Italian Parmesan Party Mix

Make ahead crunchy, salty, savory Italian Parmesan Party Mix bursting with Italian flavor in each cashew, pretzel, chex bite!  This will become your new, easy go-to party snack that everyone will beg you to make!

Oh Italian Party Mix, oh how I love thee, let me count the ways…

roasted, salted cashews…

salted mini pretzels…

crispy Crispix and hearty wheat chex…

cheesy Cheez It Grooves…

butterscotch chips (optional) explained later…

Parmesan cheese…

Herb Butter Sauce….

ALL together.

This Italian Parmesan Party Mix is a compilation of some of my favorite snacks and cereals (Crispix and Wheat Chex are seriously all I buy) in one delightfully fulfilling, texture and flavor packed handful.  Each component is delectable all on its own, and together, smothered in Herb Butter Sauce, they are rave-worthy addictive.

What I especially love about this Italian Parmesan Party Mix is that you can make it ahead of time and it tastes even better the next day, and keeps great for up to a week!  No stressing out about what to bring or bustling around the kitchen for a last minute snack or appetizer.  Also, you are using mostly partial bags of ingredients – pretzels, cereal, etc. so you have everything on hand to make it again and for this Italian Chex Party Mix to be raved about by everyone’s can’t-stop-eating-mouths.  But just be warned, you might need to hide this Party Mix from yourself if you make it in advance because it’s undeniable crunchy deliciousness will call to you, nay, scream to you from whatever dark corner you have hid it to save for later.  Good luck.

To make this easy, perfect for Game Day appetizer, first whisk up your Herb Butter Sauce.  It’s a simple mixture of melted butter, olive oil, dashes of balsamic, Worcestershire Sauce and plenty of Italian dried seasonings such as basil, garlic, onion and oregano.   Drizzle this all over your Party Mix and toss to evenly coat then bake for an hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to make sure the mixture evenly cooks.

Next, all that’s left is to sprinkle every last inch of Italian Party Mix with Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.

But then, really all that’s left is to eat…. And eat.  And eat.  And sit back and enjoy the buttery, Italian herb, Parmesan coated Party Mix.  It salty, crunchiness might just be enough to make your loved ones care less about the outcome of the Big Game and more about who get’s the last fulfilling morsel.

 One can hope?

Now, I have to explain the butterscotch chips addition that might sound a little crazy.  The Italian Parmesan Party Mix is incredible without them, but I personally love the buttery sweetness juxtaposed with the saltiness.  I got the idea from a Cajun trail mix I like that also boasts butterscotch chips.  They are my favorite part.  So take it or leave it, or try adding some chips and see if you like the salty mix gone sweet and salty.  I think you will.  Now its time to paaaaaaaartay!  And when I say party, I of course, mean eat LOTS.

Want to try this Italian Parmesan Party Mix?

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

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Italian Parmesan Party Mix

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Servings

Ingredients

Party Mix

• 4 cups Crispix Cereal (or 2 cups each: Corn Chex, Rice Chex)
• 2 cups Wheat Chex
• 2 cups mini pretzels
• 2 cups roasted salted cashews
• 2 cups Cheez-It Grooves original Cheddar (may sub traditional Cheez-Its)

Herb Butter Sauce

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, garlic salt, dried basil
• 1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cheese

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Optional

• 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips (see my opinion in the post)

Servings Ingredients Party Mix 4 cups Crispix Cereal (or 2 cups each: Corn Chex, Rice Chex) 2 cups Wheat Chex 2 cups mini pretzels 2 cups roasted salted cashews 2 cups Cheez-It Grooves original Cheddar (may sub traditional Cheez-Its) Herb Butter Sauce 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, garlic salt, dried basil 1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Optional 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips (see my opinion in the post)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add all Party Mix ingredients to baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the Herb Butter Sauce ingredients then evenly pour over Party Mix. Toss until Party Mix is evenly coated. Spread mix out into an even layer.
3. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Toss until evenly coated. Let Party Mix cool completely (cereal will crisp as it cools). Toss with butterscotch chips if desired (you can sample some mix with the butterscotch chips to see if you want to add them to the whole thing).
5. Store in an airtight container for up to three days then refrigerate if desired. (Parmesan does not have to be refrigerated immediately due to its low moisture content.)

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