Aunt Joy's Caramel Corn

Aunt Joy's Caramel Corn
-1 cup Margarine-not vegetable spread, it has water whipped in that deflates the popcorn
-2 cups brown sugar, light or dark
-1/2 cup light corn syrup
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 heaping tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-11/2 cups peanuts-add more or less according to taste
-6 quarts naked popcorn (24 cups)


-Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place popcorn in shallow roasting pans pour peanuts over top of popcorn. Do not stir.
-In a medium/large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. The soda will cause the caramel to rise. Be extremely careful, this is HOT candy and it will burn if you get it on you. Pour over popcorn, stirring to coat.
-Bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.