Popcorn and Pretzel Sweet Snack Mix

I love a sweet salty snack and if it has nuts I'm all over it.  If you're a popcorn lover you're gonna love this! This is so easy and tasty you'll have to make more than one batch.

The crunch of fresh popped popcorn combined with the creaminess of sweet white chocolate with a hint of cinnamon, the crunch of toasted almonds, saltiness of crisp pretzels and the sweetness of dried blueberries and cranberries all combined together make this snack out of this world. I found a bag of dried blueberries at Costco and just had to have them. I love them more than raisins. I thought they would go good with this popcorn and I was right! Lets get poppin'.

Popcorn and Pretzel Sweet Snack Mix

4 cups freshly popped plain popcorn
2 cups mini pretzels
1 cup pan roasted sliced or chopped almonds
1/2 cup dried blueberries

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 (12 oz.) pkg. premium white baking morsels (look for the brands made with real cocoa butter)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Line a 15" x 10" x  1" baking pan with a sheet of Reynolds(R) Parchment Paper; set aside.

Pour popcorn, pretzels, almonds and dried blueberries and cranberries into large bowl. Discard un-popped popcorn kernels.

Melt white morsels according to package directions. Stir in cinnamon; pour over popcorn and pretzels. Toss to evenly coat.

Spread evenly on parchment lined tray. Refrigerate to harden, about 1 hour. Break apart large pieces. Store in airtight container.

You may just want to make two batches of this. One for you and one to share. Because, trust me, one bite and you'll be hooked! Enjoy!

My twist on a recipe found on Allrecipes.com

Who Says Halloween Is Just For Kids?

When I was younger it seemed such a chore to figure out what I was going to be for Halloween. Most of the time I didn't figure that out until Halloween day, just hours before heading out the door with our pillow cases in hand to gather all our treats. Halloween is much more fun now than it was when I was a kid. 

I've always believed Halloween was for the little ones. But now that I am older and my son is grown with a son of his own I truly believe Halloween is for grandparents!  I love watching the excitement surrounding all the little ones as they get ready to enjoy the Halloween festivities.

Gettin' Ready

Every year we enjoy taking the kids on a Halloween outing of some sort so they can enjoy a fun day filled with a little trick-or-treating or pumpkin gathering and play. Plus it gets us parents and grandparents off the hook from having to decorate! Hah!

This year we took them to Crossroads Village’s Halloween Ghosts and Goodies where they were able to trick-or-treat around the village, enjoy a magic show and take a ride on the Ghost Train.  And the decorations were already done!

Our Little Monsters

We enjoy a nice tailgate party prior to starting our outing - filled with hot dogs and other yummy treats. This year I made some delicious treats to share. These peanut bars were the bomb. (If you click on the link below the pictures it will take you right to the recipe I used.)

Salted Peanut Bars

 And this caramel corn was to die for. Oh so yummy and delicious.

Caramel Corn

Some other yummy things I made at home for us not so young folk were Crescent Mummy Dogs.

Crescent Mummy Dogs

I think they tasted a little better with crescents than tossing them in a regular old bun. 

And we may not be quite so young but still had a little fun with some Creepy Mini Pizzas.

Creepy Mini Pizzas

The dough can be pre-made and tossed in the freezer to make a quick weeknight meal.

And who can resist doughnuts this time of year. I took a doughnut recipe and just made them into mini-muffins. Nothing's better than homemade, right?

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

And they tasted just as good as the ones you get at the cider mills.

Halloween is a great time of year to enjoy the little ones and also enjoy all the goodies you wouldn't normally get during the rest of the year.

So young or old - or somewhere in between ;) - Get out and enjoy Halloween. The little ones make it so much fun!

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.   Product received from an Advertiser is only used for experience based reviews on this site. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of KGora.