Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn (about 10 cups popped)
2 cups pretzels
2 cups mixed nuts
3 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon bacon fat (or 4 T butter)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
2 Tablespoons habanero pepper sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 Tablespoons crumbled, cooked bacon
Coarse sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250 F. Pop the popcorn and split it between two large mixing bowls. Add a cup of pretzels and a cup of mixed nuts to each bowl and toss lightly to mix.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and bacon fat, then add the brown sugar, whiskey, habanero sauce, salt and garlic. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the crumbled bacon.
Pour the buttery bacon mixture over the popcorn in the bowls and stir gently to coat all the pieces.
Pour the popcorn mixture onto a jelly roll pan (or other large baking sheet with an edge). Sprinkle lightly with the coarse sea salt.
Bake at 250 for 30 – 45 minutes or until the popcorn and nuts are crisp, stirring every 10 – 15 minutes or so. Let cool, then store in an airtight container. (A tin is perfect!)

Notes

You can make this party mix gluten free if you skip out on the pretzels (or use GF pretzels?) and change out the whiskey for a gluten free form of alcohol. Most rums are gluten free, and some tequilas are, too.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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