Spicy Snack Mix for Game Day

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Some may have Christmas party planning in full swing, but I know many others who look forward the most to different sort of gatherings this time of the year– those that involve terms like “quarterback” and “end zone!” Easy game day snacks are always a necessity when tailgating or homegating. I like this Spice Snack Mix because it can be made a few days ahead of time. Plus it is totally portable, making it a great snack for on-the-go. This snack mix isn’t cliché; TABASCO® Sauce adds a bold flavor that enhances the flavor of whatever your favorite ingredients are in this snack mix.

My grandmother used to make a similar mix every year. She would give every family a batch. My husband would always get irked because I would go through and pick out all the elements of the mix that I liked, leaving him with a few sad rice cereal pieces and nuts. TABASCO® Sauce in this Spicy Snack Mix spices up the ingredients while balancing the heat with the salty flavor of each piece in the mix.

TABASCO® Sauce from a local Walmart comes in three different varieties. Choose your favorite variety to add a unique spin to this Spicy Snack Mix or make 3 different batches to try a snack mix with each one! The TABASCO® Brand Red Sauce is made with only aged red peppers, salt, and distilled vinegar. I like that it is gluten free. The TABASCO® Brand Red Sauce is always my top pick for this Spicy Snack Mix. TABASCO® Green Sauce is made with jalapeño peppers, and TABASCO® Chipotle Pepper Sauce is made with smoke-dried jalapeño peppers. Pick up any variety on your next Walmart run, and use this Ibotta offer of $1 off of any 5 oz. or larger bottle through 12/31/18. Click the image below to view more about this offer.

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rice cereal
• 3 cups pretzels
• 2 cups baked cheese snack crackers
• 2 cups mixed nuts
• 1 cup fish shaped cheddar snack crackers
• 1 cup circle cereal
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2-3 tablespoons TABASCO® Sauce in either TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce, TABASCO® Chipotle Pepper Sauce or TABASCO® Green Jalapeño Sauce – Using 2-3 tablespoons is the perfect amount to enhance the flavor of the snack mix without overpowering it.
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (rice cereal, pretzels, nuts, snack crackers, circle cereal). Mix together.

Place the unsalted butter in a large roasting pan. Place the pan into the oven. Allow the butter to fully melt, keeping a close eye on it.

Once the butter has totally melted, pull the pan out of the oven. Add the spices, Worcestershire sauce, and choice of TABASCO® Sauce. Mix with a spoon (in the pan).

Add the bowl of dry ingredients, a little at a time, until they all are mixed in the pan.

Place the pan into the oven. Set the oven timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir the mixture well. Place the pan back into the oven. Continue this pattern of baking for 15 minutes, followed by stirring, until the snack mix has been baking for an hour.

Stirring the mix every 15 minutes is important for a few reasons. It ensures that the ingredients at the top of the pan do not become overdone in comparison to the items at the bottom. Secondly, it allows all of the ingredients to be thoroughly coated with the butter mixture.

After the hour, remove the pan from the oven. Allow the snack mix to cool completely.

Store in an air tight container for 2 to 3 days. Serve on a cute football themed platter with small paper cups to the side for convenience.