ACTIVE TIME 30 minutes . TOTAL TIME 45 minutes . MAKES 16 popcorn balls
1 cup pecans
1 cup sliced almonds
1½ cups flaked sweetened coconut
16 cups popped corn (from about ¾ cup unpopped kernels)
1¼ cups packed brown sugar
1¼ cups dark corn syrup
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon baking soda
EACH POPCORN BALL
About 330 calories, 3g protein, 48g carbohydrate, 16g total fat (6g saturated), 32g fiber, 12mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium
Get everyone in the spirit for game day!
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pecans and almonds in 17" by 11½" roasting pan; place coconut in 15½" by 10½" jelly-roll pan. Set pans on 2 oven racks and bake nuts and coconut until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir nuts into coconut; cool completely.
2 Line cookie sheet with foil; spray it and roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place popcorn in roasting pan; discard any unpopped kernels. Sprinkle with nut mixture.
3 In heavy saucepan, heat brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; boil 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda. Very carefully, pour hot caramel syrup over popcorn mixture; toss with 2 forks until evenly coated.
4 Working quickly, scoop up hot popcorn mixture by level cups and place on prepared cookie sheet. When cool enough to handle, coat hands with cooking spray; shape mounds into balls, pressing lightly so they hold together. Cool completely.
POTLUCK PREP Wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week. Bring to the party in a decorative basket.