Happy New Year & Spicy Caramel Popcorn

Happy New Year Loved Ones!

It is 5pm and I confess it feels like it should be lunch time. I guess that is what happens when you get out of bed around noon and eat "breakfast" at 1:30pm! I actually woke up much earlier but enjoyed a couple hours in bed with my journal and a cup of coffee, celebrating the first part of 2010 with Jesus. I really love the beginning of a a new year and the sense of expectation in my heart.

However, the rest of the day has been sheer laziness, watching movies in my PJ's with two of my sweet roommates. We decided to break for snacks about 1/2 an hour ago and we descended on the kitchen to come up with something special. Samantha is finishing up some spring rolls as we speak and I made a bowl of Spicy Caramel Popcorn for dessert. I found this recipe over the weekend on another cooking blog that I just started following. It is a nice, unexpected twist on normal caramel corn with a tasty mixture of sweet, salty and spicy. Hope you enjoy!

Spicy Caramel Popcorn

1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 cups salted peanuts (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup water

- My roommates and I have 3 different kinds of popcorn makers: oil popper (WOW, I just found a typo! I originally typed "oil pooper! How funny!), air popper and microwave popper. If you have something like this, just pop the popcorn that way. If not, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat in a pot with a lid. Add the popcorn, fit the lid and keep the pot moving until all the kernels have popped (or pooped, whichever way you prefer to look at it) Set aside in a bowl and toss with peanuts, if using.
- In a small bowl, mix the baking soda and cayenne pepper
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light, golden brown caramel color. (I found it incredibly difficult not to stir! The mixture practically begged me to participate in its golden, bubbly loveliness by stirring. I don't know why these instructions say not to, but other than dipping my spoon in there once because I just couldn't resist, I obeyed and did not stir)
- Remove caramel from heat and wisk in baking soda/pepper mixture. It will foam up a bit.
- Immediately pour over popcorn and toss.
- Spread caramel corn onto two baking sheets and allow to cool. As it cools, separate into smaller chunks.
- TIP: The recipe I used advised coating the bowl, spoons and baking sheets with a light layer of non-stick cooking spray. This was very helpful when handling the popcorn.

*P.S. I apologize for the "pooping" comments on step one if that grosses you out. I made that first typo and then every time I wrote the word "pop", I would start to giggle thinking about "poop" and I guess I am a little loopy today!