I love Thanksgiving. Even the name of the holiday makes me smile. Just say it out loud. “Thanks. Giving.” It’s the perfect mash-up of two beautiful words. And it’s a reminder of how we should respond every day. A life of gratitude is a life well-lived. This girl is learning to let her life be grounded in gratitude. I’m finding the words to say thanks for, say thanks about, and say thanks in all things. I’m learning to celebrate the days that are sweet and the days that aren’t. And my sweet kitchen therapy-loving friends, I’m praying the same for you.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. ~Colossians 2:7

 

I know what I’ve written really doesn’t have much to do with food. But it has everything to do with thanks-giving. And Thanksgiving. And celebrating.

And celebrating? Well, THAT makes me think of two fun treats. Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels have quickly become a tradition for special events, and Tijuana Tidbits are destined to join the ranks.  I’m thankful to Jamie Booth (the Ministry Leader for ACFwomen, and one of the most amazing gals I know) for the recipe for the Tijuana Tidbits. My husband has already given them the “this stuff won’t last long” seal of approval. Both treats are now packed and ready to travel to East Texas and Thanksgiving with the Rocks, where they will be paired with a nice football game or two. Hopefully there will be celebrating at the end of those games. No matter what, there will be thanks-giving.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

 

1 (16 oz) bag pretzel twists
⅔ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium sized bowl mix together vegetable oil, cinnamon and sugar. Put pretzels in a large Ziploc bag, pour oil mixture over the pretzels, and toss until the pretzels are covered. Pour pretzels onto a roasting pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, removing twice to stir.

 

You can also put the pretzels on the roasting pan and pour the oil mixture over them, stirring until the pretzels are covered.

 

Tijuana Tidbits

 

4 c. tortilla chips, broken into 1-1/2 inch pieces

3 c. Crispix cereal

1 bag microwave popcorn

1 can mixed cocktail nuts (call me a snob – I used dry-roasted peanuts and natural almonds only)

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1/2 c. brown sugar

1Tbsp. chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder, and it’s wonderful and just spicy enough, so I didn’t add the red pepper)

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Dash ground red pepper, optional

 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine tortilla chips, cereal, popcorn, and nuts in a large roasting pan. Combine corn syrup, butter, brown sugar, chili powder, cinnamon, and pepper in a small saucepan, heat to boiling. Pour over cereal mixture in pan, stirring to coat.

 

Bake 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven and turn onto sheet of wax paper to cool.