Popcorn balls for Halloween VII

Popcorn balls for Halloween VII Originally uploaded by newwavegurly

Happy Halloween Everyone! Every time I think of popcorn balls I think about Halloween, don't you? Popcorn balls are good at any time of the year but I think we all eat them more in October than any other time. Over the years the recipes for them have changed a lot. We make popcorn balls now that are full of marshmallows, chocolate, nuts, candy, honey, caramel and you name it. At Halloween we find popcorn balls at most all carnivals and Halloween Parties. Don't you just love that picture to the right. It's a picture of Honey Popcorn Balls and it makes my mouth water. Check out the popcorn ball information page.  

Everyday is a Holiday!
Hey guys did you know October is National Popcorn Poppin Month? Since popcorn balls are so popular during this month they sure pick a good month to set this Holiday on that's for sure. In honor of all that is popcorn... here's a few recipes.
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Caramel Popcorn Balls:

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups unpopped popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Place popped corn in oven to keep warm. Repeat until all corn has been popped. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer inserted, combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to boiling over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, until thermometer reads 238 degrees F (114 degrees C). Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour caramel over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter hands lightly; shape popcorn into balls about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. 

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Easy Popcorn Balls:

Ingredients

• 10 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package fruit flavored gelatin mix
• 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Place popcorn in a large shallow pan or dish.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring corn syrup and brown sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Pour mixture evenly over popcorn, stirring to coat. When mixture is cool enough to handle, form into 2 inch balls. Let cool on waxed paper until set.

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Marshmallow Popcorn Balls:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan.
3. Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.
4. Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.
5. Form popcorn into 8 balls.

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Caramel Corn Recipe

Caramel Corn
Originally uploaded by alida saxon

This post is in honor of October being National Caramel Month & National Popcorn Poppin Month.

1 1/2 c salted butter
3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
5 quarts popped popcorn (22 cups from about 1 1/2 cups unpopped kernels)

Pop popcorn in small batches, making sure to sift out the unpopped kernels. Pour popcorn into a large oven safe bowl or big pan that has been oiled lightly.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large pot melt butter. Add sugar, syrup & salt. Bring to a boil stirring to keep anything from burning on the bottom. Once boiling let boil five minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. The mixture then will froth up, so this is why you use a bigger pot than you might think you need. Stir until soda and vanilla is mixed in and then pour evenly over the big pan of popcorn and gently toss the popcorn like you would a salad until most of the popcorn is covered. Don't get too rough or you just end up with crumbles.

Put pan into the heated oven and every 20 minutes pull out and stir the popcorn again. The slow heat keeps the caramel from hardening, gets the excess moisture out, and makes for a perfect glaze when finished. After two hours of this, take out caramel corn and let cool. And be sure to try a little bit still warm. It's so very good.

Once very cool you can store it in any airtight container or ziplock bags.

Options: Want nuts? Stir two or three cups of peanuts or whatever mix of nuts you like into to the caramel just before you're pouring it over the popcorn. There's plenty of caramel in the recipe to allow for the addition.

Makes a nice big amount that you can give out as hostess gifts this season, or take a big bowl to a potluck style party or sports party. It goes over very well and it is quite affordable to make (unless you add very expensive nuts). alida saxton