Copy Cat Cracker Jack Food Network Version

COPYCAT HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic powder, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until sizzling all over and light golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half and chicken broth, return to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and 1 1/2 cups of the Cheddar. Add the hash browns and toss until coated in the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the hash brown mixture to the prepared baking dish, then top with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar. Bake until browned and bubbling at the edges, about 45 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 475 degrees F and continue to bake until the top is crisp and browned all over, about 5 minutes.

CRACKER JACK - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Mix popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl or roasting pan. Keep warm in a 250°F oven.
• Melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
• Quickly pour over warm popcorn while tossing until well coated. Spread in a shallow baking pan or roasting pan.
• Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. Make sure every piece of popcorn has been moved around on the bottom.
• Remove from oven and turn out onto foil to let cool.
• Store in a tightly covered container.

CRACKER JACK - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Combing brown sugar, butter, simple syrup, and salt over low heat until butter is melted. Cook WITHOUT stirring for 3 minutes. Add baking soda and vanilla. Pour onto popcorn and peanuts and mix until evenly coated. Bake 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Break into chunks.

CRACKER JILL (CRACKER JACK COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250°; line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Pour oil and corn into a large pot; cover, heat over medium high and when sound of popping slows down, turn off the heat, slide the lid open just enough to let steam, but not wayward popcorn explosions, escape; pick out any old maids (unpopped kernels) and set aside.
• Mix molasses, sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat until the mixture reaches the hard-ball stage on a candy thermometer, 260°; stir in the butter, then the baking soda and salt.
• The mixture will turn a light caramel color and rise up in a bubbling mass; be prepared but not alarmed.
• Stir in the peanuts until coated with caramel.
• Pour the peanut-caramel mixture over the popcorn, which is still in it's large pot, and turn with a rubber spatula until nicely coated.
• Turn out the popcorn mixture onto the baking sheets; using your spatula, spread it out evenly.
• Crisp in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice; turn off the heat, but leave the caramel corn inside until cool, an hour or more; break up any chunks.

COPY CAT CRACKER JACK FOOD NETWORK VERSION

Steps:

• 1. Put the vegetable oil and a few test kernels in a large pot. Heat over medium high heat until the kernels pop, then add the remaining kernels in a single layer. Cover and cook, shaking the pot, until there are several seconds between pops. Transfer popcorn to a bowl.
• 2. Lightly oil a baking sheet. I used a heavy coat of PAM.
• 3. Wipe out the pot, then add sugar, corn syrup, molasses, peanut oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the peanuts.
• 4.Cook over medium high heat until a candy thermometer reads 290 degrees, about 8 minutes.
• 5. Remove from heat and stir in the popcorn until coated.
• 6. Transfer the caramel corn to the baking sheet and let cool, then break into small pieces.
• 7. ENJOY!