Caramel Corn for Everyone!

Most people think of negative things when they think back to when they were in junior high.  Emotions were high back then and we still had a lot of growing to do.  I had a lot of fun when I was in junior high.  I made new friends and had some time to play before I had to start work to help out the family.  Summers were the best because we all could ride our bikes around town to see all the different places.  We also enjoyed going to each other's homes and play flashlight tag.  I sure miss those days!  One class I had in junior high was a home economics class.  We learned to cook and sew, among other things.  I already knew how to cook some of the things we learned.  I felt that there wasn't much to take from the class as I known how to do my own laundry since I was 6.  I was so wrong about that.  All of us students had gotten a cookbook out of the class that had some easy recipes in it.  One of those recipes was for caramel corn that you could make in the microwave.  Just about every time I've made this caramel corn recipe for someone, they either ask me to make them a lot for the next time or they ask for the recipe.  This is an old go to recipe that I will forever keep in my own personal cook book!


CARAMEL CORN

2/3 cup popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Pop popcorn in an air popper. Pick out old maids (optional, but desired) and put in a large microwave-safe clean paper bag. That means no staples in it. You can acquire these at any grocery store.

Combine in a quart size glass bowl the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave 1 1/2 min. Stir. Microwave 1 1/2 min. again. Stir. Add baking soda and vanilla. Pour mix over popcorn. Close bag and shake. Microwave 1 1/2 min. Shake. Microwave 1 1/2 min. Shake. Spread out on tray to cool. This would be another good way to find those old maids to pick out. Store in air tight container if it can even last that long!

I've tried this recipe with both light and dark brown sugars. Both are very good. If you have an old microwave like we do, you can adjust cooking times to be longer. If you don't, then it can be a little too chewy. It still tastes pretty good then.

This recipe came about from my junior high home economics class.