Trash (Party Mix)
An earnest Valentine from me to the King. It has to be pre-1977 since that’s the year he died, unless I was just hopeful that he hadn’t.
Dad & Mom, always the Rock ‘n Rollers. They used to host an annual sock hop in a church reception hall. I always wanted to go. We got to help decorate and then were sent home, which now I understand.
My family has always been heavily involved with Elvis. I mean, we kinda couldn’t help it. He shares a birthday, January 8, with my Dad and my Reed Grandmother, our family is from Tennessee, my Dad was a DJ, and my parents are of that era. Mom told me that when Elvis was first starting out he actually came to Kingsport, Tennessee and played the Coliseum, or whatever the venue was. A girl in her homeroom went back to his hotel with him or something very risqué. I don’t remember the exact details but I do recall that whatever occurred was very shocking behavior for the 1950s.
I had my own romantic relationship with Elvis, as evidenced by the very businesslike Valentine I sent him (photo above). He was my first crush. I used to fake being sick a lot to stay home from school. (I mentioned in another post that Mom would use this opportunity to tune the harpsichord, a not-so-pleasant listening experience!) I would spend my “sick” time watching Elvis movies, which always seemed to be on TV in the 70s. There were some real winners, King Creole, Kissing Cousins (with Elvis playing his own “identical cousin” in a blonde wig), Jailhouse Rock. I actually won a trivia contest once as an adult by answering the question, “Which 3 Elvis movies were set in Hawaii?”. Easy! “Paradise, Hawaiian Style”, “Blue Hawaii”, and, the hardest to remember, “Girls! Girls! Girls!”. As a kid watching these movies, I couldn’t really identify the emotions I was feeling, but I knew that Elvis made me feel like I had to pee.
In 1977, the year Elvis died, we were living in England. Strangers kept consoling us, as if we were personal friends with him. (I mean, we WERE from Tennessee. It could happen!) I had a sleepover for my birthday and forced a bunch of little British girls to watch Elvis’ “Live from Hawaii” concert, which was conveniently being broadcast during my party. (Or did I plan my party around it? Probably the latter.) We saw a wonderful musical in London, creatively called “Elvis”, with 3 actors playing Elvis during different times in his life. Shakin’ Stevens, known to the masses as the “Welsh Elvis”, was the middle one. My sister and I wore out that cast album. I still have it! The sleeve is absolutely destroyed. We also spent HOURS jumping on my parents’ bed to the *new* Elvis song, “Way On Down”, which was released that year.
Once we were back in America, the love affair continued. Dad visited Graceland and brought us Elvis tank tops as a souvenir. Mine said, “ALWAYS ELVIS”. I remember that Mom and Dad got invited to a “White Trash” party and Mom borrowed my shirt. She looked amazing in a tight kid’s Elvis tank top with red lipstick and poofy hair. I wish I had a photo of her but that one only exists in my mind. I was still pretty young and didn’t understand the concept of white trash. I suggested that she wear a Hefty bag to the party.
Dad was invited to the be the keynote speaker at the first annual Elvis conference at Ole Miss. The artist, Howard Finster, gave a sermon and the always entertaining El Vez (the Mexican Elvis) performed. I saw El Vez years later in Houston and was thrilled/horrified when he singled me out in the audience, dropped to his knees, clutched my legs and sang “Are You Lonesome Tonight”.
Now, for the morbid and fascinating bits. Apparently a friend of my parents has a chunk of Elvis’ liver in a mason jar. This friend shall not be named. He was in on the autopsy and took the opportunity to help himself to, shall we say, a “souvenir”. Another acquaintance, the musician Reverend Billy C. Wirtz, was once in ownership of Elvis’ toe tag from the morgue but, tragically, some family member sold it without his permission. (On a side note, my dad had a cameo in the Reverend’s music video for his song “Teeny Weenie Meanie” about a little person lady wrestler. If I ever find it online, I’ll post a link. It’s, um, something.) Back to Elvis, there’s another story about someone we know finding a toenail clipping in the carpet of Graceland’s Jungle Room (barf). I’m thinking that with the liver sample and toenail we could clone an Elvis. I mean if they could do Dolly the sheep, we stand a chance for a second coming, don’t we?!
So, in honor of Elvis and his possible impending clone, I’d like to share Mom’s recipe for “Trash”. It’s basically homemade Chex mix. I LOVED this as a kid and it was a real treat, as it wasn’t yet available in stores. I’m also going to throw in a recipe I found in her box for Rice Krispy Cheese Balls because those just sound fun.
TRASH
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine (Mom would have used butter)
4 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or 3/8 teaspoon garlic powder & 3/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups Chex (Mix Wheat, Corn & Rice equally or any way you like)
3/4 cup salted nuts
Heat over to 250 degrees.
Slowly melt butter in shallow pan. Stir in Worcestershire Sauce and salt.
Add Chex and nuts. Mix until all pieces are coated.
Heat in oven 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. Spread on absorbent paper to cool.
RICE KRISPY CHEESE BALLS
1 stick butter
2 cups grated cheese
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup Rice Krispies
Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 375
Sarah’s note:
There aren’t specific directions with this so here’s my guess:
Soften butter, mix first 3 ingredients together and then fold in the Rice Krispies. Season with a splash of Tabasco and the salt. Shape into ball and bake for 10 minutes.
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