Ok, so I have never posted a recipe before but a lot of people have been asking for the recipe for "Uncle Ivan's Nuts & Bolts". I am a visual person so I am including lots of pictures that I took while I was making them. These are a family tradition that we usually make around Christmas time and they are so, so yummy!

Uncle Ivan's NUTS & BOLTS:                                                                             (from Uncle Ivan Fines)

1 lrge. Cheerios

1 lrge Shreddies (or Wheat Chex)

1 lrge Crispix

2 bags of Pretzel sticks (I prefer the thin straight ones by Rold Gold)

1½-2 lbs. peanuts

½-1lb. cashews

½-1 lb. pecans

1 lb. butter

1 TBSP. Beau Monde salt

1 TBSP. Old Hickory Smoke salt

½ tsp. Garlic salt

½ tsp. Onion salt

1 tsp. Marjoram

1 tsp. Savory

You will also need about 3 roasting pans, and some quart sealers or large zip-lock freezer bags.

Mix cereals and nuts in a large roasting pan (I use the big foil ones that you can get from the dollar store).

I got the garlic and onion salts and the marjoram from a bulk food store, savory I already had, and the Spice Islands Beau Monde and Old Hickory Smoked Salt I got in the USA at Wegmans. Now sure where you can get them in Canada but if you google it, you can order them online as well. If you have another source for smoke salt, you could use that instead.

 Sprinkle the spices on top of the cereal mix and then stir them all together.

 Keep your butter in the fridge until you are ready to cut it. Cold butter slices easily into thin slices. You can use a cheese slicer of any type to make it easier. I have a wire one that worked great.

 Cut the butter into thin slices and then put over the cereal mix.

 Place roasting pan(s) in a 250°F oven for 50 mins, stirring often, about every 10 mins. after the butter is melted. When done, let mixture cool down. You can store it in quart sealers or use large ziplock freezer bags. If you use the bags, make sure that you squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. This actually improves with age....a few days if you can wait that long!

This recipe makes about 10 quarts but it will be gone in no time!! Enjoy!!