El Capitan Chex Party Mix

Hey everyone. Richard here with a party snack that is easy to make and sure to be a hit. I’ve been enjoying Chex party mix since I can remember. My grandmother used to make it for us every Christmas. Try some for your next party or as a good crunchy snack to have around the house. Here’s our version of this longtime family favorite recipe…

4 cups Corn Chex cereal
4 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup Wheat Chex cereal
2 cups pretzels
1 cup mixed nuts

6 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp El Capitan Seasoning
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 dashes of Tapatio or your favorite hot sauce

Heat your oven to 250 degrees. Mix the Chex, pretzels, & nuts in a large roasting pan or cookie sheet with sides. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and spices. Coat the Chex mixture evenly with the spiced butter mixture by pouring it on and stirring the mix with a wood spoon or spatula. Bake the mix for 1 hour or until coated pieces are crisp. Stir it every 15 minutes. When done, let the mix cool then store it in an air tight container. When you are ready to serve, place the party mix in a bowl and share it with your friends and family or… scarf it all yourself. Either way, it will disappear quickly.

If you are out of El Cap or running low, you can find more at the Santa Barbara area retailers listed on our website at www.sbspice.com.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones from us at Santa Barbara Spice Company!

The Finest Ingredients

When we started Santa Barbara Spice Company we knew we had to make the purest, most delicious seasoning blends possible. The only way to do that is to be very select about ingredients. We use the best salt, herbs, spices and vegetables available domestically and import wild-crafted spices from India. This commitment to artisan quality brings you the most delicious ALL NATURAL seasoning blend and grilling rub you’ve ever tasted!

Using wild-crafted spices means families in India harvest from plants in their natural habitat, often from pristine areas. Wildcrafting is a sustainable practice of harvesting from the wild with respect, making sure the plant itself is not stressed and remains healthy and strong. Wildcrafting is done at the optimal time of harvest and allows for habitat protection for future generations.

These superior ingredients combine to bring delicious flavor to your family’s food. El Capitan is All NATURAL and the perfect all purpose blend to keep in your kitchen.

El Capitan Seasoning makes a perfect gift!

For locations you can buy El Cap, just visit www.SBSpice.com.

When I Walk Into My Kitchen Today

"When I walk into my kitchen today, I am not alone. Whether we know it or not, none of us is. We bring fathers and mothers and kitchen tables, and every meal we've ever eaten. Food is never just food. It's also a way of getting at something else: who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be." ~ Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life

Stretch your Food Budget by Grilling!

Everyone is watching their budget these days. Interest in saving money and finding value are driving consumer food sales. In this tight economy it’s no surprise that a full 71% of American families are planning on using leftovers in their weekly menu. Here’s a great tip on how to save money; when you fire up your grill, plan on putting some extra meat or vegetables on to cook for flavorful, healthful leftovers!

Grilled and roasted meats and vegetables make perfect leftovers and will add delicious flavor to your favorite dishes. We use El Capitan Seasoning for grilling (www.SBSpice.com) and the flavor it gives leftover grilled foods is wonderful! For example, roasted red bell peppers and green chilies from the grill will keep in the fridge for several days and taste incredible sliced on a sandwich or diced in eggs.

One meal made with leftover grilled food that’s VERY popular in our house is enchiladas. They’re easy to make and delicious! Here's how:

• Soften a corn tortilla by quick-frying it in canola oil and transferring it to a small plate for rolling.
• Start with thin slices of your leftover grilled meat and a little cheese. From here you can add whatever you have and would like to use! Some ideas for grilled fillings include onions, green chilies and red peppers. Add a little salsa or hot sauce to taste.
• Roll up each enchilada and arrange them in a baking dish on top of a little enchilada sauce with the rolled seam down. (If your enchiladas won’t stay rolled, try a broken piece of spaghetti to skewer it together. Safer than a toothpick!)
• When all the enchiladas are made, top with sauce and a little cheese and you’re done!
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Uncover for about 10 minutes to finish, or until lightly browned and bubbly.

We like to serve this dish with some rice and fresh sliced tomato from the garden. Adding some homemade beans makes it a hearty meal.

Planning ahead a little with your food menu like this will not only save your family money, it will give you delicious food to cook with. So, next time you fire up your grill, grab your El Capitan Seasoning and cook up some extra food for delicious leftovers!