Valentine’s Muddy Buddies

Valentine’s Muddy Buddies

• 10 cups rice Chex, divided
• 1 1/4 cups red candy melts (approx. 8 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate candy melts (approx. 10 oz)
• 3/4 cup dry strawberry cake mix, *heat treated
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 cups Valentine’s M&Ms

Divide Chex mix into two bowls, 5 cups per bowl. Microwave the red candy melts in a microwave safe bowl, in 30 second bursts, stirring each time until just melted. Pour over one bowl of Chex, and gently stir until evenly coated. Measure heat treated cake mix into a gallon size ziplock bag. Pour the red Chex into the bag, seal, and shake to coat. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow the candy melts to set. Repeat the same steps with the white chocolate melts, but this time toss with powdered sugar in the ziplock bag. Spread on a separate cookie sheet and allow the candy melts to set. Combine the white and red Chex and add the M&Ms.

*heat treating the cake mix is necessary to kill any salmonella present in raw flour. Measure the cake mix into a microwave safe bowl (I usually measure a little more than I need– like a cup for this recipe). Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring each time, until the temperature of the dry cake mix reads 165°F on an instant read thermometer.