Friday, July 8, 2011

how many times can I make this in one week...

... and eat the majority of it myself?

Why do you ask? ARE YOU CHALLENGING ME?! That would be bad. I'd win in a heartbeat, for my "too much carbs" gene was shut off during my first sugar coma.

Caramel Corn Snack Mix (adapted from AllRecipes.com)
  • 8 cups popped popcorn
  • 4 cups Corn Chex
  • 2 cups small pretzel twists (I used pretzel Goldfish)
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used honey)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
In a large, enormous, bigger-than-you-think-you-need bowl, combine the popcorn, cereal, pretzels, and pecans.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup/honey in a saucepot. Cook on medium, stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook without stirring for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn mixture and toss and stir until evenly coated. This part is really hard, because the mix does not approve of "evenly" and goes straight to "clumpy." This is why the enormous bowl is helpful: you spill less in your efforts to beat the mix into submission even things out.

Bake (in the giant bowl) at 275 for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Dump out onto waxed or parchment paper and break up any chunks once cool. If you use heaping measures for the popcorn, Chex, and pretzels, there won't be any chunks. This is unsatisfying. If you're going to err on measurements, err on the scant side. The resulting clumps of caramel are VERY satisfying.

I made this last week, finishing up at 11:00 pm, and told myself I could have one small bowl. Then I thought "well, they are small, so two bowls is okay." When done, I then simply stood at the counter and ate the cooling mix off the waxed paper.

I think I may have a discipline problem.

2 comments:

Noel said...

OMG. Sounds like a perfect blend of salty and sweet. I need to put that stuff on my grocery list (because Lord knows there is not one normal "staple" in my cabinet, like baking soda. I might have salt/pepper...). xoxo

Unknown said...

I am sitting on the porch of Harvey Cedars Bible Conference (ask Molly what it is ;)) looking at the beautiful Bay. Adam is sitting next to me, reading The Peacemaker. I just said, "Oh no!" and he looked up alarmed. "What?!" "I think Addie may have posted the most addicting concoction since crack cocaine on her blog. Shoot. I'm going to have to make this now."
"Don't scare me like that!"