SkinnyPop Happy Hour

Although school is back in session, we're still holding on to Summer with all we've got.  When the folks at SkinnyPop reached out to ask if I'd be interested in pairing their delicious popcorn with summery cocktails, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to enjoy relaxing in the sunshine a little longer.

We love popcorn in this hive and at 43 (depending on the flavor) calories per cup it's the perfect little treat, but without the guilt.  The other reasons to love SkinnyPop? It has NO artificial ingredients, it's non-GMO, gluten free, peanut free (perfect for school treats), tree nut free, preservative free and has zero trans fats.  What I didn't already know, but love, is that most of their products are dairy free, even the White Cheddar, which is our fave.

I took the oppportunity to set up a little "summer isn't over yet" happy hour on our buffet.  Along with our standard favorite (the cheddar) we picked up a bag of salt and pepper to pair with our summer adult beverages.

We took SkinnyPop's lead pairing both flavors with berries, but got a little creative and mixed up our own Berry Gin Fizzes.  It was the perfect combination, both light and refreshing and certainly fun!

Berry Gin Fizz

Ingredients (per glass):

• 4-5 berries (we used blueberries, but blackberries would be terrific, too)
• Sprinkle of sugar
• 2 oz gin
• 2 oz berry sparkling water
• lemon wedge to garnish

Directions

• Muddle berries and sugar in bottom of glass until sugar dissolves.
• Fill glass with ice cubes.
• Add gin and sparkling water to taste.
• Garnish with squeeze of lemon.

As I said, while I'm not yet ready for summer to end, my wheels are naturally turning toward our next season and all the popcorn pairing possibilities (hard cider, mulled wine, the possibilities are endless....).  Until then, you can find us sipping and snacking the summer combos!

Happy Skinny Pop Happy Hour!