Almond Joy Puppy Chow

http://candimandi.typepad.com/heres_lookin_at_me_kid/2012/06/for-the-sweet-tooth-almond-joy-muddy-buddies.html

These days we have less sleep-overs, but still crave the sweet and crunchy treat from our childhood. When I saw this new version of Puppy Chow, I knew I had to make my own adaptation to share with my now grown-up friends during a weekend stay at Catherine's new home. Chocolate, almond-butter, and coconut all coating a crunchy cereal- sounds like the best way to enjoy a sweet snack inspired by a favorite candy bar of mine- the Almond Joy. (And now I have the old commercial jingle stuck in my head!)

Almond-joy-puppy-chow-ingredients Almond-joy-puppy-chow-mixings Almond-joy-puppy-chow-coconut

I N G R E D I E N T S :

9 C Corn Chex
2 C Almonds
2 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3/4 C almond Butter
1 t Vanilla Extract
2 C Powdered Sugar
2 C Shredded Sweetened Coconut

M E T H O D :

Set aside 1/4 C of shredded coconut, and in a food processor (or coffee grinder), mix together the powdered sugar and shredded coconut until is becomes a fine powder. Then, add the reserved shredded coconut, mixing with your hands to ensure there are no clumps.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the almond butter and chocolate chips for 1 minute on high. Stir until completely melted and add your vanilla extract to the creamy mixture. In a large bowl (preferably one that has an optional lid), pour the warm mixture overtop of the Corn Chex and almonds. Gently fold together- impatience here causing the cereal to break, so take your time! Now add the powdered sugar and coconut mixture, again gently folding in, just to make sure the powdered sugar is not stuck all in one place- don't try to completely coat the cereal just yet!

Now is where your bowl's lid comes in handy*. Place the lid securely over the bowl, and shake the cereal like a samba dancer. When you remove the lid, make sure the cereal is evenly coated. If you need to add more powdered sugar, go ahead and add it now. Once your cereal is coated desirably, pop the bowl in the freezer or refrigerator and chill until ready to serve.

*If you do not have a large bowl with a lid, the cereal and powdered sugar mixtures can be divided and placed into large freezer bags, shaken, and chilled in the bags until ready to serve.