Mini Popcorn Balls on a stick

Here is the recipe for the Miniature Popcorn Balls on a stick that my cousin made for the " She's About to Pop" baby shower we held recently.

The original recipe for regular popcorn balls came my friend Debbie. (Thanks Deb!)

YOU WILL NEED:

7 cups popped popcorn
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
~~~~~~~
(for drizzling)
Pretzel sticks
Milk chocolate chips
White chocolate chips
Caramel

In saucepan, mix sugar, water, syrup, salt and butter. Cook till 250 degrees on a candy thermometer or until a few drops form a hard ball when dropped into cold water.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla , by pouring a thin stream over the corn, stirring constantly to mix.

To FORM BALLS

Take a small amount and form (make them golf ball size) around pretzel stick. Place them on a greased cookie sheet. Drizzle melted milk chocolate chips, melted white chocolate chips, and melted caramel. It doesn't take much, (half a coffee cup is what I used.) I then poured the Chocolate and caramel in a zip lock baggie (place it in a cup to stabilize )cut off the corner, then drizzle. I bet you could also sprinkle chopped nuts on them before the chocolate sets up. Pretty simple.


Enjoy!

Party Caramel Corn

Butterscotch Popcorn


Yesterday I shared about the popcorn themed baby shower my cousin and I threw for a relative pregnant with twins.

I shared the cupcake recipe yesterday, the Miniature Popcorn Balls recipe will be posted tomorrow and today I will share the recipes for a variety of caramel corn flavors that were prepared by my cousin Angie.

This popcorn themed party was a blast, and I think would also lend itself nicely to a Circus themed party as a well as a Movie Night theme.

You don't need a theme, party, or even a good reason to enjoy caramel corn though.

So, here are a few of my cousin's recipes you can make and enjoy anytime.


Butterscotch Caramel Corn

10 C. cooked popcorn
1 C. salted peanuts
10oz pkg. butterscotch chips
3/4 C. lt. corn syrup
2 Tbsp. butter

Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Place popcorn and peanuts in pan. combine chips, syrup and butter in saucepan. Over medium heat, cook until mixture boils; stirring constantly. Pour over popcorn and nuts. stir to coat. Bake 250 for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from oven, stir every 2 minutes until slightly cooled. Dump onto wax paper. Cool completely.


Toffee Almond Crunch

1 C. butter
2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. lt. corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 quarts popped corn
1 1/2 C. slivered almonds
1 1/2 C. heath bar chips

Place popcorn and almonds in a lg. greased roasting pan. in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter, sugar, syrup, and salt. bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. pour over popcorn and nuts, stirring to coat. Bake in a preheated 250 oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for one hour. remove from oven. Pour onto greased cookie sheet or wax paper sprinkle with crushed heath bar chips. Cool completely, break into pieces.

(OOPS! Forgot to add baking soda and extract....still came out great.)

Maple Spice Crunch

1-1/3 C. granulated sugar
1 C. butter
1/4 C. maple syrup
1/4 C. lt. corn syrup
1/4 sp salt
1 tsp maple extract
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
10 C. popped corn
1 1/2 C. chopped pecans

Place popcorn and nuts in a large greased roasting pan. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, bring sugar, butter, maple syrup, corn syrup and salt to a boil; stirring constantly. Boil another 4 minutes. remove from heat, stir in maple extract. pour over popcorn and nuts; stir to coat. Bake 250 degrees for 1-hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet or wax paper. Break into bite-size pieces.

ENJOY!