Quick and Easy Caramel Corn

My family loves popcorn.   It's a pretty common stack staple in my household and is almost always one of our "go to" snacks along with hummus (homemade of course) with celery or carrots.. We're very old fashioned when it comes to popcorn, we don't buy that microwavable stuff with all the chemicals. Typically, we just buy a huge bag of kernels and pop them in a huge pot on the stovetop. However, every fall my CSA includes popcorn still on the cob in our box. .This is always alot of fun for us as the kids have so much fun putting a cop of it in a paper bag and putting it in the microwave and listening to it pop..

Usually, we just pop it, sprinkle a small amount of Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning in the bowl and much away.  But, every now and again, I decide to make a special treat for the kids.  This is our recipe for a very quick and easy caramel corn.. It lacks all the nasty chemicals that you get in those huge cans of popcorn they sell during Christmastime but tastes just as good :)

So, here's what you need:

• Popcorn from about 1/2 cup of unpopped kernels
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tb. butter
• 3 Tb. corn syrup
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp of kosher salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda

(Hey, nobody said this was HEALTHY.. LOL)

Pop your popcorn like you normally would and then put it in a large paper bag.  You can also use a large bowl if you don't have a bag but the bag makes it alot easier.

In a large microwave safe bowl mix together the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla extract... (do not mix in the baking soda at this time)..  Put bowl in the microwave for two minutes.. after two minutes, stir the mixture well and put back in the microwave for 1 minute.  After 1 minute, pull out mixture immediately and mix in the baking soda and then pour over the popcorn in the bag.. Shake well.

Seal the top of the bag by folding it over and pop in the microwave for 45 seconds.. Pull bag out and shake again to coat all the popcorn evenly in the bag..

At this stage, the popcorn is very hot.. So I usually pop it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to allow the caramel to cool and harden..   Break it apart and enjoy :)