Our Family Treat Exchange and A Yummy Recipe!

My family has a totally awesome cool tradition! We have taken the traditional cookie exchange and turned it into something we really love! We have opened the exchange up to all treats and sweets.  It is totally awesome! (some still bring cookies YUM!) We have also seen the likes of cheese balls and chips and dips candy and sweet and sour little smokies,  etc. OH BOY! Its FUN! We all just bring a family size serving for each of the other families and trade just like you would a cookie exchange.  I should mention that my sibs are all amazing cooks/bakers!  I mean good enough that people ask them to cater functions etc It is super fun to have a bunch of treats for the holiday that are definitely not your average chocolate chip cookie. We all start in about May testing and trying new recipes for the next years offering.  SO MUCH FUN!! Here is a recipe that is on the short list this year.  I found it at Jamie Cooks It Up It is called Crunchy Candy Bar Caramel Corn.  Oh baby it is delish! And Easy! Oh and if you haven't been to her blog YOU MUST!! Amazing Blog! I love it and you will love it.  Here is my pic and her recipe!  Give it a try! 

Crunchy Candy Bar Caramel Corn

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

Time: 30 minutes + 15 minutes to set up

Yield: One large jelly roll pan full

16 C popped popcorn (1/2 C unpopped)

1 C brown sugar

1/4 C corn syrup

1/2 C butter

1/2 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

15 fun sized candy bars (I used twix, milky way and 1000 Grands)

1 C white chocolate chips

1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1 t shortening

1. Pop yourself 16 cups of popcorn.

2. Into a medium sized glass bowl, or large glass measuring cup, place the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Repeat this step four more times.

Heat and stir...

Heat and stir...

Heat and stir...

and a final "heat and stir". It should be very bubbly and hot at this point.

3. Add the baking soda, vanilla and a dash of salt.

4. Pour the popcorn into a large brown paper grocery sack.

5. Pour the caramel right into the bag on top of the popcorn. Stir it around with a wooden spoon.

6. Fold the bag over and place it in the microwave, heat for 1 minute. Take the bag out of the microwave and shake it....shake it.....shake it.

7. Return the bag to the microwave and heat it for an additional 30 second, then shake it again. 

8. Pour the caramel corn out onto a large jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper.

9. Chop up the candy bars and lay them out over the caramel corn.

10. Heat the white chocolate chips in the microwave, for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval. Don't let the chocolate get too hot. Add 1/2 t shortening to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.

11. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the caramel corn and candy bars.

12. Melt the semi sweet chocolate just like you melted the white chocolate. Drizzle it over the caramel corn.

13. Let the chocolate set up (you can pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes to hurry along the process). Break it up into chunks and serve. Store any leftovers in an air tight container.

Enjoy!