Name: Tex-Mex Chex
Yield: Makes 8 cups
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Corn Chex cereal; 1 1/2 cups Rice Chex cereal; 1 1/2 cups Wheat Chex cereal; 1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds); 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios; 1 cup small, thin, salted pretzel sticks; 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1/2 tablespoon Yucatan Sunshine hot sauce or your favorite hot sauce; 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco sauce; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; Pinch of salt

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen by Walter Scheib and Andrew Friedman.

This is the snack mix President Bush brought with him from the Texas Governor's mansion. It's a Texas twist on an old American favorite, and we had to have it on hand at all times. In addition to eating it at the White House, the President never traveled without it.

Recipe notes

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Sfouf (Semolina Turmeric Cake)

Semolina flour and turmeric give this simple cake a sunny hue and nutty flavor.

Nankhatai (Semolina Shortbread)

These cookies are gently sweetened and perfect with a cup of tea.

Mississippi Mud Cake

This cake was created from thrift and was supposedly named after its appearance, which reminded people of the muddy Mississippi River bottom.

Grasshopper Brownies

These decadent brownies feature a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture.

Palets Bretons

Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake

There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.