This afternoon, we’re munching on a batch of this little bit of heaven while we watch the Vikings/Ravens game.

From 101 Secrets a Cool Mom Knows by Sue Ellin Browder and Walter Browder:

As a Cool Mom knows, the secret to any delectable cuisine lies in the recipe.  And here’s the very best recipe for caramel corn ever devised:

2 bags light microwave popcorn
1 cup butter
1 box light brown sugar [I think this is about 2 cups]
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Have your child pop each bag of popcorn (one at a time) in the microwave, as directed on the package, being careful as he removes the hot bags from the oven.  Now have him pour the popcorn into a large baking pan.  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

As the oven heats, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt into a two-quart saucepan.  Heat to a roiling boil.  Turn down the heat to medium and let the contents of the pan continue to boil for five minutes without stirring.  Remove from the heat.  Add the vanilla and baking soda and stir.  The baking soda will cause the syrup to almost double in bulk.

Have your child pour the syrup over the popcorn, stirring to coat as much of the popcorn as possible.  Now have him bake the popcorn for one hour in the oven, stirring it every fifteen minutes with a spatula or plastic pancake turner to keep it well-coated with caramel.  At the end of the hour, remove the pan from the oven and spread the popcorn onto ungreased aluminum foil.  Once the caramel corn cools, your child can break up any large chunks into smaller pieces.  [We sometimes let the caramel corn cool and eat it WITHOUT putting it in the oven…or only for 1/2 hour…it’s very sticky and scrumptious.]

The kid who can make his own caramel corn will come to understand that good cooking has magic in it.  The magic comes from all those ingredients.  One ingredient makes for a dull dish.  But thoroughly mixing many flavors together in the right proportions and under the right conditions creates a truly spell-binding treat.  As he crunches happily away, he may also recall another old saying: Nothin’ says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.