Holiday Popcorn Crunch Bark

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
1 bag (93 g) lightly salted, unbuttered microwave popcorn (about 8 cups/2L popped)
1 cup (250 mL) mini pretzel twists
12 oz (350 g) vanilla- or chocolate- flavored almond bark or candy melts (see cook's tip)

Variations	Mix-Ins
Coconut Macadamia	11/2 cups (375 mL) toasted sweetened coconut (see cook’s tips) 1 cup (250 mL) lightly salted, macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped 1 cup (250 mL) blue candy coated chocolate pieces
Peppermint	7 large candy canes or 20 peppermint hard candies, coarsely crushed 1 cup (250 mL) red & green candy coated chocolate pieces
*Gingersnap	1 cup (250 mL) pecans, coarsely chopped 16 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crushed (1 cup/250 mL) 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
Double Chocolate Mint	16 fudge-covered mint cookies, coarsely crushed (1 cup/250 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) dark chocolate & mint morsels

Directions

Chose a variation. Spray bottom of Large Sheet Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pop popcorn according to package directions.
Place popcorn in large Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl, being careful not to add unpopped kernels. Place pretzels in small resealable plastic bag; seal. Using hands, break up into smaller pieces and add to mixing bowl.
Place almond bark in large Silicone Prep Bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 1½ minutes; stir. Continue microwaving 1–1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. (*If preparing Gingersnap Variation, stir ginger into bark).
Pour melted bark over popcorn mixture. Mix gently with Small Mix ‘N Scraper® until evenly coated. Add remaining mix-ins and mix gently.
Pour popcorn mixture onto pan, spreading evenly. Refrigerate, uncovered, 5–10 minutes or until set. Break into pieces and serve. Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Yield:

32 servings of 1/2 cup/125 mL average of all

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 132, Total Fat 7.5 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 74 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g

Cook's Tips:

You can find almond bark in the baking section of your grocery store. Candy melts can be found in specialty craft stores.

To toast coconut, place in Large Micro-Cooker®. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 2½ -3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

To crush peppermint candies, place in small resealable bag; seal. Using flat side of Meat Tenderizer, crush into small
pieces.