Brown Butter Chex Mix

Hi there! Hope your December is going wonderfully. Us? Well we’re looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ with my family next week, and are enjoying lots of traditions along the way. Here’s a snapshot from our church service last week:

I seriously think I’ve gained 5 pounds the last 5 weeks with all the baking/cooking/partying we’ve been doing. I’m a little scared to stand on the scale. I remember a few years back I lost about 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Oh, to have that will power again!

Anyway, on that note, I created a new recipe just for you- Brown Butter Chex Mix. I had never browned butter before (although I did try my hand- and failed- at making ghee) but suddenly this is what I had to have! Good news: browning butter is easy!

Put six tablespoons of butter in large pan over medium heat….

… and melt it.

Watch for the color to become brown and the butter to take on a “nutty” fragrance. There will be little brown bits begin to flake up from the bottom. When it reaches this stage, turn off the heat and add in your seasonings. I used Tony Chachere’s (best stuff EVER!), black pepper, and garlic powder

In a large bowl, mix 6 cups Chex cereal (any variety- I used rice) and 2 cups oyster crackers.

Pour the butter/spice goodness over the cereal mixture.

Mix well to coat all of the cereal.

Pour into a large baking dish. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans if you like. (A side note, this is the last time I’ll ever use this beautiful teal dish. In a debacle involving water all over the kitchen, my husband almost breaking his neck, and a daughter who got in lots of trouble, it met its untimely end.)

Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.