Caramel Popcorn

by Jean Quinn

Another popular one! If I hadn't eaten so many Christmas cookies today, I'd make some myself. Yum!

2 - 7.5 oz. bags hull-less popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1/2 cup Karo Syrup
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. baking soda
2 T. creamy peanut butter

Put popcorn in a large pan. In a saucepan, melt butter, add Karo syrup and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add vanilla, soda and peanut butter and mix well. Pour over popcorn and stir well. Bake 1 hour @ 250 degrees F, stirring every 15 minutes.

Fast and Easy Tailgate Apps

by Viki Stumbers

Here’s a non-recipe favorite:

Arrange on a large platter:

·         fresh apple wedges
·         pretzels
·         crackers
·         small slices of cheddar cheese

Serve with 1 jar of Herlocher’s Dipping Mustard and 1 container of Caramel Apple dip (found in the produce section).   Set out two spoons (for the dips) and toothpicks.  Just about everything goes with everything else, and prep time is nearly nil.

Ways to stretch/expand the apps (and still just about everything goes with just about everything else):

1.        Need to make it heartier?  Add cubes of ham and cubes or cracker slices of Swiss cheese.
2.       Heartier than that?  Also add chunks of kielbasa or smoked sausage and a small container of horseradish.
3.       Need it to be sweeter?  Add plain store-bought cookies (sturdy/crisp) and a jar of Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread—find it near the peanut butter).
4.       Need it to be healthier?  Add natural peanut butter, raisins and celery sticks.
5.       Need to feed a crowd?  Add all items from 1-4 to make a super-platter.
6.       Need it to be faster?  Buy the cheese pre-sliced for crackers (near the shredded cheese section) and the apples pre-cut (in produce aisle)
7.       Need it faster than that (as in, you’re on your way to the tailgate/party/whatever and realized you forgot to get anything)?  Almost all items are available at Sheetz—grab and go!