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Nuts and Bolts

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Snacks" by Perre Coleman Magness


Recipe Introduction

"I suppose everyone has a recipe for this snack mix, but this one is based on my family's favorite version, and it is a time-honored snack for my clan. My grandmother loved this, and in the waning years of her life, her lovely home helpers would make batches from the many handwritten recipe cards taped inside her kitchen cabinets. I make a batch every Christmas and give my brother a tin that is meant to be his own secret stash. I don't think he'd talk to me anymore if I stopped doing it. Package sizes have changed over the years, so I've had to adapt a little, but the essence is still there."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 (2-ounce) bottle Tabasco sauce
â—¦ 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ 1 (12-ounce) box corn Chex cereal
â—¦ 1 (14-ounce) box wheat Chex cereal
â—¦ 1 (9-ounce) bag oyster crackers
â—¦ 1 (16-ounce) bag pretzel sticks
â—¦ 1 (15.25-ounce) can deluxe mixed nuts (no peanuts)
â—¦ 1 (14-ounce) can roasted cashew halves and pieces


Recipe

Melt the butter, Tabasco, and Worcestershire together in a saucepan.

Mix the cereals, crackers, and pretzel sticks together in a large, deep roasting pan or on two deep-rimmed baking sheets. I like to snap the pretzel sticks in half to make them easier to eat. Toss everything together with your hands, then pour over all but ½ cup of the melted butter and stir to coat everything well.

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Cook the mix for 1 hour, then add the nuts and the remaining ½ cup butter and stir to combine. Continue cooking for a further 4 hours, stirring well about every 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. The nuts and bolts can be kept in an airtight container for 2 weeks or can be frozen for 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Makes a huge amount