Going Nuts?
As we navigate this year, learning how to act and survive during a pandemic, I ask are we going nuts yet? It’s a bizarre year for sure. I have ventured to the grocery store at the same time as the sun rising, becoming panicked when I thought that I lost my ‘car’ sanitizer and disrobed at my front door after a trip out during the early stages of this pandemic. All this has happened while at the same time, I learned even more than ever how grateful I am for the friends and family I have, that I can continue working through this, and of course, having pups who greet me with the greatest amount of joy in the world when I walk through the door. Do you think people ever get excited about anything the way dogs do when their ‘people’ come home?
Regardless, I find myself searching for the traditions of years gone by as this Christmas season offers unconventional celebrations with friends over Zoom versus the gathering at the pub one last time before the holidays and families apart for the safety of each other. We are doing this to stay safe so that we can hug a little tighter, laugh a little louder and celebrate with reckless abandon.
I share with you an old classic to bring you snacking comfort. Throw on your jogging pants, in case you weren’t in them already, and take time to enjoy the flavours of this season.
NUTS + BOLTS
1/2-3/4 box Cheerios
1/2-3/4 box Shreddies
1/2-3/4 bag of pretzels
1/2 - 1 pound peanuts
1 lb butter
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp worchestire
STEP 1 - Set oven to 200˚.
STEP 2 - Place cheerios, shreddies, pretzels and peanuts in a large, oven safe pan. (I usually buy a large aluminum roasting pan so that it's deep enough to turn the ingredients throughout the cooking process.) Stir to mix.
STEP 3 - Place butter, garlic salt and worchestire into a small saucepan. Heat at medium temperature to melt butter completely. Stir to mix.
STEP 4 - Pour butter mixture over your cereal mixture. Toss/mix to coat as best as possible. Don't go crazy over this as you will be continuously tossing throughout the cooking process. Place in oven. Bake at 200˚ for 2 hours tossing every 20-30 minutes. You are coating all the ingredients to get the flavour through the mixture.
STEP 5 - Store in a metal tin. These will be your holiday superpower. Great for snacking on and for the salty break from the sweets amongst the holiday treats.
GIFT IDEA
Buy mason jars and fill with Nuts and Bolts. Tie a festive ribbon around so that they are ready as a small gift.
