Valentine Party Mix
WOW, it’s been a long time since I threw a post up on here. My website is over here like “hey, remember me?” If we’re being honest, all of BessieCrocker is. I started this sweet little side hustle during COVID while I was in law school. What started out as a sweet reprieve from studying and the heaviness of the world during that time became one of my favorite things. I’ve always loved cooking and baking, but getting to share that love with so many brought me joy. And inspiration!
In a bittersweet way, my free time has changed pretty drastically since I started BessieCrocker in 2020. I graduated from law school in May 2022, spent an excruciating summer studying and sitting for the bar exam, and started working full time as an attorney in August 2022. It’s been a whirlwind eight months or so, but wow, I feel so lucky. I work with the best people and love my job. I think my only complaint is that I don’t have more time to spend in the kitchen. However, someone very wise recently told me that we make time for what we want to make time for. So, without making empty promises to anyone (including myself), I’m going to give myself the very loose goal of showing up for Bessie a little more and bringing you all a better glimpse into the baking and cooking that I am doing, even if it’s not as glamorous and picture-perfect as I usually want it to be.
Valentine’s Day is probably my favorite minor holiday. It gets a bad rap by many, but I’ve said on this website before that it doesn’t have to be romanic. While everyday should be Valentine’s Day in the sense that we should tell other people how much we care about them more often, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a holiday dedicated to pink, roses, and chocolates. A great way to show people you care is with a thoughtful treat, and this snackmix does the trick. My mother-in-law makes a version of this around Christmas that she calls “sweet party mix,” so this treat is an ode to her. I mix it up a little bit with some unexpected additions, like my favorite Annie’s Organic Neapolitan Bunny Grahams that my friend, Nicole, introduced me to during law school, and it is the perfect mix of goodies that isn’t horrible for you. Make a batch and bring to someone you love!
VALENTINE SNACK MIX
Makes about 8 treat bag sized servings
6 cups rice Chex cereal
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup Annie’s Organic Neapolitan Bunny Grahams
1 cup Valentine colored M&M candies
2 tablespoons Valentine sprinkles
1 bag white chocolate chips (I love Gharadelli brand)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Make a double boiler on the stove by filling a heavy bottom pot with water and placing a glass bowl on top. Bring water to a boil. Pour the bag of white chocolate and the vegetable oil into the bowl and stir until melted. Be careful not to let the choclate burn— you want to watch this pretty closely!
In a large glass bowl, mix together the chex, marshmallows, and bunnies. Pour the white chocolate over the top, stirring until well combined.
Pour the chex mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the M&Ms and the sprinkles on top. Let cool.
Break into pieces and enjoy yourself or distribute into treat bags and share with friends and lovers.
