Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Brittle

One bite of this crunchy chocolatey peanut butter popcorn brittle and you’ll be itching to make more! Popcorn, caramel, M & Ms are the perfect combination!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn Brittle 

• 1 bag microwave popcorn
• 1 cup M&Ms
• 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter – Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup lightly salted peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Prepare popcorn according to package directions. Remove all unpopped kernels. Spread popped corn evenly in 15×10-inch nonstick shallow baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with M&M’s; set aside.
2. Place sugar, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in medium heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Add peanuts. Cook an additional 2 minutes or to the hard-crack stage, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and mix well. Note: Hard-crack stage, 300 to 310°F on a candy thermometer, is when a small amount of boiling sugar syrup, dropped into very cold water, separates into hard brittle threads.
3. Immediately pour caramel mixture evenly over popped corn and candy until coated. Do not stir. Let stand 30 minutes or until caramel has cooled and hardened.
4. Break into pieces.

Pretty Pretty Princess Pink Popcorn

Tomorrow is my birthday! Even though I’m going to be 22, that doesn’t mean I don’t like pink (it’s my second favorite color) and don’t want to feel like a pretty pretty princess. I found this great party popcorn recipe that uses chocolate and food coloring to make ordinary popcorn special. Still right up my alley. 22 and still a kid a heart <3

Pretty Pretty Princess Pink Popcorn

• 8 cups of popcorn (natural,regular or kettle)
• vegetable oil or olive Oil
• kosher salt
• 8 ounces of white chocolate
• red food coloring (if you don’t want it to be pink use whatever food coloring colors you would like)

1. Pop your popcorn. You can use microwave popcorn or kernels for stove top popcorn
2. Spread the popcorn over a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Remember to take out any unpopped kernels.
3. Melt 8 ounces of white chocolate until smooth. You can use a double-boiler to melt the chocolate, or put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on medium power, stirring after each round. Once the chocolate is smooth, add a few drops of food coloring, and stir to blend.
4. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate across the popcorn. Mix the popcorn around with the spoon to evenly distribute the chocolate. Then place the baking sheet in the refridgerator for 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
5. Serve in a festive party bowl and enjoy!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn

Popcorn is a quick and easy snack that can be used in so many ways and have some many flavors. I love popcorn and there are great brands that have great gluten free popcorns. Popcorn is great by itself, extra butter, light butter or whatever your favorite might be. Kettle corn is one of my favorites and natural popcorn is always a treat.

Here is a great recipe for Cinnamon Caramel Corn.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn 

Ingredients

• 12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)*
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup or honey makes a good substitution)
• 1 stick buttery spread (1/2 C) – Earth Balance is a great brand and come in a spread and stick
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 squares almond bark (or gluten free white chocolate)

*You can use air popped or microwave popcorn. If using microwave, anything works, so you can use your favorite gluten free brand.

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large capacity microwave safe bowl.  Mix well.
4. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture.  Pour corn syrup over the top of everything.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine.  Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes.  Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.
5. Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda.  Stir to combine.  Mixture will foam and rise.  Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.
6. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan.  Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.
8. Melt almond bark according to package instructions.  Drizzle over popcorn mixture.  When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!