Last Minute Maple Brown Sugar Popcorn and Bonus Toffee Popcorn

You know someone is going to stop by your house this evening. Someone you completely forgot about it. They'll bring you a gift and you will stammer and tell them that you will be by later to bring a little something by; you haven't forgotten-just haven't had a chance to whip up that little something, uh..because the holidays are just so busy. This somebody is probably on the way to your house RIGHT NOW, but don't panic. All you have to do is whip up some last minute candied popcorn. And you know something? It's sweet, crunchy, and completely addictive and it couldn't be cheaper-or easier to make, thanks to a new method I tried out this morning.

Pop a couple of bags of microwave popcorn, low fat if possible, since you really don't need any added butter. Or pop you own out of about 1 cup kernels. Pour it into a large brown bag, the one you have sitting around waiting to make the brown bag apple with.

In the microwave, boil some butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup for two minutes. Stir in some vanilla (or maple extract-my favorite) and some baking soda.

Pour it over the popcorn in the bag...and give it to the most hyperactive person in your house. Let them shake it and boogie down, baby.

Voila! You've got enough to share. Phew, just in time, because wasn't that the doorbell?

Maple and Brown Sugar Candied Popcorn

Estimated Cost: $2.00 for about 2 gallon bag fulls

1 cup popcorn kernels, popped, or two bags microwave popcorn

10 tablespoons butter

1 and 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon maple extract (or sub vanilla)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pour popcorn into brown bag. In a LARGE (mixture will expand) microwaveable bowl, melt butter in microwave. Stir in brown sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil in the microwave and continue to microwave for two minutes. Stir in extract and soda, mixing well. Pour over popcorn in bag. Close bag and shake well. Return to microwave for one minutes. Stir inside the bag with a wooden spoon to distribute coating well. Rip open bag and devour, or be a saint and package some up for friends.

Toffee Popcorn....

Now, I'm also very partial to rich and crunchy toffee popcorn. Sailor just took some to a holiday party this weekend. (Get a load of her candy cane tights in the shadows.)

Here's how to make it:

Toffee Popcorn

Estimated Cost: $1.50 for about 8 cups

1 bag low fat micro popcorn, popped (or 1/2 cup kernels, popped)

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Butter a medium saucepan. Melt butter in pan over low heat. Stir in sugar over low heat until completely dissolved. Add corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for about three minutes, OR until mixture JUST begins to turn tan, almost like the color of chino pants. Add vanilla and soda and mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir. (I would recommend the bag method above for even distribution.)

Next Up:

What we gave the Neighbors this year....

Dark Brown Sugar Caramel Popcorn

C and H Dark brown sugar. Don't leave your grocery store without it.This week, I got a $20 gift card from C and H and Domino sugars. The money was meant to help cover the cost of creating a treat from their website and posting about it here on Prudence Pennywise. The truth of the matter is that irregardless of the $20 gift card, I ALWAYs buy C and H dark brown sugar. The flavor is deep and caramely, perfect for adding depth to any recipe that calls for brown sugar. Cheap grocery store brand brown sugar just doesn't have the same flavor quality, and you end up unfortunately getting what you paid for. When it comes to C and H dark brown sugar, I'm a life long loyal customer. So I'm happy to toot their holiday horn today. You've got to head over to their website and check out their great holiday gift ideas. Check them out here.
My favorite idea was for caramel corn:
"To ship baked goods with popcorn as cushion, add 1/2 of caramelized popcorn into a large clear plastic bag. Insert bag into shipping box. Adjust bag and popcorn to fill bottom of box. Add your baked goods, which should be in a sealed plastic bag. Top off with the remaining of the popcorn mixture and securely seal the plastic bag. Be sure to release enough air so that you can close the box. Your baked items will safely be floating in the delicious caramelized popcorn, ready to ship. "
I'd heard of packing in plain styrofoam-y popcorn, but caramel corn is an entirely different matter altogether. Wouldn't you love to open a present and have this sweet popcorn come spilling out instead of those packing peanuts that kids always make a mess with? And even if you aren't packing up for shipping, Dark Brown Sugar Caramel Popcorn makes a sensational gift. It's easy and quick to make, plus it's extremely inexpensive. But then again, why give it all away for a gift? Wouldn't your family like a big bowl of it in front of the fireplace with a Christmas story tonight?
Now here's the recipe, and it's fantastic. I make it all the time, but with one significant difference. I don't always bake it in the oven when I'm done. Sometimes I want chewy, gooey caramel popcorn, so I skip the oven, and simply toss it and eat it. For packing up for give-aways, I always use the baking option. In fact, I'm making some today to hand out to my top-scoring college students on our most recent Humanities test. No wonder my Winter classes are already full.

Dark Brown Sugar Caramel Popcorn

Estimated Cost: $3.00
1 cup salted butter
2 cups C&H Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line two large shallow baking dishes with parchment paper. Divide popcorn and spread into baking dishes, set aside. For caramel: In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and salt, continuously stirring, bring to a boil. Let boil for 3-4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda and vanilla. While caramel is still hot, stream over popcorn. Stir caramel into popcorn with a wooden spoon to coat. (Stop here if you like it gooey and chewy.) Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Break apart popcorn with your hands.

Here's a cute packaging idea for a cookie dough give away from the Domino's website...

Next Up:

More ideas for Homemade Christmas Gifts...