Caramel Popcorn

yep.

Popcorn:
~ 1/4 c Corn kernels
oil
salt
pan with a lid

Caramel:
2 sticks butter
2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c white karo syrup

1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t vanilla extract
Large flat baking pans

Popcorn:
*To pop the popcorn, put enough corn kernels on the bottom of the pan to almost cover the bottom, and add just enough oil to coat them all with oil and add some salt.
-to test, shake the pan and if all the kernels stop banging around, there is enough oil
*cover the pot!
-unless you want hot oil splattering you and your kitchen...
*heat on medium high
*when the oil gets hot enough you'll hear the first *ding* sound. This means your first kernel has popped.
*start shaking the pot (keeping it on the heat)! and keep popping it as more and more kernels pop. This keeps the popcorn on the bottom from burning
*when the kernels slow down, or when the popcorn starts pushing up the lid

yum

Caramel:
*preheat oven to 250 degrees
*melt the butter, brown sugar and karo in a sauce pan and bring them to a boil
*let this boil for 5 minutes
*mix the salt, baking soda, and vanilla together
*after 5 minutes of boiling, add the vanilla mixture to the butter mixture
- at this point you will see it all turn lighter and start puffing up.
*after stirring these two together take them off the heat and pour them over the popcorn in large, flat pans.
*stir popcorn until coated with caramel and place in the oven


**leave the popcorn in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes
**When finished, let the popcorn air out and the caramel will become hard, giving it that caramel crunch!!

Tips:
-if you want to add peanuts, add them for the last 15 minute period in the oven
-put the popcorn onto wax sheets straight out of the oven