OUTRAGEOUSLY ORANGE POPCORN BALLS

Time has not been my friend this summer.

I’ve used it well, but didn’t necessarily do the things I wanted to do.

The garden has taken over my life, although I’ve lived through it. I have to admit though . . . I muttered under my breath . . . “Kill me now” . . . several times. I did it quietly though.

I’ve picked more Raspberries than are even imaginable. I’ve picked, shelled & frozen peas. I’ve snapped & canned & frozen beans. Shucking corn is second nature.

The last few days . . . I’ve picked purple plums . . . pitted them . . . and dried them along with peaches.  If you happen to be interested, my Food Dehydrator is a Magic Aire II and it works fabulously.  It’s old. I really don’t know if you can still buy them. Plums also make wonderful jelly and my freezer is stocked, along with Raspberry jam.

hence . . . the lack of posts!

My sweet half happens to be digging spuds. Yes, around here it’s SPUD HARVEST.

He dropped a hint last night. “Popcorn balls would sure be good in my lunch!”, he said. Like the “good wife,” I obliged.

These are ridiculously Orange, and would make great Halloween treats for neighbors or friends. As I was pulling out the food coloring from the box, my mind drifted back a few days.

FYI:  Did you know that Food Coloring comes off of NICE LEATHER FURNITURE?

To recap:  As I was babysitting our sweet little Oakleigh, . . . she tested that theory for me. I happened to be busy in a place called the bathroom, when she decided to leave my side at the throne and sped to the kitchen.  I cried out . . . “Oakleigh . . . come back here!” She totally ignored me, just like any two year old seems to do!

When I finished my business and found her, she was happily spreading GREEN food coloring all over the leather chair and ottoman with her toothbrush! This furniture happens to sit in the living room, with very light carpeting.

Yes . . . I did panic. I swiftly, and very matter of factly . . . picked her up . . . plunked her in the kitchen and said:  “Don’t you move!”

She didn’t!

I went to work on that leather with a wet rag and 409. It came off beautifully! It did not come off beautifully from her teeth, nose, cheeks and arms. Yes . . . she brushed her teeth and other body parts with the green food coloring. I didn’t dare use the 409 on her!

The miracle in this story:  Not one drop of food coloring landed on my carpet!!!! I certainly have angels in heaven watching over me, and for that I’m grateful.

Back to the Orange Popcorn balls . . .

You will need popped popcorn.  Make sure that you sift out all the unpopped kernels.

You will need to make the delicious, buttery candy, gooey orange stuff . . . or pink, red, blue, green, etc.

While your mixture is boiling, get prepared. Lay out some wax paper.  Put half of the popcorn in a large mixing bowl, and leave the other half in a sack or bowl.

I use a candy thermometer, but also do the . . .

It’s the perfect way to know that the Candy has come to a “soft ball stage.”

You will be able to form a nice soft, but firm ball on the end of your spoon.  It’s ready. You can eat that ball of candy!

Mix the candy over the top of the popcorn . . . stir well until it’s all coated in gooey deliciousness.

Butter your hands lightly and form balls.  Don’t press the balls too tightly . . . just tight enough that they stay in balls.

note:  If you press the balls really tightly……it sometimes causes them to get sugary.  You don’t want this!

Let them cool well.  I store my popcorn balls in the jumbo size zip-loc bags.

HAPPY EATING!

I hope to be back soon.

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THE PERFECT POPCORN BALL

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