Easy Caramel Corn for Ghosts and Goblins

By Sandy Hu

I’m probably the only kid in America who never went trick or treating.  Well, my sister.  My mom was the overprotective type who imagined danger lurking in every dark doorway of family-friendly Hilo, Hawaii.

So to compensate, I’ve always made sure my kids did the rounds Halloween night. When David was in pre-school, we lived in a condominium with almost no other children. To ensure that he had a real trick-or-treat experience, but also, to keep from being a nuisance to neighbors, I put a decorated sign-up sheet in the laundry room and we visited only those apartments that were willing to welcome a little ghost or goblin.

As the kids grew older, we moved into a neighborhood that really got into the Halloween spirit. One house turns its front lawn into a cemetery, with manufactured fog and mist, pumpkins everywhere and an ominous butler guarding the front door.

I’ve stitched or improvised my way through many a costume request from my boys. The biggest challenge was when Chris wanted to be a carnivorous plant.  That took some heavy-duty imagining. I made large, wired plant leaves cinched at his waist and a green helmet with ragged teeth-like edges to frame his face, then I stitched on plastic bugs everywhere.

If you need a costume in a hurry, I saw a cute idea on the street.  The “pumpkin” wore an oversize orange sweatshirt and a cap of cut-out leaves and vines.

The real fun of Halloween is having treats, of course.  My sons were never big on candy, but they did like the caramel popcorn I make from an old Sunset magazine recipe I’ve had for years. It can be packaged in food-safe cellophane bags and decorated for party favors.

Caramel Nut Corn

4 quarts popped corn
1 cup salted roasted peanuts
½ cup (1/4 pound) butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup molasses

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In an 11- X 17-inch roasting pan, mix together popped corn and peanuts.  In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in brown sugar and molasses. Boil gently, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Immediately drizzle over popcorn mixture and stir together.  Bake uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes until browned, stirring every 5 minutes.  Watch carefully to prevent burning. Cool completely and pack in airtight container.  Makes about 4 quarts.

Note: In order to toss the ingredients well with the butter mixture, it’s important to use a large enough pan with sides; a cookie sheet won’t do.  Also, if you have short-handled salad tossers, they’re extremely good for tossing the popcorn and nuts with the butter mixture to incorporate thoroughly.

Recipe adapted from Sunset magazine.

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