Critters in the Hay

A Halloween-themed bowlful of pumpkin pie spiced-candied popcorn mingled with candy corn, candy spiders and gummy worms.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon green food color (optional)
3 1/2 quarts popped popcorn; remove unpopped kernels
1 cup candy corn
Black licorice ropes
Wooden picks
Small black gum drops or other small black candies
1 tube red decorator icing
Red hots candy
Gummy Worms

Cooking Directions:

1. In Dutch oven, bring sugar,corn syrup and butter to a boil; boil 2 1/2 minutes.
2. Stir in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla,salt and food coloring, if desired; mix well. Add popcorn and toss until evenly coated.
3. Spread popcorn mixture in a single layer on sheets of foil; cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces and mix with candy corn in a wide shallow bowl; set aside.
4. To make spiders, cut licorice into 2 inch lengths. To make legs, starting at
   one end, make three 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch lengthwise cuts to make four legs.
   Repeat cuts at opposite end. Leave about 1/2-inch in center uncut. Gently pull legs apart and curl down. Push wooden pick through center of body, leaving about 1/4-inch exposed on top.
5. Push one gumdrop onto exposed pick to make a body. Squeeze two small dots of icing into gumdrops. Press red hots into icing to make eyes.
6. Place spiders and gummy worms in the candied popcorn. Remove wooden picks before eating.

Makes 4 quarts.