Quick and Easy Caramel Corn

First of all I want to say that this recipe was adapted from one that I got over at the blog Our Best Bites, those ladies are pretty darn talented and if you haven't visited their site yet I highly recommend it!

My grandma Anna Mae makes the most incredible Caramel & Molasses popcorn balls in the world every year for Halloween.  I mean they are amazing!  So dang amazing in fact that my family is known to drive hundreds of miles to come home and get one...yep I told you...AMAZING!  So when I think of Halloween I always seem to think of caramel popcorn, again it is just the way my crazy mind works.  When planning the Halloween party I wanted to find a recipe that I could make my own and that wouldn't take a lot of time (lets face it mom's never have enough time).  This one definitely hit the spot.

It just takes a few simple ingredients, a microwave safe bowl or glass pitcher, a microwave and an oven if you so choose.  I happen to like my caramel corn in the oven for a little while but for those of you that like it a little sticky...no oven will be needed!  Pretty cool!!

I first popped 12 cups of popcorn (about 1/2 cup of kernels) in my air popcorn popper.  You could definitely use microwave popcorn in its place, I would just try to find a low sodium variety.

You then combine 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of Corn Syrup, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 stick of butter (the real thing) in a microwave safe bowl or pitcher.  Microwave for 45 seconds and stir to combine.  Then microwave for 2 minutes, stir and then microwave again for 2 minutes.  Hard stuff...I know. :)

When the carmel has finished microwaving for the whole 4 minutes and 45 seconds take it out and add ½ tsp. of baking soda and 1 ½ tsp. of vanilla.  The baking soda may try to clump up so be sure to get it stirred in well.  The mixture will foam a little and look like this...

It is now ready to pour over the pop corn.  Be sure to have it in a large bowl because you will need the room.  Stir well and pour out onto a foil lined and greased cookie sheet.  Once on the cookie sheet and spread out I sprinkled about 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt over it to make it extra wonderful.  It is at this point that you can decide what you want to do.  You could just leave it out at room temperature for an hour or two and keep the stickiness or pop it into the oven at 225° for an hour, being sure to stir every 15 minutes.  Either way is fantastically yummy.  Sweet life-J

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