Sweet Taste of Autumn

When the first truly chilly day of fall arrives—usually mid-October here in the South, everyone in my family clamors for one of our favorite fall snacks—caramel corn! 
For years I tried to make yummy popcorn balls, but the humidity of Florida was my adversary.  I generally ended up with sticky, gummy mounds of popcorn, which is a treat that should be crisp and crunchy.  Then, my sister-in-law, Miss Pynn, saved the day with her three-ingredient caramel corn recipe, and I’ve been making it ever since!
Caramel corn packaged in cellophane bags and tied with raffia or twine makes the perfect Halloween treat for teachers and classmates.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this as a homeroom parent, and how many times teachers have requested the recipe! 

It’s great for tailgates and parties, too; I love serving it in kraft paper cones. 
And it’s a T&C family Halloween tradition to enjoy a big bowl of caramel corn while watching the Don Knott’s comedy classic The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.

Miss Pynn’s Caramel Corn
1 six-serving bag microwave popcorn (we like Orville Redenbacher’s Simply Salted)
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Pop the popcorn, and set aside in a large bowl.
Melt together the butter and the brown sugar.  I do this in the microwave for one minute, then stir, and microwave a few more seconds, if needed. 
Whisk butter and sugar together well, and pour over popcorn.  Stir popcorn well. (A table knife works great for this.)  At this point, you can spread the popcorn out on waxed paper or parchment, and scoop into bags or cones for treats, or simply enjoy straight from the bowl.  One bag of microwave popcorn yields eight to 10 treat bags or cones.

I’d love to hear about your favorite fall snacks!  And, I’d love to hear what you think about Miss Pynn’s Caramel Corn—I promise you won’t believe how tasty (and addictive) it is!