Caramel Popcorn

Pre-heat oven to 300. 

Pop the popcorn according to instructions.  I make my popcorn the old fashioned way on the stove.  Sydney had fun watching it POP!

 

It's much more cost effective to buy kernels & pop them on the stove.  This is how much it made today & I just covered the bottom of the pan with a layer of kernels.  Just be sure to add a little melted butter & salt to the popcorn right after popping.

Take out any un-popped kernels, put the popcorn on a cookie sheet & put in oven.

To make caramel sauce: {recipe from a Mom at Sydney's school}

3/4 c brown sugar (compact)
6 tbsp butter
3 tbsp Karo syrup

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking soda

In a saucepan, mix together brown sugar, butter & Karo syrup.  Heat on med-high heat, stirring frequently. 

Once it starts to boil, don't touch it.  Let boil for 5 minutes. 

Take off heat, add vanilla & baking soda.  Stir & pour over top of popcorn on cookie sheet.  Put back in oven for 15 minutes.  Take out, stir, then put back in oven for 5 minutes.  Take out and pour on wax paper.  Let cool & enjoy!

You could make popcorn balls, but I cut the top off a large baggie, filled it with caramel popcorn & put a red twist tie on it.  I put a cute Christmas tag on it and we gave it to our neighbor, Peg.  Peg is my walking buddy & the kids are crazy about her.  It's great to have great neighbors.

This was my first time making caramel popcorn, & it seemed like I had too much popcorn & not enough caramel sauce.  So next time, I will probably double the sauce or cut the popcorn in half.  But it still tasted great.  It was the perfect combination of sweet & salty.