Bake for the Cure #2 - Caramel Corn/Popcorn Bars

NOTE: If you like what you see, leave me a comment!

For my first Bake for the Cure Recipe, I decided to blend two recipes together: Caramel Corn and Popcorn Bars (found in the Bake for the Cure recipe book). I followed the directions of the Caramel Corn recipe, but before adding the items to the pan to bake, I added the candy coated chocolate pieces and pretzels, to make my own caramel corn trail mix medley!

Step One: Make Popcorn

Step Two: Make Caramel Sauce

Step Two: Prepare Trail Mix Items

Step 4: Pour sauce over popcorn, and mix - then spread ingredients on baking sheet (I made half the tray caramel corn only (left), and half the tray caramel corn trail mix (right))

Bake at 200 degrees, and stir every 15 minutes

Step 5: Enjoy! 

above: caramel corn

below: caramel corn trail mix (or popcorn bars, if packed tightly together)

 Caramel Corn

Ingredients


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups unpopped popcorn
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking soda

Directions

In a 4 quart saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil , and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add 1/2 cup of popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Place popped corn in oven to keep warm. Repeat until all corn has been popped.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Boil sugar, butter, syrup, and salt for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add baking soda. Stir well.

Pour over popped corn. Spread onto cookie sheets and place in oven for 1 hour. Stir every 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool, breaking apart the popcorn as it cools. Store in air tight containers.
 
 
Popcorn Bars
Ingredients
 
1 package microwave popcorn, popped
1 c. salted peanuts
1 c coarsely crumbled pretzels
1c. Karo Light corn Syrup
1/4 c. butter/margerine
1 package butterscotch OR white chocolate chips
1 c. candy  coated chocolate pieces
 
Directions
 
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Add popcorn, peanuts and pretzels
 
Cook corn syrup and butter in saucepan overm edium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a full boil for 1 minute. Remove from head and add butterscotch chips, stirring until melted. Pour over popcorn mixture and mix well. Stir in candy pieces
 
Press into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. cool at lease 1 hour, and cut into bars.

disclaimer: First recipe found on allrecipes.com, second recipe found in the Bake for the Cure cookbook