T.V. Hash, Chex Mix, Party Mix, Snack Mix, Nuts and Bolts: Whatever you call it, it is a holiday classic. As long as I can remember -starting in childhood and on into my own household- limitless quantities of t.v. hash have been available from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. We eat so much of it that we don’t want to see another little rice, corn or wheat square for another 10 months. Then the cold wind blows and the holidays begin and a primal urge for salty, crunchy and buttery takes hold.
Our favorite version makes a huge amount. It’ll feed a crowd at a party or provide snacks for a large family (read: my size family or five hollow-legged boys) for a few days. Fiesta Foodie T.V. Hash combines taco and Ranch flavors. In our house that’s always a winning combination.
Time Required For Project:
The prep time for making Fiesta Foodie T.V. Hash is about 5 minutes, give or take a bathroom break. The baking time is about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It can be served warm out of the oven or cooled completely and packed into decorative bags or jars for gift giving.
The Cost Breakdown:
I’m warning you now. My recipe is not for those with the appetites of birds. This makes a roaster pan full -and I do mean full- of t.v. hash. Plenty to eat and give! We usually fill a couple sandwich bags and put those in a decorated paper bag tied with a ribbon. The kids decorate the bags with crayons and markers. But if you were crafty you could make very elegant designs -á la Martha Stewart- on the bags.
$7.50 3 (12.8oz or thereabouts) boxes of Corn Chex on sale (or the generic equivalent, hint hint…)
$1.00 1/2 of a bag of thin pretzel sticks (save the other half for another batch. You may make more!)
$1.75 3 sticks of unsalted butter
$1.50 1 packet of Fiesta Ranch dip mix
$0.75 1 packet of taco seasoning mix, any brand
$0.75 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
$1.00 50 sandwich bags (Can I hear an ‘Amen’ for the Dollar Store?)
$1.00 50 paper lunch bags (And a second ‘Amen’?)
$15.25 Yields about 50 cups of Fiesta Foodie T.V. Hash.
“Homemade Vs. Purchased” Price Comparison:
$15.25 for 50 cups of Fiesta Foodie T.V. Hash, all dolled up and ready to give as gifts.
$28.10 for 44 cups of Traditional or Bold Chex Mix in the bag from the store.
Fiesta Foodie T.V. Hash
3 sticks Unsalted Butter
1 Packet Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
3 (12.8 ounce or thereabouts) Corn Chex or the generic equivalent
1/2 a bag of thin pretzel sticks
Preheat your oven to 250°F. Place a large roaster pan on two burners on your stove over low heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Mix in the taco seasoning, Fiesta Ranch mix and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined. Pour in the contents of one box of Chex and stir until evenly coated. Repeat with remaining Chex, one box at a time, until all of the cereal has been added and evenly coated. Add the pretzels and stir from the bottom of the pan up to coat the pretzels with the seasoned butter.
Place roaster pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring from the bottom up every 20 minutes. Remove pan when time is up and eat warm or cool completely to package for gift giving. Enjoy!
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