Most recipes for the mix that I have known are all similar. I think my mom called it Chex mix when I was younger – which makes sense. Cyndy’s mom’s recipe calls it Texas Nibbles. It consists of three kinds of Chex cereal, Cheerios, Kix, pretzel sticks, and mixed nuts. And spices, but you’re on your own there – I’m not allowed to give that away.
Cyndy usually makes two batches each year. The first batch sits on the stove and we all eat on it for days. The second batch gets divvied up and put in plastic bags for each of us.
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Pardon my absence there for a bit, I couldn’t write about the mix without going in and having some. Besides, it’s research for the post.
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Each year I have observed different people eating the mix. But that’s all I did. This year I decided to name and describe the methods for eating the mix.
The Scoop Method – This is the care-free, take what you get, style of grabbing a bowl and haphazardly scooping up a bowl full. The ratio of ingredients is torn asunder. Then they just randomly eat some until they can just shake some into their mouths. This could actually be hazardous if they don’t keep an eye out for the pretzel sticks.
The Handful Method – This method is similar to the scoop method. However, the handful people pick the pretzel sticks out first to eliminate the hazard. But then they still throw caution to the wind as to the ingredient ratio and funnel it into their mouths.
The Handful But Picky Method – As you would expect it is similar to the handful method. They still eliminate the pretzel stick situation. But then they eat the rest in order of favorite ingredients – all of the Cheerios, then all of the Kix, all of the Chex, and so on, ending with their “best” ingredient.
The Selfish Picky Method – This type stands over the mix and picks out all of their favorite ingredients, leaving the ones they don’t like as much. Such as eating all of the nuts and the pretzels, leaving the rest. Which renders the ratio of ingredients unrepairable for everyone else.
The Handful But Reasonable Method – This is of course my type of eating the mix, which naturally makes the most sense. I too have a few pretzels first to eliminate the hazard, and have a nut or two. Then I get a proper ratio of the rest of the ingredients. I pick out the same number of each cereal each time until I grow weary and dump the rest in my mouth – staying true to the ratio theory.
Sporadically, I will throw caution to the wind and just randomly grab a handful of mix and funnel it gradually into my mouth. Then I try to not think about it and go back to whatever I was doing when I stopped for mix. And that works for a couple of minutes. Inevitably though, I give up, and go back to do the process right to make me feel better.
Most of you have eaten from a snack mix, whether it be a bag of mix from the store, or a homemade mix like I’m referring to. What is your preferred method of eating from a mix? And also, what habits of other people irritate you at a get together or party? Inquiring minds want to know.
Peace be with you.
