Where I've Been (Recipe: Toffee & Peanut Popcorn)

My husband walked in the other day wondering what I was doing.  "Eh, posting on the blog,"  I said.  He followed with, "Wow!  You haven't done that in months."  Well, not exactly months but I sure have been posting less, significantly less as of late.

April was a beautiful month and it seemed like I spent the month outside.  May has flown by and I really don't have an excuse for my two measly end of the month posts.  I have noticed, though, that my blog preferences have changed.  I do visit the old haunts, but not that often anymore.  I have fallen in love with some lifestyle, design, and crafty blogs but mostly I've grown uninterested.  *GASP*  I can't believe I just admitted that!

So since I haven't been around, here is what I've been up to...

Eating:  Toffee Peanut Popcorn...I am HOOKED
Drinking:  Lots of water...more than I usually do
Reading:  Wicked...and I am struggling!
Watching:  Mad Men & Person Of Interest...POI may be my new favorite
Listening:  Keane, Strangeland
Guilty Pleasure:  One Direction, though I'm forced to listen to it usually-I quite enjoy the boy band.
Needing:  Organize, Clean, throw a garage sale.

Toffee Peanut Popcorn was one of the features on the "pop bar" at my sister's shower.  I had made it weeks before to take to the girls working inventory at work.  As my boss put it, "Who made this crack, you?"  Yes, indeed I did.  And I promise you, its not uninteresting.

Toffee Peanut Popcorn
yield:  8 cups

1/2 cup popcorn kernels, freshly popped
1 cup lightly salted peanuts

1 1/4 cups golden brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Generously butter a heavy large baking or roasting pan.  Mix warm popcorn and 1/2 cup peanuts in prepared pan and set aside.  Reserve remaining peanuts.
2. Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan.  Whisk over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts.  Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan.  Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until thermometer registers 255 degrees F, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  
3. Stir in extracts, salt, and baking soda (mixture will bubble).  Add remaining peanuts.
4. Gradually pour syrup over popcorn mixture, gently stirring to coat popcorn and nuts evenly.
5. Bake until caramel feels dry, stirring frequently, about 1 hour & 20 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Using metal spatula, scrape mixture from bottom of pan to loosen.  Cool completely in pan.  (Can be prepared 1 week ahead  Store in airtight container at room temperature)