I noticed the other day that the oak trees are full of baby acorns, one of the first signs of fall here. (Technically, the Halloween decorations at Michaels in July herald the start of fall.)
The acorns also signal the start of football season. It’s no secret that football is big in Texas. I didn’t used to pay much attention to high school football, but now my daughter plays the clarinet in her high school’s marching band, and it’s fun to go watch the football games. Being a band mom, I especially enjoy the pageantry of the half-time shows.
Can you see my kid? There she is, 3rd row, 2nd from the left. No wait, 4th row, 3rd from the left. Or is that her in the second row? Got to remember to bring binoculars to the next game!
Both my husband and I went to the University of Texas. Although we don’t get to a game very often, we enjoy watching the games on TV (him, more than me). Occasionally I’ll get inspired and try to make something football-themed to serve while we watch the game. I think football-shaped food tends to look kind of gross (for example, football-shaped meatloaf), so I generally prefer to make dishes using team colors instead. Longhorn Snack Mix is a colorful and oddly addictive salty/sweet snack mix that I have been making in some fashion since my kids’ earliest birthday parties. It’s really good with Corn Pops, but they don’t hold up to our Gulf Coast humidity for long, so we use Honey Nut Cheerios instead, which are equally tasty.
- 8 cups Honey Nut or Multi Grain Cheerios
- 1 cup yogurt raisins
- 2 cups Original Goldfish Crackers
- 2 cups orange-coated candies (such as Reese's Pieces or M&Ms)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup salted peanuts
- Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Store in an airtight container.
Hook ’em Horns!