Christmas...Nine

Tonight I made popcorn balls! Haven't had those in a long time...yummy!

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups miniature marshmallows
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• Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan. [OR you could do what I did...microwave popcorn in a brown paper bag...so easy!]
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• Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly.
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• Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated.

Form popcorn into balls.

Here's another popcorn recipe we usually make this time of year...Caramel Corn!

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 sticks butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Dash of salt
8 qts of non-buttered popcorn
 

Mix sugar, syrup, and butter. Boil 5 minutes. (As tempting as it may be, do NOT stir while it's boiling.) Remove from heat. Add baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Pour immediately over popcorn. Mix until popcorn is completely covered with caramel and bake for 1 hour at 200 degrees. Put on wax paper, separate, and enjoy!

You could even take it to the next level by drizzling your favorite chocolate over it. Mmmm!