Leftover Makeover: Oh What Have I Done?!

This isn't a leftover per se....It's more a mistake in purchasing that I was trying to save from being waste.  We like Honey Roasted Peanuts, so I bought a big can at Aldi.  It's one of the few product disappointments we've had from Aldi.  The nuts had no salt in them and tasted more like raw peanuts.  They stayed on the pantry shelf for months, open, uneaten.  I noted the expiration date was coming up this month.  I racked my brain for ways to use them.  I thought of brittle or some other form of candy.  It wasn't until I bypassed the boxes of Fiddle Faddle (I love those popcorn treats) that I thought I might make caramel corn.

I'd read several recipes online, in cookbooks and it all involved hot butter and sugar cooking to brittle stage. I thought I'd use Trish Yearwood's topping for Sweet and Saltines, which is easy enough.  As I flipped through my binder, I found a sheet torn from a magazine that listed several 'seasonings' you could use on popcorn.  One of them was for an Easy Caramel Corn.

How easy?  As in, I might wish I'd never found this recipe given my love of Caramel Corn, E-A-S-Y.

Here's all there is to it:
Pop one multi serving bag of popcorn. Set oven to 350F.   Mix 1/2 cup packed brown sugar with 1 stick melted butter until well blended.  Pour popcorn onto a flat cookie sheet.  Toss popcorn with 2 cups nuts (the recipe called for 1cup each salted roasted peanuts and salted roasted almonds.  I just used the honey roasted nuts we didn't like).  Pour over the brown sugar mixture. Put the cookie sheet in the oven for 5-6 minutes.  Toss and spread and put back in oven for 4-6  minutes more.  I went by aroma on baking time.  I didn't want it to burn but I did want it hot enough that the sugar and butter mix began to firm up.  I removed the pan, stirred the stuff about a bit, turned the oven off and put the pan back in which crisped the popcorn nicely.  I took it out when the pan was just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes or so and let it cool completely.

This stuff is soooooo good. John's already asked for a second bowl to share.   And easy.  Oh my gracious.  I think I'll be investing in popcorn...

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