It doesn’t get any better than this rich ooey gooey real caramel corn, my family loves making this easy no-fail recipe.  Homemade caramel candy poured over popcorn.  The smell is irresistible as it is cooking.  You will definitely want to save some caramel for fancy sliced caramel apples.  The best apples to use for caramel apples is Macintosh, Jonathon, Pink Lady or honey crisp – a sweet but tart apple.

Chewy Deluxe Caramel Corn – 2 cups sugar, 1 cube real butter, 1 cup light karo syrup, 1 can evaporated milk, 3 -4 bags butter microwave popcorn, 1-1/2 tsp. real vanilla

Directions: Combine all ingredients (but popcorn and vanilla) in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil turn down to medium heat stirring every few minutes with a wooden spoon.  In the meantime start microwave popcorn – be careful not to burn – make sure all hard popcorn kernels are removed and place popcorn in a large metal or glass bowl.

Use 3 bags when saving caramel for apples – use 4 bags when using all for caramel corn.   Cook to just under a soft ball or check using ice cold water, if caramel forms a soft ball in your fingers after sitting in water its done.  It usually takes 15-20 minutes to cook and has a medium golden caramel color, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  If you feel you may have gotten it cooked to long you can slowly add a couple of Tbsp. of milk before you coat popcorn.

For Fancy caramel apples – slice and core one apple in thin slices in a bowl, drizzle plenty of caramel over top, top with toasted nuts, toasted coconut, chocolate chips, sprinkles, marshmallows, cherries, what ever you love works great.  So much better than a whole apple that is messy and hard to eat.

For Deluxe Caramel Corn while still hot spread out on a cookie sheet – sprinkle on any desired toppings and dig in.   Makes the BEST homemade hot caramel sauce for Christmas pudding or ice cream.

For chocolate caramel corn add 1/4 cup cocoa – mix with the sugar and cook as directed – makes the BEST Homemade Hot fudge sauce

To many, it looks like - JUST a candy stick for Christmas.

The young girl ask – why it is such special Christmas candy?  This is what she learned.

When turned upside down, it is the letter J, which stands for Jesus, who was born on Christmas Day.

When turned upright, it looks like a shepherd’s staff.   Shepherds in the field, watching over there flocks by night.

Why does the candy cane have stripes? The prophet Isaiah said, ‘’By his stripes we are healed”.   Jesus bled from every pore.  The red reminds us of his suffering and his blood.  But the candy is white as well.  After all we can do to be obedient to his teachings, his blood washes away our sins, making us white and pure as snow.

The candy cane is much more than a treat at Christmas – It tells the story of Christ’s birth, His Mission here on earth, and his ultimate sacrifice for each of us.

Inexpensive Christmas Gift Idea – give a copy of this thought on Christmas paper – with candy canes to your neighbors.

Christmas in Heaven Poem

Mother Is the heart of the Home and the Home is the Heart of Christmas

Memories to treasure are made of Christmas Day,

Made of family gatherings and children as they play…

And always it is MOTHER who plays the leading part

In bringing joy and happiness to each expectant heart…

These memories grow more meaningful with every passing year,

More precious and more beautiful, more treasured and more dear…

And that is why at Christmastime there comes the happy thought

Of all these treasure memories that Mother’s love has brought…

For no one gives more happiness or does more good for others

Than understanding.  Kind and wise and selfless, loving Mothers…

And of all the loving Mothers, the dearest one is YOU,

For you live Christmas EVERY DAY in EVERY THING YOU DO!

by Helen Steiner Rice