Nuts And Bolts

I'm not big on snacking but when I do, one of my all time fave snacks is "Nuts And Bolts"! Not the kind you buy in a bag or box or even in the bulk food section of some large grocery stores. I'm talking about the homemade version!

Over the last few months, I've seen a number of comments online about the classic snack "Nuts And Bolts". Some love it. Some hate it. Some just find recipes that call for ingredients and seasonings that just don't mix well and lament the waste of time and money on ingredients.

Wait! You say you don't know what "Nuts And Bolts" are? Well, in some places it is also known as "Party Mix" or "Chex Mix".

Whatever you call it - it is a deliciously addictive snack! Served warm, room temp or straight out of the freezer it is devoured in no time! It is often served with cocktails or other alcoholic beverages but also great with a soda/soft drink or even a glass of ice water!

So, what's in it? Well, that to can vary by region but the basics are a couple of cereals, mini crackers, pretzels, peanuts and seasonings. It's baked in a low/slow oven to allow the added seasonings to be deeply absorbed into the mix for an even better flavour!

Personally? I prefer the following:

Cereals - Cheerios and Shreddies, Both are original versions - that is, they have not had flavours such as honey/sugar coatings, cinnamon or fruits added. Many people also use one or two varieties of Chex cereals such as oat or rice - just don't use a flavoured version like the chocolate or vanilla ones!

Crackers - Cheese Bits or Cheese Nips, Both are made by Christie and add a nice touch to the mix without having an overwhelming flavour or flavour that would not match well with the other ingredients and seasonings.

Pretzels - I prefer the basic lightly salted thin pretzel stick. You could use the small pretzel twists/knots if you choose. Just be sure to break either version in half as they are both a fair bit bigger than the other ingredients. Either way, just avoid all the flavoured ones such as smoked or hickory.

 Peanuts - blanched, salted peanuts work the best. Some people use a mixed nut combination but as those are more expensive and mostly peanuts anyways, why not just use peanuts! As with the other ingredients, avoid flavours such as smoked, hickory, beer or BBQ. A simple salted peanut without skins works best.

Butter or block margarine is your choice. I use block margarine as it is a whole lot cheaper than butter which is important on a tight budget.

Seasonings - A lot of extra flavour comes from the Worcestershire Sauce, The other two seasonings are Garlic POWDER and Onion POWDER. DO NOT USE GARLIC SALT OR ONION SALT!  There is more than enough salt in the other ingredients!

Using specially flavoured ingredients or playing with other spice additions is just a waste of time and money. They won't work with this mix and will result in a nasty flavour that even the squirrels will run from!

The recipe I'm sharing today, is one that has been in my family for over 50 years! I can still remember helping my mom make this when I was a kid. My mom would often make huge batches just to be able to have extra in the freezer. It was amazing how quickly it could disappear! It was a quick and easy snack to pull out of the freezer for when we had unexpected company stop by. It was always a hit at parties! You can also package it up in gift bags for a hostess gift!

By today's standards of snacks this may seem a bit retro but if you make it for when you are having some friends/family over for the evening, to watch a movie or sporting event, believe me when I say that "Nuts And Bolts" will be a big hit! It will disappear in no time!

At the bottom of the recipe, you will find a guide to making larger quantities of this tasty snack!

I hope you enjoy this snack as much as our family has!

Nuts And Bolts

2 cups broken lightly salted pretzel sticks

2 cups blanched, salted peanuts (sans skins)

2 cups shreddies (original)

2 cups cheerios (original)

2 cups cheese bits or cheese nip crackers

1/2 cup butter or block margarine

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon onion powder (NOT SALT)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (NOT SALT)

Combine the first five ingredients in a roaster or dutch oven

Melt the butter/margarine - either in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powders. Mix thoroughly. Pour over the ingredients in the roaster and stir to thoroughly combine and coat the other ingredients.

Place uncovered pan in preheated 200F oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes - stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Note: at the 1 hour 15 minute point, I generally taste a couple of the shreddies. If they are still really soft then I leave the mix in for another 15-20 minutes. At that point the shreddies are usually getting quite firm and will crisp up when cooled.

 Serve warm or cold. Can easily be reheated for later use. This recipe freezes well.

Note that this recipe can easily be multiplied 2, 3 or 4 times if you have a large enough pan. Baking times will take a bit longer depending on size of batch and container used. 

Enjoy!

dn