Caramel Snack Mix

This one didn't go as easy as I had planned when I made it the first time... I kept letting it cook longer and longer, thinking that it wasn't quite done and by the time that I tried to taste it, I about broke a tooth off!! So, definitely don't let this one overcook or you will be seeing your dentist a little earlier then you had planned!! I did continue to snack on the hard as rock snack mix, that's how good it was, so I had to make another batch for my bunco girls... Definitely didn't want the night ending with me paying for THEIR dentist bill!! The second go round I baked it for only 45 minutes and it tasted TO DIE FOR!!! It was so yummy that I couldn't stop eating it... I will definitely be making this one again, sooner then later! I added m&m's to the first batch at the beginning and that didn't turn out to be such a great idea. They started to disintegrate and fall apart, melt - basically what you would expect m&m's to do in an oven... Whoops! So, the next go round I added them at the end of the baking time and that worked much better!!

Caramel Snack Mix
(recipe found on pinterest via wallflourgirl.com)

5 cups chex cereal
1-2 cups of other mix-ins (I used pecans that I had on hand and threw in m&m's after baking)
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250. Line a cookie sheet with lightly-greased foil. Toss together cereal and mix-ins on lined cookie sheet. (I would leave anything too chocolatey until later or it will melt and make a huge, non appetizing looking mess! Set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, heat up butter until melted. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 4 minutes without stirring. Turn off burner and remove pot from heat.
Stir in baking soda, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour caramel mixture evenly over cereal mixture, taking care to coat cereal thoroughly. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring cereal every 15 minutes to get an even crunch. Your mix will be ready to take out from the oven when the cereal begins to feel crispy but has not completely hardened. Allow to cool completely before serving.