Fruited Popcorn

For years, I've been making one of my husband's favorite Christmas treats...fruited popcorn. I do several batches each year to use as gifts for those extra folks on my Christmas list, like my hairdresser, or the neighbors, or an unexpected guest that drops in. My stepdaughter gets a batch, too, since she loves it as much as her father. I have no idea where I got the recipe, but here it is:

FRUITED POPCORN

7 cups popped popcorn (I use an air popper for this)
1 cup broken pecans
3/4 cup candied red cherries, cut up
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine (I use butter)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Remove all unpopped kernels from popcorn. In a 17x12x2 inch baking pan combine popcorn, pecans, and cherries. In a 1-quart saucepan combine brown sugar, butter or margarine, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat till the butter melts and mixture comes to a boil. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour mixture over popcorn, and gently stir to coat popcorn mixture. Bake in 300-degree oven for 15 minutes. Stir and bake 5 minutes more. Remove mixture to a large bowl. Cool. Makes 8 cups.

Note: Since it's difficult to mix the coating into the popcorn in the baking pan, we put the popcorn, cherries and pecans in a large mixing bowl, add the cooked mixture, and stir to coat thoroughly, then transfer the popcorn to the baking pan.