Welcome to 2013

Welcome to the New Year!!  I am finally back to my routine and am able to blog again -- yay! :) I thought I would start the year out with a quick look back at some of my favorite recipes over this past year.  It went by very fast, and deserves a little reflection.  

I had to begin with something sweet and these Valentine's Day sugar cookies were perfect.  Soft, with a creamy frosting.  I can still taste them.  The great thing is you can use them anytime of year, just change the shape and the frosting color!

These Garlic and Sausage Kabobs are a recipe that a friend of mine made this summer at the lake, and I loved them!  Whoever thought of adding bread to kabobs is a genius.  Try it and tell me how awesome it is... delish! 

I remember the morning that I made these banana and peanut butter pancakes vividly.  I wanted to make something glorious for breakfast but didn't feel like going shopping.  Luckily I had the ingredients to throw this together and it tasted so great, especially because I was still in my PJ's.

This is one of the prettiest things I've made in the past year, in my opinion anyway.  Not to mention how great these blueberry walkaways taste.  Really there's nothing you can't shove in the middle of good bread that will taste bad.  Let's be real :)

I love me some popcorn.  I also love a little twist on it to spice things up!  Reese's Popcorn mixed with chocolate and caramel, sign me up.

Soup just screams fall to me, and even though this year I didn't get much fall weather (living in Arizona and all) I still had to partake in the fall food.  This chicken and pumpkin soup mixed great fall ingredients together to form a very tasty soup.  Also great as leftovers! 

Finally, the homemade Nutella I made for some of my family and friends for Christmas gifts.  Took some time and love, but it turned out great and tastes much better than anything you can buy! 

Here's to another year of great food, recipes, photos and friends!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

I saw this recipe on a favorite food blog of mine and couldn't resist.  Anything that incorporates chocolate and peanut butter together in a new way I'm on board.  After tasting this, you will be on board too!

You'll need around 8 cups of popped popcorn.  It was around 3 bags for me.  Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.

Cut up 1 1/2 cups of mini Reese's peanut butter cups in half.

Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for around 2 minutes then remove from heat.

Add in the peanut butter and stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted.  The mix in the vanilla extract.

Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and gently stir with a wooden spoon until it's all coated.  Spread the popcorn on a baking sheet.

Drizzle popcorn with melted chocolate and let sit until the chocolate hardens.

Then stir in the mini Reese's peanut butter cups. 

This is similar to caramel corn, but two steps better!  If you're looking for a savory sweet dessert that's bound to make everyone happy this is exactly it!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn

Serving size 8 cups

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

8 cups plain popcorn

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup melted chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups, chopped

Place popped popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.

Mix the honey and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Let it simmer for around 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Stir in the peanut butter and stir vigorously until it's melted.  

Then mix in the vanilla extract.

Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and gently stir with a wooden spoon until coated.

Spread popcorn on a large baking sheet.

Drizzle popcorn with mPublish Postelted chocolate and let sit until chocolate hardens.

Stir in the mini Reese's cups and enjoy!