Yummmmmmmmy Caramel Popcorn

I've tried a lot of different store bought and homemade popcorns, but was never inspired to make my own until a friend made this recipe. I love it! The kids and I made some last night.

I make it mostly for gifts because my waist line says that I don't need a lot of it, especially since I broke my office chair last week at work!!! My boss assures me that it was NOT my fault. I think I should have listened to it the last month when it was wheezing, "One at a time, please; One at a time!" :o) One of my office mates who is NOT getting a Christmas present spent the rest of the day making oinking noises around me and laughing!--it was after I told her about the one at a time thing, though. ;O) I got to go pick out my own new one which is bigger and comfier and even reclines a little. :o)

Oh, yeah the Caramel Popcorn recipe--

1c popcorn, unpopped
1/2 c. corn syrup
2c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp. flavoring (I do--1 tsp Maple flavoring, 1/2 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla) I am typically not a big fan of Maple, but the Maple flavoring is the key to the yummy popcorn
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1. Pop the popcorn.
2. Mix together corn syrup, brown sugar, butter. Melt in medium saucepan, boil for 5 minutes.
3. Add flavoring and baking soda. ("T" says this is the part with the chemical reaction)
4. Pour over popped and stir well.
5. Put in 250 oven for 15 minutes, stir well. Repeat two more times for a total of 45 minutes in the oven.
6. ENJOY

Tips:
1. When I pop the popcorn, I make sure there aren't any unpopped popcorn seeds--it is not pleasant to bite down on one!--the kids enjoy helping with this.
2. I use an air popper because it doesn't use oil which goes rancid after awhile, so your popcorn will get "old" tasting faster.
3. Make sure that the sauce pan you use is larger than you need just for the ingredients, when you add the baking soda (i.e. "T"s chemical reaction) the mixture "grows".