Making Choices

Life is full of 'em. Choices that is.

For instance, tonight I had to decide between making a cake for some notoriously dessert-hungry visitors we're having this weekend (I've been on a bundt cake roll ever since my dear friend Allison bestowed this beautiful cake pan to me!) and writing this post. You can see who won out but don't be fooled into thinking this decision came easily. After all, I know more people appreciate my food over my words - but yet the latter came through victorious.

There are other decisions, too... like which bar cookie recipe I both already have the ingredients for and that preferably requires no mixer (read: very quick and easy). And triple points if the recipe can be prepped simultaneously with said bundt cake (see above reference to impending, famously sweet-toothed visitors - and I don't like to disappoint but then we've talked about my stocking the fridge and cookie jar issue). I think I have a winner but I don't like to put the horse before the cart.

Then more important (heck even monumental) things like the fact that I'm considering a bit of a blog re-design. It should be said that the sole reason I'm sharing this now is that if say, two months down the road this old house still looks the same, you can pester me and say "hey, ding bat, what about the re-design?" But along those same lines, do you know how many choices there are in the world of the interwebs and (shudder) blog templates? I'm obviously not paying someone to do this so unfortunately no fancy graphic design is headed our way (sigh) but I am promising at least a recipe index. Imagine that!

**speaking of choices, if you had a say in the matter, what would you like to see here?

Making this snack mix, though? This is a gimme. Honestly... it's hands-off (since it's made in the slow cooker!) and can be customized using any cereals or crackers you have laying around... and tastes good to boot? I know you're staring at the page in disbelief - even hurriedly scrolling to the recipe to see if I'm serious. As weird as it might seem to dump your Cheez-Its and Chex into the basin of your slow cooker, do it - stir those morsels of tasty goodness around and off you go. You'll never look back. It'll be the best choice you make all day.


Best-Ever Snack Mix (in the slow cooker!)
Adapted from The $7 a Meal Slow Cooker Cookbook

2 c Corn Chex (or other square corn cereal)
2 c Cheez-Its
1 c lightly salted peanuts
1 c walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 c butter, melted
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Pour Corn Chex, Cheez-Its, peanuts and walnuts into the bowl of your slow cooker. Toss to mix.

In a separate small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, butter, and Worcestershire sauce; stir to combine. Pour over the dry ingredients in the slow cooker and mix to evenly coat.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. At this point, uncover your slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour. Then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese; leave the cover off and cook for another 15-20 minutes on high.

Pour mixture onto a rimmed cookie sheet and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container up to a week.

**if I were a betting lady, I'd say this can be adapted to your oven (though I have not tried it) - try baking at 200 degrees for two hours or so, carefully monitoring every few minutes to make sure it doesn't burn; add your Parmesan cheese and turn the oven up to 300 degrees, baking for another 30 minutes