Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

first off, no. i'm not trying a cool new way of taking pictures. i just happen to live in the northeast where it gets dark around 4pm. it's also cold. freezing in fact.

so i turn on the porch light, stand outside in sub zero temps & take pictures of food while my kids bang on the slider glass. sounds awesome, right?

hooray for winter.

ok- back to the popcorn.
this stuff is even better than the last batch i posted about.
addicting. i sent it out as chrsitmas gifts & i've already gotten back reports on people's innability to stop eating it. that's a win.


Cinnamon Bun Popcorn (adapted from our best bites)
You Need:
12 cups popped popcorn
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Karo syrup (or honey)
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
3 squares of almond bark
sea salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 250. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Mix up the popcorn & pecans in a massive bowl massive i tell you) & set aside.
Combine the cinnamon & brown sugar in a large microwave safe bowl. Cut up the butter into squares & place on top of the sugar miture. Pour the Kar syrup over it all & pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds (just enough to soften up the butter)
Stir everything together & place it back in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Remove & stir. Then ut it back in for 2 more minutes.
When you take it out it should all bubbly looking. That's perfect.

Now you can stir in the vanilla & baking soda. Then pretend you're a scientist as you watch it get all foamy & awesome.
Now stir it into the popcorn at once & keep stirring until everything is coated nice & evenly.
Spread the popcorn on the baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt (i sprinkled with a liberal amount. i like salt) & place it in the oven. Bake it for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
After 30 minutes you can test it. Take a piece & let it cool a bit. Eat it. Is it crunchy & awesome? If so- done. If not, keep baking for another 5 minutes or so.

I think 30-35 minutes is perfect.

Once it's done- stir it one last time & spread it out onto wax paper. While it's cooling a bit, melt your Almond Bark according to the package directions. Then use a fork & drizzle it all over your popcorn mixture.

Now leave it alone- it'll harden up in a short while & then you can break it up into chunks & start inhaling it.

Incredible. & so perfect for gift giving. I wrapped it up in plastic candy bags & sent it throught he mail. I stored the rest in an airtight container...& then ate it the next day.
stupid popcorn.