Nuts and Bolts

Tomorrow we are going over to Joe's aunt and uncle's house for an after Christmas get together.  I volunteered to bring an appetizer, but we have had so many different dips lately that I thought something munchy would be better. Somehow I remembered the amazing Nuts and Bolts that my Grandma Eisele used to make around the holidays.  Luckily one afternoon before she passed away I was at her house and asked how she made it.  I quickly wrote everything down...ON A NAPKIN.

Yesterday I pulled out my trusty napkin and began to prepare a grocery list.

6 TBS butter
2 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 C Corn Chex
2 C Rice Chex
2 C Wheat Chex
2 C Cheerios
1 C cashews
1 C bite sized pretzels
1 C garlic flavored bite sized bagel chips

After I returned from the grocery store, I realized that it is quite simple to make...
First you heat the over to 250 degrees.  In an ungreased roasting pan, melt the butter in the oven.

Then stir in the seasonings.  I added the seasonings and then whisked it all together.  Gradually stir in the remaining ingredients until they are evenly coated.

 Bake for one hour, but you need to stir every fifteen minutes.

Spread onto paper towel to cool, and then store in an airtight container.

This stuff is phenomenal! I believe you can find it on the back of any of the Chex Mix boxes (at least that is what my mom said)...however I just find it in my cookbook on the napkin that I wrote it out on four or five years ago.

Giveaways

I have never blogged about a giveaway before, however let's be honest: I am fairly new at this blogging stuff anyway! I do love to read other blogs and sometimes I wonder if my blog is going to stay something that only a few friends check, or if one day I will have people reading about my rants that I have never even met...

It is Christmas Eve and this year I am 1200 miles away from partaking in my normal Christmas Festivities...however I have been spending a lot of time with my in-laws and even my cousin who I don't get to see enough of, so while I feel sad to not be with my parents, I feel very blessed for the time I have with these loved ones!

And speaking of blessings, VeryJane is going to bless three people with some amazing prizes right after the New Year! Check out the deal and enter away! You can have up to 10 entries (and possibly more if you check the giveaway page daily):

https://veryjane.com/giveaway.htm

Good luck!!!

Monica's Eggs

This morning I was feeling ambitious, so I woke up early and made an extra special breakfast. I call it Monica's eggs because my friend Monica made this egg concoction the weekend we all stayed at her apartment in Chicago for my (and Andrea's) bachelorette party. Monica and Andrea grew up calling this breakfast "Mrs. Johnson's eggs" because Mrs. Johnson (whoever this genius of a woman is) was the one who introduced it to them...

Anyway you start by hard boiling eight eggs and cooking the bacon.

I found a blog on Pinterest where she baked her bacon...ummm that is SOOO smart! 400 degrees for 20 minutes...and they're done! I did the bacon for 25 minutes because I wanted it extra crispy.

Then you sauté the onion in some of the bacon grease (I just used the same pot that I hard boiled the eggs in).

Crumble the bacon

Dice the eggs

Add the cream of mushroom soup, and milk and bring to a boil.

Add the cheese, eggs, and bacon

Toast the English muffins and scoop the egg mixture on top.

Enjoy!!

Here is the recipe in review:

1 lb bacon
sm onion (minced) -or less
1 large can (26 oz) cream of mushroom soup
8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
soup can filled with milk
12 oz sharp cheese, shredded
English muffins

Cook bacon. Set aside and let cool until able to crumble.
Use 1/2 t of bacon grease to sauté onion. Drain.
Add soup and milk. Heat to boiling and then add cheese. Add chopped eggs and crumbled bacon. Stir and simmer.
Heat English muffins in broiler or toast in toaster.
Pour hot sauce over muffins and serve.

Sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Best if warmed up on the stove rather than microwaved.