Alex's teacher was getting a new puppy, so we decided to make something special for her to help celebrate. Hmm....new puppy....what to do?
What to do? Make "People Chow", of course! I made a big batch of People Chow (so I would have enough left over for the kids to have an after-school snack, too) and put it in a food-safe cellophane bag, tied with a doggie print ribbon. This was put in an adorable doggie treat canister that I picked up at HomeSense (the Canadian version of HomeGoods) and I added a box of actual doggie treats. It just so happens that teal is Alex's teacher's favorite color (a fact I didn't know until after this present was assembled), so the fact that the doggie treat canister, treat box and gift bag all sported a teal and brown color scheme was absolutely perfect!
Here's the finished product:
Want to make your own People Chow? Here's my recipe (from the book Quick Gifts of Good Taste):
People Chow
1 package (6 ounces) chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I leave this out)
8 cups round toasted oat cereal (plain Cheerios - although my sis-in-law uses another cereal that is square-shaped, but I can't remember what it is)
2 to 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
Stirring constantly, melt chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and cinnamon; stir until smooth. Place cereal in a large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal; stir until evenly coated. Pour confectioners sugar into a large paper bag; add chocolate-coated cereal. Gently shake bag until mixture is evenly coated with sugar. Spread onto waxed paper; allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
Makes about 13 cups of snack mix.
Enjoy and share! It's yummy and you can eat the whole batch if you aren't careful, so it is best to share with your friends.
