Estimated time:
1 1/2 hours (needs to cool)

Number of servings:
at least 20 servings, 1/2 c. each

Ingredients: (Hit your return key to start a new line)
*9-12 c. crunchy corn/rice cereal 'squares'

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. (one stick) butter

1/4 c. light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 c. peanuts

--and/or--

1 c. candy-coated chocolate pieces

Directions:
Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
Place cereal in Lightly greased pan, 9"x13" (with sides).

Combine: brown sugar, butter and syrup in saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil; continue cooking (stirring constantly) for one minute. Remove from heat. Add baking soda; mix well.

Pour syrup mixture over cereal; stir gently until cereal is well coated. Bake for 20 minutes; stir.

Continue baking for 20 more minutes. Remove from oven; stir in peanuts and/or candy.

Spread mixture onto waxed paper-lined tray; cool at least 30 minutes. Break cooled mixture into pieces.

Store in Loosely-covered container.

Do not expect to store this stuff for long...that's probably not a worry, 'cuz it has a way of disappearing like Magic (my teenager, nicknamed "mouse" could not keep her nibbly paws off it, even before the stuff went into the oven ;-)

This is the kind of Carbo's my kids crave when they get home from school...and as long as they are balancing a reasonable serving with things like Fruit, and Milk, I have no problems w/this.

Other suggestions and comments:
How much cereal to add depends upon your preference, plus how much capacity your pan has. 9 cups is the starting point.

I'm not super-fond of having 1/4 of a box of cereal left over, so I'll tend to add the whole thang. It gets coated well enough, and nobody complains.

If you are a little short of the corn/rice squares (kids got to the cereal box before you did), just add some sort of un-sweetened cereal; the more 'kibble'-like the better. Oat Rings, mini shredded wheat...whatever is around.

Avoid adding peanuts if this snack mix is to be used for a school function. Peanuts are such a common allergen now that they are not even allowed at some schools, period.