Zebra Popcorn

You will need:

1/2 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 c. unpopped popcorn

(don’t forget the white and milk chocolate chips!!)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

1.) Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the corn syrup and the brown sugar. Let this simmer without stirring for 4 minutes.

During the 4 minutes is usually when I use an air popper to pop the popcorn. It works pretty well, because then the popcorn is still hot when the caramel is ready.

At the end of the 4 minutes, remove the caramel from the heat, stir in the salt/soda and then stir in the vanilla.

2.) Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir to mix. I usually run the bowl under hot air from the air popper to help the caramel stay hot enough to spread over all the popcorn. (Tip #1 – spray the bowl you’re popping into with non-stick spray so the caramel doesn’t stick to the bowl)

3.) Divide the carameled popcorn into two 9x13 cake pans. Put them in the oven for 1 hour at 250 degrees. Stir every 15 minutes.

4.) Pour the carameled corn out onto cookie sheets covered with wax paper. (Tip #2 – spray the wax paper with non-stick spray). Melt white chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 cups) and drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn. Repeat with milk chocolate chips (about 1 cup) (Tip #3 – if you don’t have a super fancy microwave like mine that has an auto setting for melting chocolate, you can still use your microwave, just use a lower power setting and turn it on for short amounts of time – like 30 seconds. Otherwise, you can make a double boiler using a class bowl over a pot of boiling water – but still be careful… it is VERY easy to over cook chocolate… and overcooked chocolate doesn’t “drizzle”)

5.) I put the cookie sheets in the fridge or freezer so the chocolate will harden. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

Enjoy! It is sooo addictive. You can also just stop at the caramel corn (maybe add nuts?) if you prefer. Or just use white chocolate, or just milk chocolate. Make it your own!!

I promise after the holidays I will get back to posting about how to be healthy instead of how to expand your waistline!! 8-o Maybe I’ll do a special on New Year’s resolutions for health!