Relax With a Snack

Pause to savor the joys of the season.

Kick back a little during the holidays. Our Test Kitchens did a super makeover on a traditional salad dressing-seasoned snack mix, adding dried cherries, mixing up the types of cereals used, and, of course, including chocolate. We hope you enjoy this treat.

Microwave Snack Mix

MAKES 13 CUPS

PREP: 15 MIN., COOL: 30 MIN.

Use a glass bowl when you zap this in the microwave. (Don't use a plastic bowl; we tried it, and the mixture got too hot and could possibly burn.)

2 (1-oz.) envelopes Ranch dressing mix

½ cup vegetable oil

3 cups crisp oatmeal cereal squares

3 cups corn-and-rice cereal

3 cups crisp wheat cereal squares

2 cups pretzel sticks

1 cup dried cherries

1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces

1. Whisk together Ranch dressing mix and ½ cup vegetable oil in a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Stir in oatmeal cereal squares and next 3 ingredients.

2. Microwave mixture at HIGH 2 minutes, and stir well. Microwave at HIGH 2 more minutes, and stir well. Spread mixture in a single layer on wax paper, and let cool 30 minutes. Add cherries and candy pieces. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Quaker Essentials Oatmeal Squares for crisp oatmeal cereal squares, Crispix for corn-and-rice cereal, and Wheat Chex for wheat cereal squares.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mid-Oct 2007
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