Thursday, February 19, 2009

Monkey Munch or Chex's Muddy Buddies

Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies
Monkey Munch or Chex's Muddy Buddies
One Delicious Bowl of Goodness

For my last three baking endeavors, my oven has been either (1) giving me attitude or (2) crying out for help. I turn it on, it doesn't heat up for a long time or gets stuck at 250-275 F until I put it on broil to "wake it up." Once, it got up to 350 right away and then fell back to 250 within 20 minutes. Perhaps this is why my little 4" Devil's Food cakes took 45 minutes to cook! Sigh.

So, until the Southern California Gas comes out to calibrate the oven and check it out (such a great free service...and I just hope I don't need a new oven like Madam Chow), I'm going to try to make "short bake" items such as cookies and no-bake items such as this crazy yummy Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies.

Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies
I doled them out in 3 dozen nut & party cups to bring to work.
(By the way, you can get a boatload of these sooo cheap at Smart & Final (sorry, S&F are only in CA, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico)

Jon and Kate Plus 8 make this on their show and "I'm-getting-really-tired-of-you-but-your-kids-are-so-damn-cute-I-keep-watching-the-show-with-you-on-MUTE" Kate calls it Monkey Munch.

Here is the easy, simple Muddy Buddies recipe from the Chex's website.

Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies
So easy! Melt 1 cup chips, 1/2 c peanut butter, 1/2 stick butter in the microwave. Stir til smooth then add 1 t vanilla.

Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies
9 cups Chex Mix (I used Rice Chex). Mix the melted mixture with the cereal then pop it into large ziploc bags with powdered sugar. Shake and spread out on a cookie sheet. And that's it! It would be a lot of fun to make with kids as they get to shake, shake, shake and then eat, eat, eat! I'm going to make this with my niece and nephews real soon.

Monkey Munch or Muddy Buddies
Monkey Munch. Muddy Buddies. Or even Monkey Buddies. Whatever the name, I could eat a gallon of this stuff. Make it in a quick minute! Here's the recipe!

36 comments:

  1. Snooky doodleFebruary 19, 2009 at 11:11 PM

    wow this is quick. i bet these are delicious I like peanut butter and chocolate . yum yum

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2009 at 12:16 AM

    This is such a unique mix, I've never had the pleasure of tasting it before but I bet it taste .. DELISH.

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  3. UnknownFebruary 20, 2009 at 3:35 AM

    Bummer about your oven. I hope it's an easy fix! I sometimes watch J&K+8 too and have wondered about this treat so thanks for posting!

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  4. Donna-FFWFebruary 20, 2009 at 3:40 AM

    I am so going to try these on the weekend I have my 8 children. (I have 4 full time of my own under 11, and every other weekend I have 4 stepchildren under 12) This would be a perfect project for them!

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  5. StephFebruary 20, 2009 at 5:23 AM

    I can only imagine how addicting this must be. The first time I saw this was on Jon and Kate plus 8, which I used to love but stopped watching. Those kids are so big now that it makes me kinda sad. Too bad the whole Aunt Jodi thing happened.

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  6. MeganFebruary 20, 2009 at 5:57 AM

    I tried to make that over the holidays - but left out the peanut butter (for Sabrina). It just came out as chocolate covered cereal, which isn't a bad thing, you know?

    Sometimes I get sucked into watching J&K+8, but I can't listen to them either!

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  7. vibiFebruary 20, 2009 at 6:05 AM

    YUM! I've never heard of that snack, but it sound like its combining many great classics... so, hummm... I might try it pretty soon. That is, if I can find Chex here.

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  8. ElyseFebruary 20, 2009 at 7:36 AM

    We always called this "puppy chow," which sounds much less appetizing than "monkey munch." But, no matter what you call it, this is one of my favorite snacks! I'm so glad to see it getting some credit in the blogosphere. Seriously, this one is dangerous: I make a batch and then can't keep myself away!

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2009 at 9:40 AM

    This looks really good and yummy.

    I hope your oven doesn't require a big repair and is a quick fix.

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  10. Monica HFebruary 20, 2009 at 10:38 AM

    I make this every year around Halloween and call it Mummy Mix. love it!

    This has to be the only combination of PB and chocolate I like. I love PB and love chocolate, just not together. But these rock!

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  11. Nancy/n.o.eFebruary 20, 2009 at 1:37 PM

    This was always a huge hit with my kids - easy to make and very easy to eat. Not so easy to stop eating, however!!
    Nancy

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  12. UnknownFebruary 20, 2009 at 1:54 PM

    We make this all the time at our house everyone loves it. Once I went on a road trip with some of my friends and we went through the whole batch in less than four hours. It's great!

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  13. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2009 at 2:39 PM

    This is one of my favorite snacks! I should make it again soon!

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  14. KatieFebruary 20, 2009 at 3:19 PM

    I love this and we call it Puppy Chow don't ask me why because I don't know that is just how I was introduced to it. And you can eat a gallon very easily.

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  15. Dana TreatFebruary 20, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    Oh no no no, can't even go there. Would be gone in 14 seconds!

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  16. Damaris @Kitchen CornersFebruary 20, 2009 at 3:36 PM

    ohhh I really really really like this. I think I'll try and make some this weekend. I bet my son would be totally into these. By the way you MUST be the best co-worker ever. All my co-workers ever bring me in a really grumpy attitude.

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  17. KendraFebruary 20, 2009 at 4:28 PM

    My family calls this puppy chow too. Maybe it's a regional type thing? Ha.

    Either way, this stuff is fantastic and sooooo addicting!

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  18. EsiFebruary 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM

    I love these little things. They used to confuse me so much because I felt like the flavor was coming from inside the Chex, but I guess it seeps in! They are yummy though. I don't watch Jon and Kate, but I saw Kate on Larry King recently and she really needs a new hairstyle!

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  19. Amy of Sing For Your SupperFebruary 20, 2009 at 4:56 PM

    Mmm, I love this stuff! My sister makes it every Christmas - except we call it puppy chow for some reason! It looks great!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  20. LifeisinthechaosFebruary 20, 2009 at 7:54 PM

    I'm not sure that John won't kill Kate one of these days.
    Love this recipe. In our neck of the woods we call this "puppy chow" or "people chow." Either way, if it's in the house, it sure isn't there for long!
    May need to make this tomorrow!

    All best!
    Lisa

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  21. UnknownFebruary 23, 2009 at 6:12 PM

    Oh my gosh I feel like I am 10 again!! We used to eat these while having slumber parties!! So fun!

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  22. PamelaFebruary 23, 2009 at 6:27 PM

    Yep...adding another one to the "To Try" pile. Never had it, but it looks yummy!

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  23. OliviaFebruary 23, 2009 at 9:18 PM

    This is one of my favorite desserts! I usually add way more confectioners sugar to mine. I found that if you add 1/4 stick of butter, then the chocolate gets kind of lumpy and forms these really tasty clumps of chocolate with the cereal. But if you eliminate the butter all together if coats the cereal really evenly.

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  24. cakeflowerFebruary 24, 2009 at 8:23 AM

    Jeez...I made that over the holidays and ended up eating the whole bag myself!

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  25. AnonymousFebruary 25, 2009 at 10:52 PM

    I'm another one who calls this puppy chow. I always leave out the butter. It's healthier that way!

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  26. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2009 at 6:16 AM

    PUPPY CHOW IS THE SH!T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  27. kickpleatMarch 1, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    wow, these look so good!!

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  28. eatme_deliciousMarch 4, 2009 at 9:22 AM

    Oh no this looks way way too deadly........

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  29. betty geekMarch 8, 2009 at 5:13 PM

    I love S&F.

    Hand these over and no one will get hurt.

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  30. redwolf325June 2, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    We also called it puppy chow...pretty much everybody brought it to school when it was their birthday and once when i was about 11 i ate so much i barfed...i love that stuff

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  31. AravisisWritingJanuary 27, 2010 at 6:43 PM

    I was just thinking about tracking down a Muddy Buddies recipe just the other day! Thanks!

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  32. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2010 at 6:02 PM

    I grew up calling this Puppy Chow as well, and i live in Cali. Dont know where my grandma got the name but thats what we call it as well.

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  33. The Path TraveledMarch 5, 2010 at 7:15 AM

    I am going to put this in the data base on NM and subitute some of the products to see what I come up with that is lower in calories. Thank you for sharing. You always have the best stuff!

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  34. MVJune 15, 2010 at 1:27 AM

    I just got 12 boxes of honey-nut chex cereal (I couldn't resist! It was only $.22 per box). Thank you for reminding me of this recipe! I like chex, but I think I'd have gotten pretty sick of it by the end of 12 boxes, haha.

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  35. CassieNovember 7, 2010 at 1:26 AM

    We call it Puppy Chow before Chex rebranded it "Muddy Buddies" and put the recipe on the box.
    I found an old recipe from my Grandmother that has to be from around the 60s and she titled it "Puppy Chow" too and her recipe is so old it calls for Oleo. Ha!

    This stuff is crack for kids. If your mom brought it to school you were so cool.

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  36. AnonymousDecember 3, 2010 at 1:54 AM

    This neck of the woods we call it puppy chow and leave out the vanilla. Real reason Im leaving comment id tell everyone that my kids when they were younger wouldnt eat this. They thought it was real puppy and dog food. Even after I ate some. Wouldnt know it now by how quick it disappears. : )

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