Copy-Cat Holiday Treats: #3 of---Several

Keeping you Posted on Still More Holiday TR-eats—for yourself or others.

I’ve been posting ideas for homemade, original and copy-cat, gifts you can make for Christmas, quickly and cheaply.  I’ve encouraged you to look at the myriad gift catalogs filling your mailbox with a new eye — copying not buying. I’ve “talked” a little bit about how to recreate the expensive food and treat offerings from these catalogs.

Again, I am not doing this to rush the season—rather to give you a chance to think about and plan ahead for the season. Most, probably all, cheap, simple and quick. Three of my favorite words!

For the next several days I am going to share more of my ideas on holiday goody-gifts.

Today it’s Flavored Popcorn. . .

Cheese Flavored
Lightly salt and butter popped corn and then sprinkle with a package of the dry sauce mix from a box of macaroni and cheese. Mix well. (Save the macaroni for another use)

Fruity Flavored
8 cups popped corn
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
One 4-serving size package of gelatin—flavor of your choice

Place popcorn in large bowl. Pour melted margarine and stir until well-coated. Sprinkle with dry gelatin and mix again, stirring until well-coated.

Caramel Corn
20 cups popped corn
2 cups brown sugar, packed
½ pound margarine (2 sticks)
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
peanuts, if desired

Combine sugar, margarine, corn syrup and salt in large pan. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. Immediately pour over popcorn and mix well. Pour into large pan(s) and bake at 250 for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. Add peanuts if desired. Stores well if tightly covered.

Below is a preferred method for some people — not me

Microwave Caramel Corn in a Sack
12-14 cups popped corn
1/4 pound margarine (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup light corn syrup
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp vanilla

Place popped corn in a large brown paper grocery sack. Using the microwave, melt butter in a 2-quart glass bowl. Add sugar, syrup and salt. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Stir. Cook additional 2 minutes. Sir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn in sack and stir will. Place sack in microwave. Cook on high power 1-1/2 minutes. Stir. Cook for 1 minute. Stir, Cook for 1 more minute.

White Chocolate Popcorn
Carefully melt white chocolate almond bark or vanilla candy melts over low heat. Pour over popped corn, stirring well to mix. Stir in peanuts if desired. Spread out to cool. Break into pieces.


Next Post: Fudge and it’s Many Varieties

‘til we eat again,
          Simply Gail