Sweet Times... Sweet Treats

This past weekend I visited my son and his new bride in Kansas City. I confess Kansas is my FAVORITE place to be in the fall. Crisp air, beautiful colors, nature adorned in her most glorious foilage! Most of all I enjoyed the smiling faces this mother was able to gaze upon. Should you travel to the Kansas City area, I highly recommend SPIN Neaoplitan Pizza the kids favorite!! The only request D had from Mama was popcorn balls. I shared the recipe with my precious sweet daughter in law! Though M has been in our family and lives for a few years, I've been praying for her many years. Papa heard my prayers and answered.
Enjoy the recipe for Popcorn Balls ... to date my last batch was the best I've ever made!
8 cups popped pop corn
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Keep popped popcorn warm in 200F oven while preparing syrup. In 2-quart saucepan, stir together sugar, corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking without stirring until temperature reaches 270F on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of syrup dropped into very cold water separates into threads, which are hard but not brittle. Remove from heat. Add vanilla; stir just enough to mix through hot syrup. Slowly pour over popcorn, stirring to coat every kernel. Cool just enough to handle. Shape into balls, using buttered hands. Cool on foil or buttered wax paper. Wrap in plastic wrap; tie with a ribbon. Yield: 12 medium popcorn balls