Recipe: Holiday Caramel Corn #holidaysnacks #holidaymenu #caramelpopcorn

My mom makes the most delicious caramel popcorn every year, but this year I actually paid attention to the details. For most of my life, I only sat down with the finished product and just INHALED it while watching Christmas movies. It is SO good. And now I know why! Short answer: sugary sweetness. This holiday, we made it together and I've decided it to share the family recipe...

Ingredients: 

• 6 quarts popcorn
• 1 cup margarine
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Time: 1 hour 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Pop six quarts of popcorn and set aside in big bowls. 
3. Melt the margarine over medium-low heat, then stir in the brown sugar and salt. Bring the mixture to a low boil for 5 five minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla.
5. Drizzle the mixture over the popcorn and toss to evenly coat. **The mixture is HOT! Be Careful! Use a big spoon, NOT not your hands!**
6. Spread the popcorn evenly over baking sheets and put into oven at 200 degrees for 45 minutes.
7. 15 minutes into baking, stir and turn the popcorn. Continue baking. 
8. 30 minutes into baking, stir and turn the popcorn again. Continue baking.
9. After the full 45 minutes, remove from oven and let set for a few minutes to cool. 
10. Put the popcorn into clean bowls to serve, or seal in Ziploc bags for later. 

NOTE: If the popcorn sits out too long, the caramel will harden and you'll have one big sheet of caramel corn. Make sure you "break it up" either into a serving bowl or bag.