Caramel Corn

Tonight I made some of my mom's ooey, gooey, oh so yummy caramel corn and then packaged it up for Austin's teacher and bus driver. I did a cute bag topper for the bags using the Scallop punch and the Top Note Sizzix die from Stampin' Up! I love how they came out and they were so easy to do!

Here is the recipe:
2 sticks butter
2 cups tightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 quarts popped popcorn

Pop popcorn and place into 2 deep baking or roasting pans. 3" is a good depth. I used my pampered chef 9x13 baking dish and lid.
Melt butter in a deep saucepan. Add brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil for 5 minutes, no stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla and soda and stir it all in (it will get a little foamy at this point). Pour over popcorn and mix it around. Place pans in oven heated to 200 degrees. Cook 15 minutes and stir. Then again 15 minutes and stir. If you want it a little crunchier you can cook for an additional 10 minutes. Pour out on a bread board, break it up a little and let cool.
If you are going to do half the recipe, reduce the stovetop time to half and the baking time to 10 minute intervals.

It is easier to make then I anticipated. All told it took less than an hour Austin helped and had a great time until we burned the caramel mixture on the first batch (it looked and smelled like a mix of tar and molasses - yuck!). He sure enjoyed tasting the results though!