In the Chex® Party Mix Recipe Contest, Spice is Nice…Not Once, but Twice

For the second consecutive year, Americans cast their online votes in the Chex Party Mix Recipe Contest and opted for a kick of fiery flavor and heat over something chocolaty, savory or sweet. The special ingredients in Karen Fisher’s winning Chex Cajun Kick snack mix entry – Creole seasoning and red pepper sauce – landed her the top spot in the 2010 Chex Party Mix Recipe Contest. A year earlier, America’s 2009 top party snack pick was Buffalo Chex® Mix which called for hot sauce among other popular Buffalo wing flavors.

Chex Cajun Kick turned up the heat and turned on the flavor to secure top honors in the 2010 Chex Party Mix Recipe Contest. The special ingredients - Creole seasoning and red pepper sauce - helped recipe finalist Karen Fisher of Tulsa, OK score a win. Visit www.Chex.com/recipes for more information. (Photo: General Mills)

In addition to their fondness for great-tasting homemade snacks, Chex Party Mix fans shared an act of goodwill by helping to raise $25,000 for Feeding America. As part of the 2010 contest, Chex cereal donated $2 to Feeding America, up to $25,000, for every daily vote cast at ChexRecipeContest.com from October 6 through December 15, 2010. With a strong showing of support the full donation will help those in need.

"It’s an exciting time as we celebrate Karen’s delicious and addictive Chex Cajun Kick recipe. One thing is certain – Americans enjoy turning up the heat on their homemade party mix!” said Liz Abate Mascolo, Chex cereal marketing manager. "We thank all our finalists whose creativity and 15-minute recipes made this a fantastic contest. And, we are proud of the loyal fans that helped us raise our $25,000 donation to Feeding America. Together we’ll extend this donation to those in need across the country.”

Recipe for Success Comes With a Kick
Fisher, of Tulsa, OK, was inspired to create a homemade mix with a dash of heat for her son, who loves Cajun spice. Fisher describes herself as a creative cook and is known for her ability to go above and beyond when creating delicious recipes.

"I wanted to make a special snack mix for my son using his favorite spicy Cajun seasoning,” explained Fisher. "When he tried the Chex Cajun Kick, he told me – ‘Mom, this is the bomb!’ – so I was hopeful I’d make the finals. Winning the grand prize is even more than I’d imagined. But, I’m thrilled to see so many people voted for my recipe.” Fisher receives $5,000 and the Ultimate Katie Lee Party Pack, containing entertaining essentials and goodies to throw fantastic at-home parties.

Sponsored by Chex cereals and Katie Lee – entertaining expert and author of the best selling cookbooks The Comfort Table and The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions – the 2010 contest paired great homemade snacking with a great cause. Lee and Chex kicked off the contest by making an initial $25,000 donation to Feeding America; and through online voting, an additional $25,000 was donated to Feeding America bringing the total donation to $50,000.

The call for contest recipe entries last summer resulted in over a thousand creative ways to stir up a tasty 15-minute batch of homemade Chex Party Mix in the microwave. The other four finalists’ included:

• Backyard BBQ Chex® Mix: a bold, lip-smacking blend reminiscent of backyard summertime fare
• Chex® Honey Nut Cherry Crunch: a flavorful gluten-free snack that’s sweet and salty
• Chex® PB and Chocolate Blast: prepare for take-off when peanut butter and chocolate flavors collide
• Chocolate Coffee Toffee Chex® Mix: a delicious way to jump-start your sweet tooth craving

"There are so many easy ways to make irresistible homemade snack mixes that start with crunchy Chex cereal, and with the convenient microwave prep they’re ready in just 15 minutes,” explained Lee. "I think a lot of Chex Party Mix fans will be stirring up a batch of Karen’s Chex Cajun Kick for their own football game-day parties and family movie nights.”

General Mills has had a partnership with Feeding America for more than 30 years, and in the last decade the company has contributed more than $170 million in food donations to the organization. Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, Feeding America supplies food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org; or Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica; or Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

About Chex
The Original Chex Party Mix has been a tradition since 1955, when the wife of a Ralston Purina executive brought the treat to a holiday gathering. It has been a staple snack ever since. There are more than 100 unique Chex Party Mix recipes available on the Chex website at www.ChexPartyMix.com. Chex Party Mix can be made with all varieties of Chex cereal, including Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Chocolate Chex, Cinnamon Chex and Multi-Bran Chex. Five of the Chex cereals are gluten-free, and consumers should look for the words "Gluten-Free” near the ingredient declaration on the package side panel.

About General Mills
One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Yoplait , Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Häagen-Dazs, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2010 global net sales of US$16 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales.

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