Popcorn Balls

POPCORN BALLS


5 quarts popped popcorn
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 tsp. cold water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 5/8 cups powdered sugar
1 cup marshmallows
food coloring (optional)

Here's what I do: I use my air popper and a large bowl. A quart of popcorn is 4 cups. Typically a 1/4 cup of kernels will yield 4 cups of popped popcorn. As the popcorn falls into the bowl, I scoop it loosely with my fingers (to remove un-popped, tooth cracking kernels) and place the popcorn in my 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Then I dump that into my large roasting pan. Once I have all 5 quarts, I put the roasting pan in the oven on "warm."


In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, butter, cold water, vanilla, powdered sugar, and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil (stir in food coloring, if desired).

Take roasting pan out of the oven (use mitts!) and pour syrup mixture over popcorn. Stir until every kernel is coated.

Spray a 1-cup measuring cup and your hands with cooking spray. Fill measuring cup with coated popcorn (mine were heaping cup-fulls). Remove from cup and firmly press to form a ball. (This way, they are all the same size). Place on waxed paper to cool. Repeat (adding cooking spray as needed). Makes 15 - 20 popcorn balls, depending on size.