Chex Mix or Tijuana Tidbits?  You either love em’ or your hate em’ or you start munching on em’ and can’t stop.  Either way, party mix gets consumed and that seems to be what the holidays are all about!  AND, the lucky recipient of your TT’s won’t forget you because love and hate are strong emotions.  But really, this recipe is a little bit different.  My mom claims that Tijuana Tidbits are a snack mix that even men like.  I think she is onto something here.  Who knew that men liked em’ hot and sweet?

Tijuana Tidbits Recipe

Makes 18 cups

Ingredients:

• 4 cups tortilla chips, broken into 1 1/2” pieces
• 3 cups Crispix cereal
• 1 bag microwave popcorn popped (8-9cups)
• 1, 12 ounce can of mixed cocktail nuts
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 TBSP chili powder
• 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8-1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Preparation:

Heat oven to 250F.

Combine chips, cereal, popcorn, and nuts in large roasting pan. Combine other ingredients in small saucepan, heat to boiling.   Pour over cereal mixture in pan, stirring to coat. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn onto sheet of wax paper to cool.

Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Cookie Recipe:

• 5 cups flour
• 2 cups butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg

Combine ingredients with blender.  Roll up cookie dough in wax paper and place in refrigerator until the day you are ready to bake the cookies.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Roll out 1/4″ thick. Cut into diamonds using a knife (see photo). Bake 12 minutes. Frost and add sprinkles.

Frosting Recipe:

• 1/3 c. butter
• 3 c. powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp. cream or milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• Assorted food coloring & sprinkles

Beat together all ingredients until smooth. Use food coloring and make several different colors of frosting.

Dean Jacob’s Sparkling Sprinkles $4.99 and up