Not-so-scary Halloween Treats

Not-so-scary Halloween Treats

It’s a fun month, with hall festivals, chili cook-offs and bake sales, and the fun culminates with the excitement and the delicious treats of Halloween.

Because we are smack in the Bible belt, some people expect us to object to a celebration rooted in paganism, but that’s never been an issue in my social circles. We can take a joke!

Halloween isn’t what it used to be. Even though candy was involved, the best part of Halloween was the rest of Halloween: dressing up in a fantasy identity and running from house to house – after dark, no less – collecting surprises that would be uncovered after arriving home hours later. That probably seems like an alien idea to children today, most of whom have little choice but to simply attend parties.

My parents were protective, I wasn’t allowed to consume anything unwrapped, and no yummies unless I could honestly tell them who gave it to me and they approved.

Of the handouts I received trick-or-treating, my favorites involved good chocolate: Snickers, Reese’s cups, anything Hershey’s.

But if somehow, some way, I could score a candied apple or a popcorn ball, I knew wearing that sweaty Batman mask was really worth it.

It’s 30 years later now, and I’m way too old for trick or treat, but I have learned a few tricks in those 30 years. Fortunately, making popcorn balls and candy apples are two of them.

There’s an easy way and a difficult way to make popcorn balls, and I’ll share them both with you.

Popcorn balls, the hard way, is a recipe I found in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, which isn’t really new; my edition is was purchased in 1980. When I’m browsing through it, I can see signs of age – from wear and from being outdated. Styles of cooking and ingredients change with the times, and they have more so in the last 30 years than ever. But this old popcorn ball recipe resembles the way my grandmother made them, and they’re still delicious.

Old-time Popcorn Balls

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 quarts popped corn

Butter sides of a saucepan. In it, combine sugar, water, salt, syrup and vinegar. Cook to hard ball stage (250 degrees). Stir in vanilla. Slowly pour over popped corn, stirring just to mix well. Butter hands and form into balls. Makes 15 to 20.

The book also gives a version with a caramel kick. They’re called, of course, Caramel Popcorn Balls.

Caramel Popcorn Balls

• 1/2cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 15-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 quarts popped corn

In saucepan, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to boiling over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk; simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to soft ball stage (234 to 238 degrees). Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter hands and shape popcorn into balls. Makes about 15.

And now, for the easy version! This comes from Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cook Book, which isn’t really new, either. I received this book as a gift from my Aunt Irene when I was about five years old – that would be about 1967. It’s as dilapidated as a book can get and still be considered a book, but I still enjoy looking at it and cooking from it.

Pink Popcorn Balls

• 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 cups popped corn
• red food coloring

Combine marshmallows, butter and salt and stir over low heat until melted and blended. Remove from heat and stir in a few drops of food coloring. Pour over popped corn and toss gently. Grease hands to form into balls. Makes about 10 balls.

NOTE: You don’t have to use food coloring, but it makes them pretty. You can also change the color depending on the occasion.

Right across the page from the popcorn ball recipe is one for Chocolate-Caramel Apples.

Chocolate-Caramel Apple

• 6 medium apples
• 1 tablespoon chopped nuts
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramels
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Wash and dry apples. Skewer them with wooden sticks. Set aside.

Form six mounds of nuts. Set aside.

In pot, combine caramels, hot water and chocolate pieces. Stir and heat until melted and combined. Remove from heat.

One by one, dip each apple in mixture, using a spoon to help coat the apple. Place each coated apple in nut mixture and roll to coat. Let cool.

Nothing beats a candy apple, though, in taste or difficulty to make. Don’t let it stop you, though.

Many think I’m speaking of caramel apples when I say candy apples, and while they are delicious, I’m really talking about the kind with the shiny, hard, red cinnamon-flavored candy coating. My Aunt Mary used to make them in the fall for the concession stand to sell at high school football games. Sometimes she made them green, but I always preferred the standard red.

This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cook book, and is titled Cinnamon Apples.

Cinnamon Apples

• 6 apples, washed and dried, with wooden skewers
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
• 10 drops oil of cinnamon

Combine sugar, corn syrup and food coloring in greased pot. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about four minutes.

Cover and cook slowly about eight minutes. Uncover. Cook without stirring to hard crack stage (300 degrees). Remove from heat and stir in flavoring. Turn each apple in mixture to coat. Set apples on buttered cookie sheet.

NOTE: If syrup mixture thickens, turn heat to low.

Printed with permission from www.suite101.com.
About the Author:  Lee Ward -  For the last 20 years, I have been working as a professional journalist in newspapers, magazines and radio. Currently, I am the Lifestyle Editor at a daily newspaper, The Independent in Ashland, Ky. I am always interested in freelance writing or editing opportunities and working on my fiction and poetry. I can be emailed at hillygator@msn.com.