Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Are you a snacker??? I definitely am. I love to snack. In fact, I could snack all day long and not really miss eating one big meal. I like trying a little bit of this and a little bit of that. But this snack is one that I just cannot put down. It's more like a whole LOTTA this!!!


Cinnamon Bun Popcorn. Does that name just make you swoon??? It's caramel-y and cinnamony and crunchy and sweet and just plain addicting!!


It's caramel corn with a hint of cinnamon, toasted almonds and after it's all baked and crunchy...you add a drizzle of chocolate over the whole batch. I took this to a pool party last week and it disappeared quickly and I was asked for a recipe. That is a successful snack, people!!


Here is the recipe and don't blame me if you eat the whole batch. The changes I made to the recipe below is using almonds instead of pecans and drizzling chocolate over the top instead of almond bark. And I did use microwave popcorn. I got a box that was 'natural' flavor with NO extra butter. Worked out beautifully!

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
From Our Best Bites

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 C pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda

3 squares almond bark (about 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. 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.

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.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

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!

Thanks for stopping by today! Let me know if you try this popcorn...if your fingers aren't too sticky to use the computer.

More Crazy Daisy goodies

Happy Thursday everyone!! I am visiting my sister and BIL back east this week and am meeting my 2 new nieces for the first time. Yeah!! But while I am away, I still have some scrapping goodies to share with you. I have another layout from the June Crazy Daisy kit. Did I mention that I'm addicted to banners????


I loved the Kaisercraft papers and goodies in this kit. And see this ribbon? It comes in the kit and I love it. I even used it on the last layout I posted, hee hee! It's cute enough to add a great touch to your layout without being too 'girly' for a boy layout like this one.


Man, this layout makes me realize how time flies!! My son will be in 3rd grade next year and that just floors me. I think i'm still trying to wrap my head around actually being a mom. Ha!!

Hope you are all having a great week! Thanks for stopping by!

A new sketch challenge at Croppin' Paradise

This was my week to post a sketch challenge over at Croppin' Paradise. I used a sketch by Jana Eubanks, who is a great sketch artist and one of my favorite scrappers!


Oh my, I looooove banners!!! And here is my take on it using the Max and Whiskers papers by Basic Grey. They are available HERE at the Croppin' Paradise store.


The banner was so easy to put together. I cut out triangles on my Cricut, layered them and then added some ribbon and thickers. Easy peasy!!


Come on over to the Croppin' Paradise message board and join in the sketch fun. We will be having lots of CAMP fun this summer and we want YOU to join us!!!


We will have tons of prizes and challenges and games and chatting going on. Thought you were too old for camp??? Not anymore! I hope you come by and join us for Camp Paradise!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Melissa Sunday-Orange Chocolate Macaroons

Hi! Welcome to Sweet Melissa Sunday!! I was scared of the recipe this week because it involved...coconut. I know, weird. I'm not a big coconut fan. Don't get me wrong, I eat those little mini Almond Joys found in my kids halloween bag. But I usually don't bake with anything coconut. So I was a little hesitant to bake a whole batch using coconut. But I had noooooothing to worry about because these cookies were amazing!!


Ellen of the blog Blue Tree Green Heart picked this recipe and it was a great one!


The orange zest made my whole kitchen smell delightful while I was making these. These cookies were like little haystacks of sweet, coconuty, chocolately, orangey goodness. Notice the past tense...they were eaten and GONE pretty quick!! I managed to save some to take to work and 2 people asked for the recipe. I think they liked 'em!!


This recipe is the whole reason I joined Sweet Melissa Sunday. I had the chance to bake something I NEVER would have picked on my own and test it out. I'm so glad I did!! Check out what the other SMS bakers did this week. And have a super Sweet Sunday!!

A little Crazy Daisy

Happy Happy Friday!! No more pencils...no more books...no more teachers dirty looks! School is out for summer!! We had a great afternoon, spent celebrating the end of school at the pool with friends. Ahhh...no better way to start the summer than an afternoon filled with swimming, cupcakes, and a water balloon fight. Bring on summer!

The June Crazy Daisy kit was fun this month, look at these summery colors!!



The surfboard paper was perfect for pics of my hubbie boogie boarding last summer. We love the beach!


Here's another one with a photo of my daughter and her friend last year at a photo shoot. I love these 'jump' photos!


These was lots of fun Kaisercraft products in the kit this month. I liked layering these journal box stickers, it was a fun way to use them!


I hope you are enjoying your summer so far! We have some fun vacations planned and we are all looking forward to traveling and camping and lots of beach trips!! Thanks for stopping by today, friends!

A cake and some stuff...

One more day down...a liiiittle bit closer to Friday. My kids are on the countdown until Friday, it's the last day of school! That means summer is almost here. Today my daughter had her picnic, Thursday is my son's picnic. And because I haven't posted any photos of my kids in a while, here are a few!




Isn't she lovely????? She was so cooperative taking photos a few weekends ago, I loved it! I used alot of actions from Coffeeshop Photography for these photos. Rita at Coffeeshop Photography offers her actions FOR FREE! Isn't that amazing? I love her blog, go check it out immediately!!

Notice any of my son yet??? Well, that's because he doesn't let me take photos anymore. Who is he? A too-cool-for-school-almost-3rd-grader??? I have to get him in action, when he doesn't think i'm looking.


He ran track this spring and had a good time! And on another random note, a friend of mine needed a cake for a neighborhood party and I volunteered to make it. I stressed out about it for 3 days, but got it done. It was supposed to be a 2-tiered cake, but the smaller tier that was going on top had issues. Serious issues. Like serious issues at 10pm the night before I needed to deliver it so no time to rebake it. So...only 1-tier for this cake.


And because I can't leave well enough alone...I made some chocolate cupcakes for her as well.


Milk chocolate ganache filled chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and mini chocolate chips on top...to be exact.


I realized I am much better on a smaller scale (cupcakes) and making/decorating cakes really takes practice!! That's about it for my random post today. Hope you're having a great week...thanks for stopping by!!!

Cut outs and Paint

Happy Monday! I think I need another weekend day to recover from my weekend! The weather was beautiful and we spent most of the weekend outside, either at the pool or at the Dodger game. Good times!

I have another layout to show you using the June 3 Scrappy Boys Add-on kit.



I loved this shaped paper but wanted to do something different with it. I cut a square from the middle using my exacto knife and a ruler for a straight edge. I dug out a plain office transparency and then stamped on it using acrylic paint and bubble wrap. I then adhered it to the back, kinda like a window.


The flowers and flourishes were all cut on my Cricut. What do you think? I was just playing around and trying something fun and different. Sometimes you need to do that, ya know?? And don't worry, I snuck in a banner for my title!


I used my Walk in The Garden cartridge to cut all these flowers. I just cut varying shapes and layered them.


That's about it for me tonight! I am watching The Bachelorette...although i'm a bit embarrased to admit it. Ali (the Bachelorette) bugs me and i'm not even sure why i'm watching. Is that a sign of a reality TV addiction??? Don't answer that...hee hee!!

Thanks for stopping by!