There is a beach my son particularly loved to visit when he was young partly because they had the novelty of a resort area with outdoor dining. You could get all manner of tasty things you would expect at the beach and a few more sophisticated treats. Kids delighted in soft drinks served in fun cups and parents could opt for a “vacation” beverage, but the overall draw for my son was that you could get free cocktail snacks that we called Snick Snacks.
That may have been the real name – who knows, but the fun of filling up a little bowl of salty sweet cereal with nuts and crunchy stuff never got old. Watching the Grackles perch in the trees before making a brave dive to steal a bite was an added bonus. Alas, things change and the old area we remember so well has replaced by grander structures and Snick Snacks are long gone. We were talking about favorite beach experiences the other day and Snick Snacks came up. It gave me an idea. Why not invent a fun Valentine’s Day treat for Richard, with cereal, plus chocolate, coconut, and candy for sweet twist on a fun memory? And so, Valentine’s Snick Snacks were born. The inspiration came from the idea of the infamous “Puppy Chow” that was popular when he was in high school which combined Chex with chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
This new recipe starts with Chex but gets a boost with delicious white chocolate, coconut flakes and Valentine’s M&Ms. (already thinking of Cadbury eggs for Easter). It took about a New York minute to whip this up.
Melt the chocolate – the microwave is fine – pour it over the cereal then stir in coconut (I dyed mine pink just because) and mix in the candy. A pinch of sea salt gave it a tiny pop of flavor. How much fun is that? Packed in a clear cellophane bag and tied with a bow this makes it a sweet little gift that actually says I’m thinking about you so much better than a goofy card. So, whether you think Valentine’s Day is just one of those “Hallmark Holidays” or look for any excuse to celebrate romance, friendship, and family, this is a happy treat that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Make a batch to share. Enjoy!
Ingredients
6 cups Chex corn cereal
2 cups (one bag) good quality white chocolate chips like Ghirardelli
11/2 cups shredded coconut (to dye pink mix in a few drops of red food coloring)
1 package Valentines M&Ms
Optional: Pinch of sea salt
Directions
Pour cereal in a large mixing bowl.
Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl – 30 second intervals in the microwave worked – total 2 minutes.
Pour chocolate over cereal stirring to combine and immediately stir in coconut.
Add M&Ms and a pinch of salt if desired.
Cool and break into small bits.
Seal in airtight bags.
