2 bags Natural microwave popcorn
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
purple and green food coloring

Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 200°F. Line three roasting or jelly-roll pans with foil and grease with non-stick cooking spray (Pam).

Pop popcorn and divide evenly among the three pans. Place pans in oven to keep popcorn warm.

Measure vanilla extract and baking soda into small prep bowls and set near stove. Fill small saucepan with hot water and set aside.

Place butter, brown sugars, corn syrup, and salt in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter and sugars melt and mixture comes to a boil. As soon as it boils, stop stirring and set a timer for 4 minutes.

While the caramel is cooking, empty and dry the small saucepan, setting on the stove-top to stay warm, and take one pan of popcorn out of the oven. When the timer goes off, remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will foam up a bit at first.

Pour 1/3 of the caramel over the first pan of popcorn and immediately return the pan to the oven (don't stir the popcorn). Pour another 1/3 of the caramel into the small saucepan. Set the large saucepan aside.

Add a few drops of purple food coloring to the caramel in the small pan and mix well, adding more food coloring if necessary to get the desired color. Remove a second pan of popcorn from the oven, pour the purple caramel over the popcorn, and return the pan immediately to the oven (don't stir the popcorn).

Add a few drops of green food coloring to the caramel in the large pan and mix well with a clean spoon, adding more food coloring if necessary to get the desired color.

Remove the third pan of popcorn from the oven, pour the green caramel over the popcorn, and stir the popcorn to coat with caramel. Return the pan to the oven, then take the other pans out one at a time and mix well, using a different spoon for each pan.

Bake the caramel corn for 60 minutes, taking the pans out to stir well every 15 minutes.

Dump the caramel corn out onto waxed paper and use a wooden spoon to break up any big chunks. Allow to cool, then mix all three colors together and store in an airtight container.

Submitted by: Phyl Divine