Please Pass the Party Mix

 I've talked about my grandmother many times on this blog.  If you haven't read any of those posts, just know that she is absolutely my favorite person on the planet.  She is the coolest, kindest, most wonderful woman, and she inspires me on a daily basis.


She also happens to be the person who introduced me to Chex Party Mix, or as I simply call it, "Party Mix."  (no Chex!)  When we would visit her for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, she would always have a huge batch waiting for us upon our arrival.  It was always stored in a BIG yellow tupperware bowl, circa 1970.  She kept it in the laundry room, so it was easy to sneak in, grab a handful, and mysteriously, the amount of party mix would decrease.  I was usually too stuffed from eating party mix to fully enjoy the wonderful Thanksgiving meal.  (NOTE:  this picture with the two of us was taken at her house in Atlanta, about 1993?  I think I might have made that pie, I look awfully proud?)


Fast forward a whole bunch of years.  Grandma has since moved out of her Atlanta house and into a Catholic retirement home in St. Louis. When she moved out, she invited me to come take things from her house.  I took that yellow tupperware bowl.  And, every year since, I've made party mix on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  To me, it screams holiday, and it reminds me of all the great Grandma times I've had in my life.

You can see here, the cast of characters, including the famous yellow bowl:

 

Here is that gorgeous yellow bowl, all on its own.  I'm sure the special plastic makes the goods taste better?

(Fill me please!!!)

 This is the batch getting ready to bake.  I don't use pretzels or peanuts.  One, I don't like peanuts, and two, everyone just brushes the pretzels aside, so forget them.

After baking for a magical hour, into the bowl it goes, and Voila!!!

 It is now OFFICIALLY the holiday season folks. 

Thanks Grandma.