Vanilla Sweet Popcorn

I love this recipe!  It tastes like kettle corn without the salty flavor.  I think I'll try adding a teaspoon of salt to the next batch to see if it tastes like kettle corn.  Either way it should be good. :)

2 Quarts popped popcorn
  2/3 c sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 c butter
1 t vanilla


Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Oil a 10x15 inch baking pan with sides.

Place popcorn into a large, metal bowl, and set aside. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, then pour over the popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is well coated. Spread the popcorn into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool to room temperature. Break into small clumps, and store in an airtight container.

I mixed it with chocolate popcorn.

Chocolate Popcorn

My father-in-law got me an air popper for Christmas with a bunch of different corn kernals. It's been fun experimenting with neew recipes. This is a yummy one. It's great mixed with the vanilla popcorn.

2 Quarts popped popcorn
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c butter
1 t vanilla


Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Oil a 10x15 inch baking pan with sides.

Place popcorn into a large, metal bowl, and set aside. Stir together the sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, then pour over the popcorn. Stir until the popcorn is well coated. Spread the popcorn into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool to room temperature. Break into small clumps, and store in an airtight container.

I mixed it with vanilla popcorn. YUM!

Divinity

MMMMMMmmmmm....I haven't eaten a lot of divinity, but I made it four times this last Christmas season.  It's a new favorite of mine.  You definitely have to add the pecans.

•  4 cups sugar
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1-2 cups chopped pecans

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.
While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes (I used a handmixer and it took 10-12 minutes). Stir in pecans.
Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. This may take a little practice because the technique is to twirl the pushing spoon, making the candy look like the top of a soft serve ice cream. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you're done. Cool the candies on racks completely. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I forgot to take a pic of my divinity so this is off of paula deens' website and that's where I got the recipe too.

Caramel Popcorn

I love carmel popcoran and this recipe is delicious.  It's chewy and soft.  I bet it would be great with almonds or pecans.

1 c corn for popping or 3 bags microwave popcorn
2 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweet and condensed milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pop popcorn and shake bowl to get unpopped kernels to bottom of bowl.  Remove all unpopped kernels.

Mix brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in 4 qt saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Heat until it reaches soft crack stage (270-290 degrees).  Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

I like to stir it often as it cools down and place it in a bag.  I also break it upafter it's in the bag because it makes it easier to eat.

DELICIOUS Caramel

This caramel takes over an hour to make, but it is TOTALLY worth it!

2 c light corn syrup (I used 1 c of dark and 1 cup light
1 14 oz can sweet and condensed milk
1 c whipping cream
1 1/2 c milk
1 cup butter (2 sticks, do not substitute)
4 c sugar
2 c chopped pecans (optional)
2 t vanilla

Butter a 9x13 pan.

In a heavy 6 qt pan, combine syrup, milks, butter, and sugar. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.  (If sugar crystals form on pan, wash down sides with a wet pastry brush.  Clip on candy thermometer.

Continue stirring constantly until mixture reaches 240 degrees (or hits firm ball stage).  Remove from heat.

Add pecans and vanilla.  Pour in to prepared pan (DO NOT SCRAPE PAN) and cool at room temperature  or overnight.

Fudge

This fudge is very yummy and only takes about 25 minutes total.

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup  (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)
1 bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I use half bag of semi sweet and half bag of milk chocolate)
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

LINE 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Place sugar, butter and evaporated milk in large heavy saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F (or soft ball stage), stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

ADD chocolate chips and marshmallow creme; stir until completely melted. Add pecans and vanilla; mix well.

POUR immediately into prepared pan; spread to form even layer in pan. Let stand at room temperature 4 hours or until completely cooled; cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Sweet Chex Mix

So, sweets are the only thing getting me through this first week. They give me carbs (not necessarily the best way to get carbs) to get through the day. Here's a simple and sweet recipe that has almonds and "enriched" Chex (so you get some vitamins).

Sweet Chex Mix (be sure all ingredients are gf)

3/4 Box of Corn Chex

3/4 Box of Rice Chex

2 C Coconut

1 C Slivered Almonds

Mix above ingredients in a very large bowl

1 C Corn Syrup

1 C Sugar

3/4 C Butter or Margarine

Bring above ingredients to a boil and continue boiling for 3 minutes. Add liquid to mixture and mix well. Continue mixing often until mixture is cooled. Store in airtight container.