I'm so Chexcited!

 I was so Chexcited about getting a care package from Mom that I was tracking it with Parcel, a great iPhone app that lets you follow the trail of parcels you send and/or receive. After Mom mailed it from Louisville, Ky., Nov. 22, she gave me the tracking number. Using the app, I knew it was in Chicago the next day; reached the UK International Hub on Thanksgiving Day; and on to the Oxford Depot Friday. So I knew that Mark (or somebody with Parcel Force) would bring what I had dubbed "Chex box" on Friday.

I couldn't wait for the package because I wanted to make Chex Party Mix so much! I even measured out the rest of the ingredients, got out the roasting pan, and I had the 1-cup measurer lying on the counter in wait — let's get this Chex Mix party started, right? I had a loaf of Pumpkin Bread from Thanksgiving enrobed in foil and tied with raffia at the door for whoever brought my treasure box. Finally, Mark came about 5 p.m. and as soon as we gladly exchanged our packages, I was off to mix my cereal squares together for the first official holiday batch of glorious Chex Mix. Yes, I love it that much. It's — yes, I'm going to say it — Chextreme how much I love it.

We were nibbling on it as it dried on paper towels. We snacked on it later while we watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" on the ol' VCR. We must have had it for breakfast too because it is gone! And there are only two of us eating it. This madness must stop! But it's Chriiiiiiiistmas!! So, I made another batch and we will have to just go easy on it, I told my son.

I was tempted to finish up the cereals and make another batch but I thought it would last longer if I didn't. I did, however, measure out all the dry ingredients, with seasonings separate, so I can whip up a batch as soon as is necessary!

I found some great snowflake-shaped pretzels at Sainsbury's and I used pecans and cashews. I also add a 1/4 teaspoon of celery salt to mine, as was traditional when my Grandma Baker made it when I was a kid. She also used Cheerios and called it "Nuts and Bolts." Lisa and I used to add Bugles but I don't anymore.

I have always complained that the three boxes of cereal should be the same size (or at the least, do a special promo for Christmas). You can just about get three batches out of three boxes but the wheat is always light. That's nine cups each, but you only get seven cups of wheat. So, I make one regular batch, then the next two have two cups of wheat each, and an extra cup of corn/rice to make up for the loss. I know I'll get one more care package from Mom before Christmas. And it will have three boxes of Chex cereal in it. But next year, I'm going to start with four (an extra wheat), so I have enough wheat to make every batch Chexceptional.