Thanks for all of your concern, comments and emails regarding yesterdays post.  If I have prevented just one person from drinking and driving, my PSA will have been worth it. šŸ˜€

I had some good eats yesterday – I love making hash in the morning.  It’s filling, looks like a lot of food (especially when you use a whole zucchini!) and paired with some fruit its a winning combo.

Yesterday I had a potato, zucchini egg hash with blackberries on the side.  (still haven’t put them in eTools yet!)

It was super busy at work yesterday – my boss goes back to trial on Monday, and knowing I have Monday and Tuesday off I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything to the other secretaries that would cover my desk when I am gone.  Yep, I am that kinda employee. šŸ˜€

Lunch was leftover crockput buffalo chicken chili.  Pure comfort on a cold day.

Growing up my Aunt Martha made the best Chex Mix, and still does to this day.  I always knew it as Chex Mix, however Tony grew up with it being called nuts and bolts.  His friends Mom’s version, which is his favorite, which had the addition of Cheerios with the pretzel sticks.  Neither one of us ever had bagel chips either.

Either way, we both think it is crack.  I used to spend an hour baking a batch of Chex mix, stirring every 15 minutes.  My Aunt Martha always microwaved hers.  So when I went on line to pull off the Chex mix recipe, their recipe now calls for microwaving for 6 minutes total, stirring every 2 minutes.  How easy is that?

I have a big plastic Tupperware bowl (in the olden days it was called Thatsa Bowl!).  It was big enough to hold all the Chex mix and still allow me to stir without spilling it all over the floor.  The first two batches cooked up wonderfully – once cooled you would never know it was baked in the oven.

My step-son Joe, lover of all things cinnamon, is getting a special batch of Chex Mix.

Cinnamon White Chocolate Chip Chex Mix

  • 3 cups corn chex
  • 3 cups rice chex
  • (Joe hates wheat chex, so he never gets it in his batch)
  • 3 cups Cherrios
  • (no nuts for Joe’s either)
  • 1.5 cups pretzel sticks
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup of white chocolate chips

Now here is where I went wrong.  Because of the sugar, even though I stirred it every two minutes, the sugar started to carmelize, and actually burned a hole in the bottom of my bowl and burnt the Chex mix.  So for this recipe, you have to bake on a baking sheet.  Pretty sure no one wants burnt Chex mix!

Directions:

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl.  Add sugar and cinnamon and mix well.  In a large bowl, add all remaining ingredients except white chocolate chips.  Mix sugar cinnamon mixture with cereal and put on a baking sheet.  Bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Cool on paper towels.  When completely cooled, toss in white chocolate chips.

This looks much better!

I went to WW this morning – the clock on the bank on the way there said 11 degrees!  I gained, not gonna talk about it, and just move on.  I did get the new PointsPlus 2012 materials, still not sure I understand it so hope to have some time today to check it out.

I have to give a shout out to my blog friend Ty – she’s a military wife, going through some personal things – I like to think of myself as her blog momma.  She has since made her blog private, but I wanted to thank her for the BBQ loot she sent me earlier this week.  Cannot wait for BBQ season (which in Chicago, is anything above 40 degrees in my book!)

Tony went to get his blood drawn while I was at WW.  We are just waiting for the results to see what the next step is before surgery Monday.

I have cookies in the oven and then I’ll be able to ship out my holiday boxes to my brother, sister, parents-in-law and my Aunt Martha and Uncle Dave.  Bizzy!

Enjoy your Saturday and I hope its warmer where you are!

Hugs!