glass of milk with a splash of coffee creamer and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top)with a piece of toast with Sunbutter.
Ashley says
Nuts and Bolts! that’s a fav. christmas treat for me! i just called my mom the other day ahd she was in the middle of making them! it’s a recipe u can pretty much add anything u want extra to.
preheat oven to 300 degrees
~start by melting 2 cups of butter (gage on size of pot you are using. use less for a smaller pot)
~ 1/4 Cup Whorchester sauce
~1 Tbs onion salt
~ 1Tbs lemon juice or lime juice (opt)
~ 1 tsp Chili powder (opt)
~ 1 tsp celery salt (opt)
(you can play with your flavor and pretty much put what you want in it. these are just some of the things my mom puts in hers)
~ boil until it becomes frothy then use a spatula and poor it onto
your mixture of nuts and bolts. things you can use for that are:
~ pretzels (on the bottom so they don’t soak up the butter)
~ cheerios
~ any kind of nuts you would like to add (and i just thought aboout R and his peanut allergy… of course u wouldn’t add peanuts for him but he’s ok with other nuts right??)
~ cheez its
~ chex
~ bugles (do we have those here in the states??)
~ and pretty much anything else u wanna add…
when pooring on the butter mix (have nuts and bolts ready to be poored on in an oven safe pot with a lid) make sure it’s getting onto everything and use spatula to scrap off the bottom then SHAKE the mix REALLY well. put into oven at 300 for 1hr – 1 1/2 hrs shaking every 15 min. you can tell it is ready when shakes easily it’s done, meaning it’s dryed out.
SO good!
Cara says
I love caramel corn! I am going to make some homemade caramel corn this weekend!