One of our boys likes "Mix" a whole lot better than traditional Christmas cookies, so that's what he got when he was "away at college". Instead of mixed nuts, I always use peanuts, no crackers and I usually double up the spice mixture adding chili & ground red hot pepper powder to spice/heat it up. I mix it up in my big electric roasting pan and "bake" it there. I make a lot and give as gifts as well as have it for holiday football games.