Crunchy Caramel Snack Mix - Gail Lithgow

3 cups chocolate-flavored puff cereal
3 cups bite-size rice square cereal
2 cups small twisted pretzels
1 cup peanuts
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan, combine the chocolate cereal, rice cereal, pretzels and peanuts. Set aside.

Melt margarine in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Then cook without stirring for 4 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in baking soda and cream of tartar. Then stir in vanilla. Pour syrup over cereal mixture, stirring until cereal is coated with syrup.

Bake mixture in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Transfer to a larger shallow baking pan; cool.