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Before I talk about this addictive Caramel Corn (which is easier to make than I thought it would be), I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have prayed for me, and wished me well in my surgery #5 on my knee. The great news is that this one was successful. My brilliant surgeon was able to remove enough scar tissue so that my knee is actually bending! I almost cried, the first time I could actually sit in chair, with both feet on the floor, to eat my hospital lunch. I'm on medical leave for a few weeks, so that I can be a model patient, by doing my physical therapy several times a day. I can finally appreciate the benefit of having a total knee replacement, and there are no regrets. Amen.
As a kid, I loved…
View Full Recipe at A Feast for the Eyes Food…
,%20I%20would%20like%20to%20extend%20my%20heartfelt%20thanks%20to%20all%20of%20you%20who%20have%20prayed%20for%20me,%20and%20wished%20me%20well%20in%20my%20surgery%20%235%20on%20my%20knee.%20The%20great%20news%20is%20that%20this%20one%20was%20successful.%20My%20brilliant%20surgeon%20was%20able%20to%20remove%20enough%20scar%20tissue%20so%20that%20my%20knee%20is%20actually%20bending!%20I%20almost%20cried,%20the%20first%20time%20I%20could%20actually%20sit%20in%20chair,%20with%20both%20feet%20on%20the%20floor,%20to%20eat%20my%20hospital%20lunch.%20%20I'm%20on%20medical%20leave%20for%20a%20few%20weeks,%20so%20that%20I%20can%20be%20a%20model%20patient,%20by%20doing%20my%20physical%20therapy%20several%20times%20a%20day.%20I%20can%20finally%20appreciate%20the%20benefit%20of%20having%20a%20total%20knee%20replacement,%20and%20there%20are%20no%20regrets.%20Amen.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20a%20kid,%20I%20loved%20Cracker%20Jack%C2%AE.%20%20I%20would%20load%20up%20my%20hand%20with%20a%20heaping%20mound%20of%20candy%20coated%20popcorn,%20peanuts%20and%20a%20prize...%20(remember%20that%20jingle?)%20Oh,%20and%20back%20then,%20the%20prizes%20could%20be%20as%20fun%20as%20a%20real%20plastic%20whistle.%20%20Nowadays,%20the%20prizes%20are%20less%20choke%20hazards%20made%20of%20paper,%20and%20just%20not%20the%20same.%20%20Still,%20I%20admit%20that%20I've%20been%20known%20to%20toss%20in%20a%20bag%20of%20Cracker%20Jack%C2%AE%20into%20my%20grocery%20cart,%20during%20a%20weak%20moment,%20that%20I%20see%20them%20clipped%20onto%20a%20grocery%20store%20shelf.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECraig%20and%20I%20enjoy%20sharing%20a%20big%20bowl%20of%20popcorn,%20while%20we%20watch%20a%20movie%20at%20home--%20Kettle%20Corn%20being%20our%20favorite.%20%20For%20years,%20I've%20toyed%20with%20making%20caramel%20corn%20but%20I%20never%20got%20around%20to%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERecently,%20I%20decided%20to%20buy%20a%20Whirley%20Pop%20Stovetop%20Popcorn%20Popper.%20%20The%20first%20time%20I%20used%20this,%20I%20was%20smitten.%20%20The%20popcorn%20tastes%20like%20real%20theater%20popcorn!%20%20Tastewise,%20I%20prefer%20using%20coconut%20oil,%20vs.%20vegetable%20oil.%20%20But%20either%20one%20is%20fine.%20Not%20only%20was%20it%20easy%20to%20use,%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3Eit%20was%20fun%20and%20a%20lot%20easier%20than%20shaking%20a%20pot%20back%20and%20forth.%20In%203%20minutes,%20we%20enjoyed%20a%20big%20bowl%20of%20popcorn.%20All%20I%20have%20to%20do%20is%20wipe%20the%20pot%20with%20a%20paper%20towel%20(no%20soap%20and%20water)%20and%20I%20wash%20the%20lid%20with%20the%20popcorn%20stirrer%20with%20soap%20and%20water.%20Easy%20peasy!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20looked%20at%20a%20lot%20of%20recipes%20on%20the%20internet,%20for%20Homemade%20Cracker%20Jack%C2%AE.%20%20The%20common%20theme%20was,%20the%20ratio%20of%20molasses%20vs.%20corn%20syrup.%20%20Using%20the%20Whirley%20Pop,%201/2%20cup%20of%20popcorn%20kernels%20made%20just%20over%2015%20cups%20of%20popcorn%20in%20three%20minutes!%20%20Craig%20was%20on%20the%20sidelines,%20happily%20eating%20the%20extra%20popcorn%20that%20was%20exceeded%2015%20cups.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMaking%20the%20caramel%20was%20pretty%20easy.%20%20In%20a%20sauce%20pan,%20I%20added%20butter,%20brown%20sugar,%20molasses,%20and%20corn%20syrup%20and%20then%20brought%20it%20to%20a%20boil,%20for%20about%20five%20minutes.%20I%20made%20sure%20to%20stir,%20occasionally.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20like%20to%20use%20a%20candy%20thermometer,%20as%20a%20guideline.%20After%20five%20minutes,%20the%20syrup%20had%20reached%20a%20temperature%20of%20almost%20234%20degrees,%20which%20is%20the%20%22softball%20stage%22%20for%20candy%20makers.%20%20At%20that%20point,%20I%20remove%20the%20pot%20from%20the%20heat,%20added%20pure%20vanilla%20and%20then%20added%20baking%20soda.%20As%20you%20can%20see,%20the%20caramel%20becomes%20very%20foamy%20and%20light%20in%20color.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBecause%20this%20mixture%20is%20very%20hot,%20I%20cannot%20emphasize%20enough%20to%20not%20be%20tempted%20to%20taste%20this,%20and%20to%20pour%20it%20over%20the%20popcorn%20and%20peanut%20mixture%20with%20great%20care!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EYou%20can%20see%20that%20I%20added%20peanuts%20to%20the%20popcorn,%20but%20you%20don't%20have%20to.%20%20I%20used%20Spanish%20peanuts,%20but%20you%20can%20use%20dry%20roasted%20salted%20peanuts,%20if%20you%20prefer.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20the%20popcorn%20and%20caramel%20thoroughly,%20and%20then%20spread%20onto%20a%20parchment%20(or%20Silpat)%20lined%20mat.%20Bake%20at%20200F%20for%20an%20hour,%20stirring%20every%2015%20minutes%20or%20so.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENext%20time,%20I%20will%20use%20a%20deep%20roasting%20pan,%20because%20I%20think%20it%20would%20be%20easier%20to%20stir%20the%20caramel%20corn.%20%20Oh,%20and%20if%20you%20prefer%20a%20chewier%20caramel%20corn,%20then%20don't%20bake%20it!%20%20I%20adapted%20this%20recipe%20from%20King%20Arthur%20Flour,%20and%20they%20note%20that%20if%20you%20leave%20out%20the%20baking%20soda,%20you%20can%20shape%20these%20into%20one-cup%20balls,%20inserting%20a%20Popsicle%20or%20lollipop%20stick.%20%20That%20would%20be%20fun%20for%20Halloween,%20don't%20you%20think?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETASTING%20NOTES:%20%20I've%20often%20wondered%20how%20long%20the%20commercial%20Cracker%20Jack%C2%AE%20box%20has%20been%20sitting%20on%20the%20grocery%20store%20shelf.%20By%20making%20my%20own,%20I%20know%20it's%20freshly%20made.%20%20My%20entire%20family%20loved%20this%20treat.%20%20I%20stored%20it%20in%20an%20air%20tight%20container,%20and%20it%20was%20gone%20in%20just%20two%20days.%20%20For%20Halloween%20or%20Christmas,%20these%20make%20great%20treats%20that%20people%20really%20appreciate.%20I%20hope%20that%20you%20do,%20too.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}