Churro Snack Mix

My family can’t keep a straight face when anyone around us mentions churros.  You see, we have this history with them that goes back several years.  On one of our many trips to Mexico, my stepdad decided he wanted to go to the churro stand after dinner and a few *ahem* margaritas.  None of us objected to going to the little stand that fries up fresh churros straight from this cool extractor thing they’ve concocted.  We were more than happy to oblige, in fact.  So where does the joke come in, you ask?  It all has to do with my stepdad’s inability to pronounce the word “churro” correctly.  It seems simple enough, but when he says it, it always comes out “churrismo” with a thick Oklahoma twang on it.  Gotta love it.

Now that I’m a Texas girl (hooray!), I don’t get to spend much time with that part of the family (boo!), so I’ll be missing them tremendously on Cinco de Mayo and again toward the end of the month when they all head down to Mexico.  To console myself, I think I’ll make up a big batch of this churro snack mix.  It’s got all the cinnamony goodness of those fresh churro stand churros I love so much, but without the drive to Mexico.  It all comes together in about 10 minutes and, after an eternity a short drying time, the mix is ready for you and your friends to devour.  It may not be churrismos in Mexico, but it sure is tasty.

Churro Snack Mix
adapted from Brooke McLay via Babble

Ingredients:
9 c. rice Chex cereal
1 c. pretzel pieces

1 c. slivered almonds

1 1/4 c. cinnamon chips (Some stores only carry them seasonally.  You can order them from King Arthur Flour year round.)

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, combine cereal, pretzel pieces, and almonds.

2.  In a double boiler, melt cinnamon chips and butter until smooth.  Drizzle over cereal mixture and stir gently, to combine.

3.  In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.  Sprinkle half the mixture over cereal mixture and stir gently to combine.  Repeat with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

4.  Spread the snack mix onto parchment or wax paper until dry, about 45 minutes.  Will keep, stored in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Yield: 8-10 servings