Julie's Extra Special Holiday Chex Mix

My mix is based on a recipe that my childhood best friend's mother, Mrs. Harper, had for Chex Mix. It became an annual ritual for me to call her to ask for the recipe yet again. :) This mix is so very, very yummy and decadent! Good thing I only make it once a year...

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 14 cups, approx

Ingredients

• Seasoning mix

• 1  lb bacon, slices (approx, up to 1/2 cup drippings) or 1⁄3 cup bacon drippings (approx, up to 1/2 cup drippings)
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  celery salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  Lawry's Seasoned Salt, to taste
• 4  dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste

• The Dry Mix

• 2  cups  dry roasted peanuts
• 1  cup cashew pieces
• 2  cups  pretzels (whatever shape you prefer, but small ones are easier to handle)
• 5  cups  Corn Chex
• 3  cups  Rice Chex
• 1  cup  Wheat Chex
• 2  cups  Cheerios toasted oat cereal
• 1  cup  cheese nips or 1  cup  goldfish crackers

Directions

1. Fry up the bacon until it's nice and crisp. Note: for those who've asked, 1 pound of bacon (in my experience) will yield between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of drippings. It depends on the bacon you use.
2. Then place the cooked bacon in a container and reserve it for another use- it's the leftover drippings you're after!
3. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
4. Melt the butter and bacon drippings together in a saucepan, then stir in the seasonings to make a nice, buttery mix.
5. In a very large bowl, combine the mix ingredients.
6. Gradually stir in the buttery seasoning mix until the dry mix is evenly coated.
7. Spread on cookie sheets and bake for 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes.
8. Spread on paper towels to cool.
9. Store in airtight container.
10. Makes about 14 cups Chex mix snack.