By Gary Nave

What type of popcorn lover are you? How do you cook it, stove top, microwave, air popped or camp fire roasted? How about toppings, naked, salted, drenched in butter, cheese laddened, covered in carmel, or coated in chocolate.

Plain popcorn balls are great on their own. However, you can easily change them into something spectacular. You can cover a popcorn ball with white cake icing and red licorice lace to resemble a baseball. If that is too much, you can dress them up by wrapping them in colored plastic wrap. For halloween, wrap them in orange plastic wrap, glue on cut out construction paper eyes, nose and mouth for an edible mini jack-o-lantern.

Popcorn lends its self for great ideas during halloween. Don't forget the freakishly realistic witch's hand. All you need is plastic food preparation gloves, candy corn for the finger nails, fill with popcorn and a ribbon to close off the bag. Add a plastic spider ring and watch the fingers bend in odd directions.

Need to keep the kids busy for Christmas? Why not set them in front of a bowl of popcorn and string popcorn garland for the Christmas tree. This will keep them busy for a little while. Maybe it will even become a family tradition.

Going to visit a family for the holidays? Why not send a popcorn tin.

Need a teachers gift? Why not make a movie night kit. Fill a bowl with candy, microwave popcorn and a gift certificate to your local movie rental store. This is always a great gift. Or you could fill your own tin with some of the recipes below.

Make your own old time favorite homemade cracker jack mix. (recipe)

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Crackerjacks Caramel Popcorn

CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

Category: Caramel Corn

Serves/Makes: 4 cups | Difficulty Level: 3 | Ready In: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:

4 cups freshly popped corn lightly salted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup corn syrup (light)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Options 1 cup of peanuts

Directions:

My wife makes this and it has crackerjacks beat;

Put popcorn in shallow roasting pan (large pan). In heavy saucepan mix sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Continue boiling 5 min. without stirring. Remove from heat; add vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat well.

Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hr., stirring several times. Cool, break apart and store in tightly covered container. (Cool on waxed paper so it won't stick to pan) Note; if desired 1 cup. peanuts may be added to popcorn BEFORE adding caramel sauce.

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How about chocolate covered popcorn. All you need is cooked popcorn and chocolate chips. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave taking time not to burn the chocolate. Put the melted chocolate in a plastic bag, snip the corner off making a tiny hole the size of a pencil point. Squeeze and drizzle over popcorn. Let cool until hardened. This makes great favors for any party.

Now that you have some great ideas, get popping!

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