Caramel Corn

8 cups popped popcorn

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

6 T. butter

3 T. light corn syrup

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. vanilla

3 c. roasted almonds

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn.  Put popcorn into a 17x12x2 inch baking pan.  (A turkey roaster works best!)  In a 1 1/2 quart sauce pan combine sugar, butter, corn syrup and 1/4 t. salt.  Cook and stir over medium heat till butter melts and mixture comes to boiling.  Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes more over low heat.  (Mixture should continue to boil during these 5 minutes.)  Remove from heat.  Stir in baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over popcorn; gently stir to coat popcorn, and nuts if you want to add them.  Bake in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes; stir.  Bake 5-10 minutes more.  Stir one more time and dump corn into a large bowl.  Cool.  Makes 8 cups.

From whence it came:  I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, you know, that very famous red and white checkered cookbook that everyone seems to have and that you see everywhere.  I got that cookbook for a wedding gift and do you know that I think this might be the only recipe I have ever made from it.  I might have made a coffee cake recipe once upon a time, but I can't remember for sure.  Either way, that cookbook is worth having just for this recipe alone.  I really is!

Why it's blogable:  I think if you were to ask people who know me what recipe I am most famous for making, they would say this one. Have I said that before?  If so, then I lied.  I have made at least a million batches of this stuff, possibly two, over the past bunch of years.  I usually only make it starting in the fall and through Christmas.  I rarely make it at other times.  To me, it's a fall recipe.  It also gives me a good excuse to take a break from making it, because after you've made it a million times, or two, you need a break!  Once upon a time I sold this caramel corn at boutiques, but now I just make it for people I love.  When my baby boy (who at this very minute is 16-years old) was still just a little boy, maybe two or so, he would see me making it and he would come into the kitchen and slap my leg and say, "Bite bite!  Bite bite!"  He just loved it!  And he still does!  This is one of my very very best recipes!  It's not hard to make.  Just follow the directions exactly and you'll have delicious caramel corn before you know it.  Oh, and one more thing, it'll make you popular!  Make this for people and they will love you forever and always!

A few more tips:  I ALWAYS triple the recipe and I cook it in a big turkey roasting pan.  I add almonds which I have roasted on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  (Or you can buy the pre-roasted ones at Trader Joes.  If you do that, use one whole bag of almonds per triple recipe)  This is a no fail recipe.  Sometimes, if the weather is humid, the caramel corn will turn out a little bit sticky.  It is best to make it when the weather is hot and dry, but you really can do it anytime.  

Click here to get the printable:

Caramel Corn

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!