Gluten Free Maple Bacon Cupcake Recipe

You've heard of breakfast for dinner - this is breakfast for dessert!

So I found this recipe at Pressed Down, Shaken Together on a blog hop, and it just sounded so intriguing.  Maple.  Bacon.  Cupcakes?!  I decided I had to give it a go, and here it is, gluten free.

SPH Gluten Free Maple Bacon Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake mix (you could use regular cake mix, too)
1 3-oz. box Jell-o Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting
2 T. maple syrup
8 slices of bacon, snipped, crisped and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In mixer bowl, combine cake mix and instant pudding.  In a small bowl, beat eggs.  Add oil and maple syrup.  Add to cake mix in mixer, and beat until smooth.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with cake batter and bake about 20-23 minutes.  Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, whip together maple syrup and frosting.  Spread over cooled cupcakes.  It's a little runny, so be mindful of that.  Sprinkle with crisped bacon bits.

After feeding this recipe to "the critics", it was decided that the cupcakes were better without the bacon.  Maybe it was the bacon I used?  We all agreed that the maple cupcakes were fantastic, so these would definitely be good "alone".

Try them for yourself, and see what you decide. Enjoy! 

Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Caramel Corn Recipe

Today is National Popcorn Day!

Do you remember back in December when we did our Twenty Five Days of Treats, one of the recipes was my mom's infamous Caramel Corn?  Well, today, we are going to put a fun, but grown-up taste, twist on this classic.

To the original recipe linked above, add about 8 oz. mini pretzel twists.  Eyeball it.  It's caramel corn, not rocket fuel.  I use Glutino brand to keep it gluten free, but you can use whatever brand you choose.  Want more pretzels, feel free to add more.

When you put your popcorn into the big baking pan, mix in the pretzels.  Be aware that they tend to stick together like 13-year-old girls, and they like to sink to the bottom of the pan.  I mixed them in with my hands.  Pour on the caramel sauce and stir well.  Follow the directions given to finish the recipe, allow to cool, and enjoy.

Follow the instructions as given, and allow to cool.  Eat and enjoy!

Maybe you're not into that whole sweet-and-salty thing, but you want to jazz things up a bit.  Ok, add almonds.  Or pecans.  Or both.  Why not cashews, or macadamia nuts.  Or mini M-n-M's.  Drizzle your finished product with melted chocolate - regular, dark or white.  Or use white and the color(s)-of-your-choice melting disks.

The possibilities are endless.

Check out some other popcorn recipes at the National Popcorn Board.

So enjoy your popcorn - it's a great source of fiber and fun!