Recipe: Holiday Sweets

With a baby on the way, I've turned my attention to our traditions around this house, and have decided that we are lacking in the holiday tradition department. I mean, we get a tree and break out the decorations, but that's about where it ends. So in the interest of establishing a few new traditions this year, we tried some sweet and cookie recipes that appealed to us in the classic, crowd-pleasing, craving-satisfying way. In short, we tried recipes we'd want to make again and again:

Cornflake Wreaths
Double Chocolate Crumble Bars
and my favorite by far ... Nutty Caramel Corn

We found its recipe in a 1988 edition of Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook ... the same one I used to make this with my mom many Christmases ago.

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Nutty Caramel Corn

INGREDIENTS:
12 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups nuts (we used canned mixed nuts for a little variety and salty sweetness)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 c.) butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Heat oven to 200º. Divide popcorn between two ungreased baking pans 13x9x2 inches. Heat brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt to simmering over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour over popped corn; stir until well-coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Makes about 15 cups.

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This popcorn is scrumptrilescent. I've already had some for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. The awesome thing about it, too, is that it holds up well and would be great for packing in a cute little tin (say ..this one from TBT ... wink) and giving as a holiday gift.

To tradition!