Homemade Caramel Corn with Sorghum

 When I was a small kid in southeast Missouri, we would sometimes go trick or treating out in the country around Fairdealing.  My Grandma's both lived there.   I loved going to the the houses in the country, because back then we would often get homemade treats like cookies or popcorn balls.  The popcorn balls were made pretty much like this caramel corn was, with sorghum, and I always loved the taste of sorghum.   This is pretty much the same thing, except it isn't made into balls, although you could easily do that.   When the corn comes out of the oven, allow to sit until cool enough to handle, then with lightly buttered hands, form it into balls.   

Homemade Caramel Corn

11/4 cup of unpopped popcorn, popped (about 12 cups or so)

1  cup butter

1 cup sorghum or molasses or corn syrup

1 cup brown sugar 

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Put the popped corn in a very large bowl and set aside.

In a 2 quart saucepan melt the butter, then add the sorghum, water, sugars and salt. Bring the pan to a full boil,  stirring until the sugars are all melted and the butter is completely incorporated. Boil about 1 minute. 

Add the vanilla and stir well.   Pour the caramel

over the popped corn and mix very well.

Place the caramel corn into very large deep roaster or divided between two 9x13 inch

cake pans. Place the pan or pans in the oven and bake for an hour, stirring the corn

every 15-20 minutes. At the end of the hour allow to cool completely, then break

up into pieces and store in airtight containers.

"Healthy" Christmas Candy

Take about 3 cups of dried fruit,  a mix of more than one kind is best.   Place in a food processor with about 1 cup of nuts, almonds are good.    Process until coarsely chopped, then put in a bowl and add 2 tbsp. of honey.  Mix well and then form into balls, then roll in powdered sugar or more ground nuts.    You can also line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper, then press the fruit and honey mix in the prepared pan and cover with  3 ounces of melted chocolate.  Chill in fridge until firm, then cut into squares.  

You can also add a bit of cinnamon or a drop or two of vanilla or almond or pineapple extract depending on what fruits you are using.   My personal favorite mix is 2/3 diced dried peaches, 1/3 diced dried apricots, almonds and a drop of almond extract, with the honey, then the balls rolled in chopped roasted almonds.