White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

We love popcorn at our house! Usually its just air popped with salt and butter, but this one is for special occasions. Like when you need to use up the leftover candy canes that have been sitting in your cupboard for who knows how long! ( Actually, I made this recipe in January or February, but who knows, maybe someone else still has candy canes sitting around?) This is SUPER delicious. Next Christmas I am buying a pack of candy canes especially for this!

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn


16 oz. white chocolate (can use white chocolate baking morsels) or almond bark

1 cup finely crushed (like sand) peppermints (about 10-12 candy canes or 40 mints) I crushed my peppermints in my food processor.

4 quarts popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup  corn kernels) I used this to pop my corn, so it had salt. If you are using air popped corn, throw in a pinch of salt when you sprinkle in the crushed peppermints.

Slowly melt white chocolate or almond bark in the microwave or on stove-top with double boiler. Stir often to keep chocolate from burning.  Stir  1/2 cup crushed peppermints into the white chocolate.  Place popped corn into a large bowl.  Pour melted white chocolate and peppermint mixture over the popcorn. Gently stir to coat popcorn while sprinkling remaining crushed peppermints over the popcorn.
Pour out onto parchment paper and allow coating to harden.

Source: skiptomylou.org

Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

We had these delicious "griddle" cakes for dinner on International Pancake Day on February 28th (yes, February that's how far behind I am). Mmm, mmm, these are to die for. I think I might make them tonight for dinner...

 Bacon and Corn Griddle Cakes

8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 cup frozen, canned or fresh corn
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
warm maple syrup, for serving

 In a medium skillet, cook the bacon pieces until they begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is crisp and the onion is softened. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bacon mixture for topping the griddle cakes upon serving- and set it aside.

 While the bacon is cooking, combine the flour, chives, baking powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, egg and oil, just until moistened. Stir in the bacon mixture, corn and cheese. The mixture will be thick. If you'd like the griddle cakes to be slightly thinner than those pictured, add a little more milk to thin out the batter.

Heat and grease a griddle or large skillet. Pour a heaping 1/4-cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook until it is golden brown- 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve stacks of griddle cakes topped with a sprinkle of the reserved bacon/onion and a good dose of warm maple syrup.

Source: RecipeGirl.com