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No, we don’t have a dog now. Much as the bambino wants one, I’m allergic, and there’s really no way I can “test” one to see if it would bother me or not. If you’ve never had the magic and deliciousness that is Puppy Chow, read on.

I was in college the first time I tried Puppy Chow–My friend Annette had either been sent a big bag of it in a care package or brought it back from a weekend at home. I’d never had it before, but immediately fell in love. As much as I will grab handfuls of it when someone else makes it, I think I can count on one hand the times I’ve made it myself.

But with the holidays coming, I wanted something festive to snack on, that would also make a fun gift. And so Holiday Puppy Chow came into being.

This Holiday Puppy Chow comes together in a snap, with some help (and flavor!) from Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix, as well as some other goodies. I picked up everything I needed at Wal-Mart here in town:

I already had some almond bark in the pantry from a prior project, so I didn’t need that. But I did need some fun holiday-themed mix-ins, namely some M&M’s®. I picked up the Hot Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and Peanut Butter varieties.

And what’s a handful (or bowlful) of Holiday Puppy Chow without a cold glass of milk to wash it down with?

And speaking of milk, did you know there are people missing out on the essential nutrients supplied by milk because it’s not typically donated to food banks? Even though it’s in high demand, many people don’t think to donate it because it’s perishable. In fact, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year. For a small donation at pourmilklove.com, The Great American Milk Drive will deliver a gallon of milk to a family in need in YOUR local community. I know that would mean a lot to families in need here in Brookings. Or if you’d rather, you can purchase 2 bags of M&M’s® at Walmart (9.4 oz bags or larger) and up to a gallon of milk will be donated to the drive!

Yield: 6

Holiday Puppy Chow

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 C corn Chex cereal
• 8 oz. vanilla almond bark
• 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 C Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix
• 1/2 C M&M's® Hot Chocolate
• 1/2 C M&M's® Holiday Milk Chocolate

Instructions

Line 2 large baking sheets with waxed paper and set aside.

Place the almond bark in a large heat-proof bowl over simmering water, not allowing the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Melt, stirring constantly until smooth.

While the almond bark melts, combine the powdered sugar and the cake mix in a 1- or 2-gallon zip-top bag.

Once the almond bark is completely smooth, remove from the heat, and add the cereal, tossing well to combine (though toss gently, so as not to crush the cereal). Once all the cereal is coated, place it in the bag with the powdered sugar mixture, seal the bag, and shake so that all the cereal is coated.

Spread the Puppy Chow out in single layers on the prepared baking sheets and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. Toss with the M&M's®, and serve.

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This Holiday Puppy Chow falls into that category of things I can’t stop eating once I’ve made them. I didn’t even leave it alone while it was cooling, it’s that good!

So what about you? Have you started any holiday baking yet? If not, you can get some ideas here. And if you have, share what you’ve made in the comments!

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