Homemade Butterscotch Kettle Corn

I don't knot about you, but whenever someone offers me a bag of Garrett Popcorn, I cannot say no. Literally. Sometimes i even say 'yes' without even being offered.

It's that bad.

So whenever I walk past a Garrett store, I have to stop in my tracks. No matter what. Even if a man walking at an incredibly fast pace while holding a mug full of hot coffee is just behind me.

I stop to inhale, and force myself not to buy any because I (a) have no money for popcorn; and (b) am currently covered in scalding hot cappuccino.

Somewhere around this time, I figured that kettle corn can't be that hard to make at home.

I was right.

It is easy! Breezy!

And now I can consume a tonne of ooey gooey butterscotch kettle corn in the comfort of my own home. Without another to point and stare and marvel at the rate I can shovel it into my mouth.

Alright enough talk, recipes speak for themselves.

Homemade Butterscotch Kettle Corn:
Makes: 8 1-cup servings (but let's be realistic, 1 8-cup serving)
From: Jenny Jones Recipes (here's her video!)

For the popcorn mix:
8 cups freshly popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed (I used my popcorn machine, but you can easily use a microwave or a stovetop)
3/4 cup pecans nuts, halved

For syrup:
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 120ºC. Place popped corn into a large bowl. Place the nuts on top. Do not mix yet.

Heat the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat and boil, undisturbed and uncovered, for 5 min. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in baking soda & vanilla.

Pour the syrup over the nuts & popcorn, stirring quickly. Spread the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for one hour, removing briefly every 15 minutes to stir. Spread the mixture onto wax paper to cool. It will seem sticky at first but it will dry up nicely.

I may even like it a teensy tiny bit more than garrett popcorn because it is less sickeningly sweet. Plus, I've got my pecans in there. Gotta love 'em pecans.

This triggers my...

Question of the Day

Do you pronounce pecan as PEE-CAN or PUH-KAHN?

I have recently started pronouncing it as the latter and I am getting some pretty weirded-out looks my members of the public.