Pop!
Well this weekend we headed out and did a little camping. We were planning on going on this great, two-day backpacking adventure, but then there was an 80% chance of rain, and the fact that neither of us really felt like doing that. So instead, we just packed up the car and headed to West Virginia for one night under the stars, and an afternoon sitting by a river bank.
To be honest, I'm kinda thankful there was a chance of thunderstorms. As much as I love getting out there and doing the whole outdoor adventurer thing, I also like doing the whole Sunday morning coffee and Sunday afternoon pretending to be Martha Stewart thing too. I mean c'mon, I've got a fritata in the oven, I'm looking up recipes for Sunday dinner, and I'm picking what paints I'm going to use for the coasters I'm fixin' to make. It's a very good thing.
Anyways, as you may have guessed, before we headed out I decided to make us a special treat, Toasted Coconut, Pistachio, Pecan Caramel Corn, and if I may say so myself, it was the perfect road trip snack (originally it was going to be a trail snack, it would have be great for that too!). Anyways, this stuff is addicting, the hint of cinnamon you sprinkle into the caramel just before you pour it over all that popcorn-coconut-nutty goodness is just the thing to kick this corn to the next level. I mean how can it not be good, caramel, toasted coconut, pecans, and pistachios? Seriously, I dare you to try this and not love it.
This stuff is great, it's fairly easy to make - kinda time consuming - but it makes so much it's worth it! It'd be great to make and give as teacher gifts, co-worker thank you's, housewarming present, you name it, and the best part... there's enough for you to keep a little stash for yourself!
Toasted Coconut, Pistachio, Pecan Caramel Corn
Ingredients
for the popcorn concoction
- 1/3 cup popping kernels
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup pistachios
- 2 heaping cups shredded coconut
for the caramel goodness
- 2 sticks butter
- 2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
start by popping your corn...
next, toast your coconut, pistachios, and pecans...
mix combine and divide between two parchment lined cookie sheets...
make your caramel...
poor that goodness over your deliciousness, bake, shuffle, bake, shuffle, let cool...
then pack it up or stuff your face!
Step-by-step:
- start by popping the kernels in the vegetable oil
- once the corn is popped, sprinkle with salt
- toast the coconut, pistachios, and pecans for 10 minute at 350 or until the coconut is golden
- combine the popcorn and toasted coconut, pistachios, and pecans and divide among two parchment lined cookie sheets
- turn the oven to 200
- make the caramel, start by melting the butter
- add the brown sugar, corn syrup
- let all of that melt and come to a boil
- boil for 5 minutes
- remove from heat and add the salt, baking soda, vanilla, and cinnamon - BE CAREFUL!
- pour the caramel over the popcorn mixture
- mix it up as best you can
- bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring the caramel corn around every 10 minutes
- remove from the oven give it one final stir, then let cool
- once it's cooled, store in an airtight container
Hope you enjoy!
