I like to serve this in a giant bowl with small disposable cups. The cups can scoop up the mixture and are easy to walk around with! It's perfect for baby and bridal showers, birthday parties, football tailgates and everything in between. How to Store

I know what you’re thinking: “ Chex Party Mix? But I can just buy that in bags from the supermarket!” But the truth is, my turkeys, you really, really can’t. Just combine all the cereals, pretzels, chips, and nuts. Separately, melt the butter and add the remaining seasonings. Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients, stir well, and bake on low heat for about an hour. By this point, it’s hard to stop yourself from sneaking a piece or two, so just go for it. Let the party mix cool to room temperature, and then store it in airtight containers or zip-top bags until it’s time to dig in. Chex, of course! I usually grit my teeth and buy all three boxes – corn, rice, and wheat– even though it’s a lot. If you definitely won’t make multiple batches or eat the cereal alone, consider buying just two boxes and make it with those varieties. Salt, garlic powder, onion powder. If you don’t keep onion powder, just sub dried minced onions or leave it out entirely. It’s not essential.Distribute the cereal mixture into one large or two small roasting pans, then drizzle the melted butter mixture over the cereal and toss to coat. A rubber spatula works best here, since you can work it under the edges of the cereal with minimal crushing. You could microwave the whole thing, but I highly recommend baking if at all possible. Low and slow heat yields the best flavor and crunch! After a few folds, cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for an hour at 225 degrees, then remove the foil and bake for another hour, giving the mixture another fold-and-toss every 15 minutes. I follow the original Chex-created recipe, but since I’m a malcontented middle child I’m forced to change things up a bit. For one, I substitute the garlic powder the original recipe calls for with fresh, minced garlic, which really gives the Chex Mix a beautiful roasted garlic flavor. Mmmm. And because I’m really spicy and dangerous, I add in several shakes of Tabasco, which makes an amazing difference in the end.

This recipe is so simple you almost don’t need any tips. But I’ll give you a couple of simple ones, just in case you’re feeling a little nervous.