Cranberry Popcorn Recipes

Steps:

• To make this cranberry corn, melt 6 tablespoons butter in a saucepan with 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, 2 tablespoons each sugar and honey and 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and salt. Cook until the cranberries pop, about 3 minutes. Toss with 12 cups popcorn and 1 cup chopped toasted almonds. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F, stirring occasionally, until dry, about 8 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger, 1 cup mini marshmallows and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring. Stir in 3/4 cup each dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, and a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat; using a rubber spatula, stir in 12 cups popcorn until coated. Butter your hands, then shape into balls.

Steps:

• After popping the popcorn, let it sit out for a day to get stale; fresh popcorn crumbles.
• Use good judgment in how old your child needs to be to handle a sewing needle, and supervise them well. For a very young child, you can set them to the task of alternately handing you cranberries and popcorn.
• Waxed dental floss works great, because it is less-prone to breakage, and the addition of the wax makes it easier to slide the cranberries along.
• Lay out long lengths of thread. Tie a knot at one end, and thread the other end through the needle. The individual segments can be tied together when you're finished, but be sure to leave a couple inches of thread at the end of each segment.
• Push the needle through the cranberry and slide it down the length of the thread to the knotted end. Then do the same with a piece of popcorn. Alternate popcorn and cranberries until the segment is finished. Lastly, tie the segments together, and hang the garland.
• After Christmas, send the kids out with the garland to decorate any shrubs or trees around your residence. A small child will get a lot of pleasure out of seeing the birds dine on the garland he's hung out.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F Place popcorn in a large, 4 inch deep, buttered baking pan. Keep warm in the oven.
• Pour water into a large buttered saucepan. Securely tie cloves, allspice and cinnamon in a piece of cheesecloth and place in water. Cover saucepan and simmer 20 minutes.
• Remove spices from pan. Stir in cranberries, sugar, corn syrup, orange peel, nutmeg and food coloring. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolved and mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking until mixture reaches 250°F on a candy thermometer.
• Remove popcorn from heat. Pour syrup mixture slowly over popcorn, stirring to coat. Shape into balls. Allow to cool, wrap in plastic wrap, tie with colored ribbon and give as gifts during the holiday season.