{Oma's} Salted Caramel Cracker Jacks

Happy 4th and a VERY HAPPY birthday to my Dad...the very BEST DAD ever. I will have to do a post on him sometime, but since I am already too emotional these days...it will have to wait.

Just made my DAD Cracker Jacks...his very favorite. He loves anything with popcorn, and having served our country, and being born on the 4th, he is the picture of Mr. Patriotic!

One more side note. Please don't get get irritated with me, but here is one more must-have {in my book}...it would be an old fashioned AIR POPPER. That is it. Your Cracker Jacks will be just that...CRACKER JACK! A "vintagy" phrase used for something great!

I have had my cheapy one since college and aside from many late night snacks, we would plug it in to get warm. Just imagine, young roomates huddled around the air popper to warm up! Those were the days! You would think that with as much was spent on college tuition...warm rooms would not have been too much to ask for. OH. WELL.

Have a safe 4th and don't forget to find yourself an air popper so you, too, can be chompin' away on your Cracker Jacks while watching the splendid fireworks!

{Oma’s} Salted Caramel Cracker Jacks

1 cup popcorn kernels
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups packed brown sugar...may use 1/2 golden and 1/2 dark
½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

*Pop popcorn in AIR POPPER. Keep warm in oven.
*Discard kernels
*Place popcorn in large lasagna pan
*Melt butter, sugar and corn syrup, stirring constantly until it reaches a boil
*Boil 5 minutes without stirring
*remove from heat
*Add baking soda and vanilla and stir
*Pour caramel sauce over warmed popcorn
*Stir in salted peanuts {recipe below}
Bake @ 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes
Cool on Parchment paper or Roulpat.
Box up and get it OUT of your house immediately! It is just THAT addicting.

Salted Peanuts:
2 cups unsalted peanuts
I cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 tsp. pure almond extract
Boil all ingredients in heavy skillet for about 7 minutes until liquid starts to evaporate.
Pour onto SILPAT
Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
Add to Cracker Jacks

If you have little ones or TEENAGERS, be sure to add the prize. I am going to stick quarters in little square bags for our next LEFT CENTER RIGHT DICE GAME night! Can't wait!

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