Cinnamon Caramel White Chocolate Popcorn

I love flavored popcorn. I have always been inspired by Dale & Thomas popcorn flavors but not their price! Warning - You will want to make to batches, especially if you think you are going to share with others.

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Start by popping popcorn with an air popper or on the stove. If you must use microwave popcorn use natural popcorn with no butter. Make sure popcorn is in a large bowl for mixing. Add nuts to the popcorn if using. My family doesn't like nuts so I didn't use them.  Next, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar in a big microwave safe bowl. If you do not mix the two together the cinnamon will be clumpy and not mix well with the other ingredients. Chop butter, place on top of cinnamon and brown sugar mixture, then pour corn syrup over the top of everything. 

This next part is kind of fun to watch! Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Take out and stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes.Be really careful when taking the bowl out of the microwave it will be really hot. Remove, stir to combine more and return to microwave and heat on high for 2 more minutes.  At this point the mixture will be boiling or almost boiling so again be really careful when taking out of the microwave. So remove the bowl from the microwave and add in the vanilla and baking soda. Mix really well. The mixture will start to bubble more and get kind of frothy. Pour mixture over popcorn/nuts. Stir till well coated. Add popcorn mixture to a large foil lined cake pan or cookie sheet with sides. 

Bake for 30 minutes and stir every 10 minutes. I usually only cook it for about 20 minutes because I like it not so crunchy. Take out and give it a final stir. Melt almond bark/white chocolate chips according to directions. Put melted chocolate into a pastry bag and drizzle all over the popcorn mixture. Set aside and let the chocolate set. Break apart and enjoy! I would have a picture of the final product but I got so excited to eat the popcorn along with my kids that I forgot! So here is a picture from Our Best Bites where I got the recipe from. 

Cinnamon Caramel White Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients:

12 cups popped popcorn

1 cup roughly chopped pecans (optional)

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 stick butter (not margarine)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

3 squares almond bark or 6 oz of white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 250.

2. Pop popcorn and set aside in a very large bowl with pecans if using.

3. Combine Cinnamon and Sugar in a separate large microwave safe bowl. 

4. Chop butter and place on top of mixture.

5. Pour corn syrup over top of everything.

6. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir to combine.

7. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir to combine.

8. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir to combine.

9. Add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine.

10. Pour mixture over popcorn and pecans. Stir till coated.

11. Pour mixture onto a foil lined pan.

12. Bake for 30 minutes and stir every 10 minutes.

13. Melt almond bark according to directions and drizzle over popcorn mixture. 

14. Set aside and let almond bark set. 

15. Break apart and enjoy!

Orange Blondies

I was in the mood to make something with oranges. I love white chocolate cranberry blondies so why not make orange ones. So I loosely based my recipe off one that I had and they turned out alright if I do say so myself!

Orange Blondies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon grated orange peel
12 ounces white chocolate chips

Frosting:

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
Orange juice

Directions:

1. Melt butter, stir in brown sugar. Cool to room temperature.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat eggs and vanilla into butter mixture.
4. Gradually add the butter mixture into the flour mixture.
5. Stir in grated orange peel and white chocolate chips. (Batter will be thick)
6. Spread into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 18-21.
7. Cool on wire rack.
8. For Frosting, beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and orange peel together. Add a teaspoon of orange juice at a time until you reach desired consistency.
9. Once blondies are cooled, frost.
10. Cut into bars and store in air tight container in the refrigerator.

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