Recipes with Julie Van Rosendaal: Snack mixes for your holiday parties

'Tis the season for sweet and salty snacks.

Cereal, cracker and pretzel-based party mixes of all kinds have been holiday staples since a recipe first appeared on the back of Chex cereal boxes in the 1950s.

This year, as snack mix makers shop for the requisite salty, crunchy bits and bites to make their roasting pan-sized batches of Chex mix, nuts & bolts or reindeer chow, many are noticing the absence of a key ingredient — Bugles.

It was recently announced that the fingertip-sized, corn-based cones would be discontinued in Canada. While there are plenty of calls for their return, it's safe to say they won't be back in time for the holidays.

There is a Korean version you may come across, and those seeking a similar flavour profile might find those ribbon-shaped Old Dutch corn chips a good fit.

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Though popular recipes often call for Chex, Shreddies, pretzels, nuts and tiny cheesy crackers like Cheese Nips or Goldfish, you are in control of what goes into your enormous bowl or roasting pan.

This week on the Calgary Eyeopener, we spoke about a few snack recipes to get you started — and if you happen to find some of the few remaining bags of Bugles out there, lucky you! Just add them to the mix.

Chaat Snack Mix

This is an Indian-inspired snack mix, and it uses lots of delicious spices and ingredients for a crunchy, salty handful of goodies.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup ghee, coconut oil, vegetable oil or butter
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• a few curry leaves (optional)
• 2 cups rice or corn Chex or Crispix cereal
• 2 cups puffed rice
• 1 cup cashews and/or peanuts
• ½ cup crispy fried lentils (optional)
• 2-3 tsp chaat masala
• 1-2 tsp turmeric
• pinch cayenne (optional)
• salt, to taste
• a handful of Old Dutch Rip-L chips or Hickory Sticks

Preheat the oven to 300 F.

Set a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and warm up the ghee, coconut oil or vegetable oil.

Add the mustard seeds and cumin seed and crumble in a few curry leaves (or toss in a few fresh ones).

Cook for a minute or two, until the seeds start to sizzle and pop, and then stir in the cereals, nuts and lentils (if you're using them), stirring to coat. Shake over the chaat masala and turmeric along with a pinch of cayenne, if you'd like some heat, and salt to taste.

Stir to coat and transfer to the oven.

Bake, stirring once or twice, for about 20 minutes, or until golden.

Remove from the oven and crumble in a big handful of Rip-L chips or Hickory Sticks.

Serves: About 8.

LISTEN | Julie Van Rosendaal describes her ideas for a great holiday snack mix:

Classic Party Mix

Though Chex is often the main cereal in a snack mix — it's light, crunchy and airy, and takes on flavours well — any combination of crunchy, snacky things can make the cut.

Dig into your pantry for cereal (Cheerios, Chex, Shreddies), little crackers, pretzels, bagel chips, nuts, popcorn, corn chips, sesame sticks, Goldfish crackers, Hawkins Cheezies … anything goes!

Measurements are flexible, too. Aim for 6 to 8 cups cereal per ½ cup of butter.

If you'd like a sweet-savoury mix, add about ¼ cup honey or sugar to your melted butter mixture.

For a plant-based mix, substitute about 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tsp miso for the Worcestershire sauce and use plant-based snacks.

Ingredients

• 2 heaping cups rice or corn (or even honey-nut) Chex or Crispix cereal
• 1 heaping cup Shreddies or Cheerios
• 1 heaping cup pretzel sticks or twists
• 1 heaping cup corn chips or Bugles
• 1 heaping cup sesame sticks
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• ½ cup butter (plant-based works fine, too)
• 2-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp seasoning salt (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp garlic and/or onion powder (or more, to taste)
• 1 bag Hawkins Cheezies (optional)

Preheat your oven to 275 F.

In a large bowl, combine your cereals, pretzels, chips, crackers, sesame sticks, nuts and whatever else you like (I stir the Cheezies in after the mix has baked, but feel free to stir them in, too).

Melt your butter and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic and onion powder.

Pour over your cereal mixture and toss to coat everything well.

Spread the mixture out on a large, rimmed, baking sheet (some people like using a big roasting pan) and bake for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring a few times, until golden.

Stir in your Cheezies, if you're using them.

Makes lots.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Snack Mix

Chocolate and peanut butter-coated Chex is also known as reindeer chow, but again, anything goes in this mix. 

Choose crunchy, airy, sweet and salty things that pair well with chocolate and peanut butter (which is, of course, everything).

If you like, serve in individual paper cups or muffin papers.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rice or corn Chex or Crispix cereal
• 2-3 cups popcorn twists
• 2 heaping cups pretzel sticks or twists
• 1 heaping cup tiny peanut butter Ritz sandwiches
• 1½ cups chocolate chips 
• ¾ cup peanut butter
• icing sugar, for coating

Combine all your cereal, popcorn twists, pretzels, mini Ritz sandwiches or whatever you'd like to coat with chocolate in a large bowl.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter, stirring until smooth (you can also do this over low heat on the stovetop).

Pour over the cereal mixture and stir to coat everything well.

Let it cool slightly, and then shake icing sugar overtop (I do this through a sieve, to prevent lumps) — add enough to lightly coat, which will make the pieces a bit more finger-friendly.

Makes lots!