Sweet & Salty Party Mix – Football Friday

This is our new addiction. This stuff is crazy good!  I mean it!  This is caramel corn on steroids. 

I saw this recipe in the new Pampered Chef catalog and thought it would be good for a tailgate.  I took down a batch last week and I was worried that it wouldn’t make it to the tailgate.  My family couldn’t stop eating it.  We managed to save about half of it to share with everyone in the parking lot and it was a huge hit!  I had none leftover.  I have already made it again.  We love this stuff!  This would be great for the holidays too.  I think it would make a great gift packaged in tin or tied up in a cute cellophane bag. 

Sweet & Salty Party Mix
Pampered Chef
(Printable Recipe)

• 1 pkg (3 – 3.5 oz) microwave popcorn (about 5 cups popped)
• 3 cups miniature pretzel twists
• 2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts
• 2 cups oven-toasted rice cereal squares (chex)
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup corn syrup
• 1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 300 F. Prepare popcorn according to package directions. In large (6-qt) mixing bowl, combine popcorn, pretzels, peanuts, and cereal; set aside. Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in (2 qt) saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook without stirring for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; carefully stir in baking soda.

Pour caramel sauce over popcorn mixture; stir until evenly coated. Spoon onto Large Bar Pan; bake 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven.

Transfer popcorn mixture to large piece of Parchment Paper. Cool completely, breaking mixture into clusters as it cools.