Carmel Corn, a Fall Tradition at Our House.

The tree just outside our living room window has it's leaves starting to turn color.  First bright yellow then to a deep red then it sheds purple berries.  It is the first visible sign of fall in our neighborhood.

With the fall comes the apple cider and doughnuts, bond fires, hay rides, and I make Carmel corn! 

I saw this three months ago when it was posted as Crazy Karo Crunch on  blogingwithchildren.blogspot.com    She noted her Grandmother had made it and it tastes a lot like the flavors of Werther's candy over popcorn!  And it DOES!  We love it!  Plus, it is oh so easy to make.

Ingredients for Caramel Corn:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 C. light Karo syrup
1 C. brown sugar (I used light.)
1/2 t. vanilla
2 quarts popped corn (I used Boy Scout pop in the microwave, 2 bags.)
cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.  Either spray a half sheet pan with cooking spray or if, like me, you want little mess to clean up, line the pan first with heavy duty foil, then spray! Set the prepared pan aside.

Pop the corn and VERY IMPORTANT, pick out every single un-popped kernel, or old maids as we call them, and spread only the popped kernels out on the prepared pan.

In a heavy bottomed medium pan combine the butter, Karo, and brown sugar and stir until it boils over high heat,  Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil for EXACTLY 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Quickly drizzle over the popcorn and stir to coat.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Stir and bake for 15 minutes repeating until the corn has baked for an hour.  If you like nuts in your Caramel corn, feel free to add them at the beginning of the last 15 minutes.  We ate most of it right away but you can store in an airtight container for a week.  (Trust me, you will watch this disappear!)

Allow to cool, break apart,  and serve!

Do not lick the hot spoon and hot Caramel.  It will be tempting!

Do not add  baking soda!

I only have one dirty pan, a spoon, and a measuring cup to clean up!