At work, we’re putting together a movie theme basket for our annual Community Fund Drive. The basket will be auctioned off to raise money for a local food shelf.

The Community Fund Drive is near and dear to my heart as I have been handling all the communications for it for the past five years. This year, with my new Web Manager duties, I turned the communication responsibilities for the Drive over to my co-worker. She has been as passionate about it as I have, and it’s been heartwarming for me to know it’s in great hands.

Through the Community Fund Drive, University of Minnesota employees raise over a million dollars every year (actually over $1.25 million) for lots of worthy local charities. It’s a great way, for us to give back.

For our theme basket, we are including the following items. I’ll try to remember to snap a photo of the basket Monday morning, to include in a future post.

Movie Theme Basket

• 16″ x 12″ x 6″ Seagrass basket
• Polartec throw blanket
• 2 large University of Minnesota soda mugs with handles
• 6 popcorn boxes
• Newman’s Own Microwave Butter Popcorn
• Orville Redenbacher’s Microwave Caramel Popcorn
• Popcorn seasoning
• Candy: DOTS, Whoppers, M&Ms, Red Vines, Raisinets, Junior Mints
• DVDs Movies: The Usual Suspects, Get Smart,  Coraline, and Beetlejuice

Have you ever put together a theme basket for an auction, charity, or gift, and, if so, what did you include?

Also, what do you think of the movie selection above? It wasn’t what I had in mind (my contribution to the basket was the candy). I think it’s definitely an eclectic mix of movies. Will such an eclectic mix make it appeal to a wider group of folks or a smaller group?

Anyhow, the chillier Autumn weather and the thought of hibernating indoors in the cold Minnesota winter months ahead, curled up under a blanket watching movies, made me want to make a Fall dish.

My mom always made “Nuts and Bolts” this time of year. It was our variation of a trail-type mix and was a staple in our house from before Thanksgiving through Christmas.

I just made a half recipe and even that was a huge amount. Here’s the original family-size recipe:

Nuts and Bolts

• 1 lb (16 ounces) mixed nuts
• 1 small package Rice Chex
• 1 small package Wheat Chex
• 1 small package Cheerios
• 1 small package pretzel sticks
• Cheez-Its
• 1 lb butter
• 1 Tbsp Celery Salt
• 1 Tbsp Onion Salt
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

General Mills Rice and Wheat Chex and Cheerios, Rold Gold Pretzel Sticks, Cheez-Its, Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce, Planters Mixed Nuts, Onion and Celery Salt