Tammii | | posted 12-21-1999 9:21 PM
Popcorn Crunch
1 cup whole almonds
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup cashews or walnuts
1 bag Newman's OwnŽ Oldstyle Picture Show Microwave Popcorn (about 10 cups) or your favorite
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 300°. Coat a large heatproof mixing bowl (16 cups or larger) and a 15x10-inch baking pan with margarine or nonstick cooking spray.
In another 15x10-inch baking pan, combine almonds, pecans, and cashews and toast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from oven and cool nuts to room temperature.
Pop popcorn following package directions. Pour popcorn into prepared bowl. Add nuts and mix well.
Melt margarine and butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and stir often. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until it reaches 275° on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in vanilla. (Stir carefully because
vanilla extract will spatter when added to hot syrup.)
Pour hot syrup over popcorn-nut mixture and mix until evenly coated. Immediately pour popcorn into prepared baking pan. Let cool for one hour. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Butter Pecan Popcorn
8 cups popped popcorn
nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup broken pecans
2 tablespoons margarine/butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup instant butter pecan instant pudding mix
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Discard unpopped popcorn kernels. Spray a 17x12x2 inch roasting pan with cooking spray. Place popped corn and pecans in pan. Keep warm in a 300°oven while making coating.
Melt margarine in a small saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in corn syrup, pudding mix, and vanilla. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn. With a large spoon, toss popcorn with syrup mixture to coat.
Bake popcorn, uncovered, in a 300° oven for 16 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Remove pan from oven. Turn mixture onto a large piece of foil. Cool popcorn completely. When cool, break into large pieces. Store leftovers tightly covered in a cool dry place for up to 1 week.
Makes about 9- 1 cup servings.