Trick or Treat Popcorn Balls

I know it is too late for Halloween this year, but I had to post this for thoughts on next! I also think that candy corns are great through Thanksgiving, so why not give this a try now (if your sugar high is starting to lower!!)!

I found this last year, but didn't get a chance to try until now! I am not a huge candy corn fan, but really liked these. I also think I may try these again with M&M's in it instead!

Trick or Treat Popcorn Balls

(Cooking Light)

• 8 cups popped light butter microwave popcorn - about 1 bag (I used the full butter!)
• 1 cup candy corn (or try M&M's)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (10 ounce) bag marshmallows
• Cooking Spray

Combine popcorn and candy corn in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; stir in salt and marshmallows. Reduce heat to low; cook for 7 minutes or until the marshmellows melt and the mixture is smooth, stirring frequently.

Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn mixture, stirring well to coat. Lightly coat hands with cooking spray; shape popcorn into balls and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. You may need to reapply the cooking spray to your hands as you go!

Holiday Caramel Chex Mix

I tried this and loved it!! It is sweet, but super yummy and easy!

I found this in Home Cooking the Costco Way that my sister sent me. She got this cookbook from her Costco, they gave them away for free!!

Holiday Caramel Chex Mix

(General Mills)

• 4 cups popped popcorn
• 2 cups each of Corn Chex and Rice Chex
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Remove and discard any unpopped kernels from the popped popcorn

In an ungreased roasting pan, mix popcorn, cereal and nuts; set aside

In a saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour over the cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up.

In another saucepan, heat baking chips over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Add 3 cups of the cooled cereal mixture to the melted chips; toss gently until evenly coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil. Cool for about 30 minutes, or until set.

In a serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures and cranberries (I didn't add these the first time around, but did the second. I like them with the mix, my kids are picking around them!). Store in an airtight container. Makes 18 1/2 cup servings!

Caramel Corn

I haven't tried this recipe, but was told it was really good!! On the blog she describes this as not a gooey recipe, but more on the drier side!

from realmomkitchen.blogspot.com

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Microwave Caramel Popcorn

2-3 quarts popped popcorn (all just depends on how coated you want your popcorn)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

In a large microwave safe bowl, microwave butter, sugar, syrup, and salt on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until bubbling. Remove from microwave and mix in baking soda. Put popcorn in a paper grocery sack and pour caramel over popcorn. Fold down top of grocery sack and put in microwave. Microwave on high for 1 minute and 20 seconds. Take sack out of microwave and shake to even coat the popcorn. Pour out on cookie sheet to cool.

Ooey Gooey Caramel Popcorn

I found this recipe in the comments of Real mom Kitchen! She was looking for a ooey gooey caramel corn recipe and a lady gave her this one! I tried it and it was really good and messy! Next time I will make sure and get all the hard kernels out though!!

Caramel Corn
from barbarabakes.blogspot.com

8 cups popped corn (about 1/2 cup unpopped)
(I used a little more than that and it was still gooey!)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter

Measure popped corn into large bowl. Combine sugars, corn syrup, water, vinegar and salt in 2-quart sauce pan. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring constantly after boiling, to 260 degrees on candy thermometer (or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball).

Reduce heat to low; stir in butter until melted. Pour syrup in thin stream over popcorn in bowl, stirring until popcorn is well coated. Spread mixture on baking sheet. Cool!

Caramel Corn

I found this on a blog a while ago and now can't remember where! It turned out really good!

I added a little bit too much popcorn, so next time I will make sure to either double the caramel or add the right amount! Also it makes more of a "Cracker Jack" caramel corn than sticky gooey! ENJOY!!

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Caramel Corn

1/2 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 quarts (12 cups) popped corn

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In a heavy saucepan on medium to med.-high heat melt butter then add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Once mixture boils stop stirring and boil for 5 minutes (DO NOT STIR). Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour mixture over popped corn. Gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet (I used a 9 x 13 pan) and bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

Wicked Good Marshmallow Popcorn

Warning: this stuff is soooo yummy; it's almost too good. The best advice I can give you is to make sure that you have plenty of people to share it with. Otherwise, you'll end up eating it all by yourself, which can't be a good thing. So, here goes:

Marshmallow Popcorn
1 c. margarine or butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. Karo

Melt the above ingredients, remove from heat when it starts to bubble. Add 1 bag of mini marshmallows and mix it until the marshmallows are almost melted. Pour over 3 bags of microwave popcorn or 2 bowls of popcorn (make sure to remove the kernals). Enjoy, but please, try to show a little restraint!!

Goblin's Orange Popcorn

This came from the October & November 2008 Taste of Home magazine!

Super Yummy Fun!

4 quarts popper popcorn

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1 cup sugar

6 tbsp light corn syrup

dash salt

1 tsp vanilla

12 drops yellow/4 drops red food coloring (or if you have orange use a few drops)

Directions:

Place popcorn in large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and food coloring. Pour over popcorn; toss to coat. Transfer to two greased cookie sheets. Bake at 250 for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight containers (if you have any left!!!)