Sea Salt Caramel Popcorn

It started with a simple request…
a dinner conversation…
where my hubby shared that he had some jalapeño popcorn at the squadron when he flown a few days earlier.
Although he didn’t ask, I took this as a challenge…
to reproduce this jalapeño popcorn that he found so yummy.

However, this presented a problem…
I am not a lover of jalapeño… 
I mean, I will eat them, 
I will cook with them,
I will stuff them, 
but, they don’t call out to me the way other things do!

So, once the ‘Perfect Jalapeño Popcorn Quest’ began
(and we still are on the quest, although, reports are we are getting close!),
it started my wheels turning…
why stop at jalapeños? 
What about bacon ranch, bar b que jalapeño (these are some jalapeños I can embrace!) or mexi popcorn? 
And, after the savory popcorn… 
of course, came the quest for sweet…
Chocolate peanut butter, muddy buddy… 
and the other night, 
Sea Salt Caramel Popcorn!!
(cue dramatic music!!)
YES!! In my opinion, we have achieved perfection! 
This is by far my favorite we have attempted 
(and that’s saying a lot… I mean, earlier attempts included peanut butter cups and bacon in the ingredient list!!!)

Sea Salt Caramel Corn

• 8 cups popped popcorn
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 TBSP butter
• 3 TBSP corn syrup (I used light)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt 

Preheat your oven to 300. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Place the popcorn in a LARGE mixing bowl. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Stir to combine and it reaches a slow bubble. Allow it to boil for about 3 minutes – stirring often. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla and baking soda (it will bubble up… call in the kids – they will think it’s cool… and now you know why you needed a medium sauce pan… ha ha!). Slowly pour the sugar mixture over the popcorn, stirring to evenly coat.  Spread the popcorn on to the cookie sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating (self control is important, trust me, sugar will burn your tongue and then you won’t taste anything!). You can store the popcorn for up to a week in an air tight container (mine never lasts that long!). Enjoy!