Lesson #181: Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

Whew! Between the craziness of the end of the semester (I'll be glad when I'm not teaching four classes on the same day) and the holidays, it's been hard to find time in the kitchen. Luckily, I've had a little time to experiment with a few new recipes.

As part of the Thanksgiving celebration I hosted, I made this pumpkin spice caramel corn recipe. It was pretty low stress since I used my favorite caramel corn recipe that I've made a dozen times and added pumpkin spice for flavor. I think it appeared more complicated than it actually was to make - just the way I like it!

LESSON LEARNED: You could transform this recipe by adding a teaspoon of your favorite spice to the recipe.

Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

Lesson #140: S'mores Caramel Corn

I made this caramel corn for a snack at a Memorial Day picnic. Yikes! I've gotten really behind in posting my recipes :)

I love the versatility of this base recipe for caramel corn. You can easily add toppings to switch up the flavors and texture. I was in a sitting around the campfire kinda mood, so I decided to make this s'mores version by adding pieces of graham crackers, mini chocolate chips, and marshmallow bits. My family loved it!

LESSON LEARNED: Be warned that this recipe yields A LOT of caramel corn. I gave away a few bags to a few lucky people!

Recipe for S'mores Caramel Corn

Lesson #125: Caramel Easter Popcorn

I really love my usual caramel corn recipe, so I didn't know how this caramel corn recipe would measure up. I was a little skeptical because you didn't bake the caramel corn and you mixed in mini-marshmallows into the hot caramel to create a gooey-caramel mixture. On top of that, I planned to make it a day before I served it, so I wasn't sure if it would taste stale after sitting around.

Well, it turned out to be super YUMMY I would say it's a cross between caramel corn and rice krispies treats, but that's not a bad combination in my book. I love the saltiness that the crushed pretzels add and the touch of chocolate from the M&M's. And yes, it still tastes good if you make it ahead of time!

LESSON LEARNED: After the caramel corn has cooled, break it up into small pieces so it's easy to grab a handful from a bowl.

Recipe for Caramel Easter Popcorn

Lesson #92: Twix Caramel Corn

YUMMY! This is the best word to describe this snack. It would be perfect for a Superbowl party this weekend. First, you make a batch of caramel corn. Then, you drizzled it with melted chocolate and mix in chopped Twix candy bars. Adding the chocolate and candy really dresses up the popcorn and makes it taste like gourmet popcorn you can buy in a specialty shop.

LESSON LEARNED: Simple mix-ins add a whole new level of deliciousness to caramel corn.

Recipe for Twix Caramel Corn

Lesson #73: Maple Pecan Popcorn

Happy New Year! In our home, New Years Eve is a day for for snacking. I whipped this yummy popcorn up while my husband watched a college football game. This is a super easy recipe and is great to munch on in front of the TV.

This popcorn is crunchy, buttery, and nutty. PERFECTION!

LESSON LEARNED: Popcorn is the perfect snack food!

Recipe for Maple Pecan Popcorn