Candy Apples or Popcorn Balls
By hoghoney
@hoghoney (3747)
United States
October 7, 2007 12:45am CST
With Halloween just around the corner and getting things ready for trick or treaters it is also time to start making popcorn balls and candy apples. I remember when I was young every year my mom would make a bunch of popcorn balls and candy apples and I have carried that on to my kids while they were growing up. Watching my mom make the syrup and popping the popcorn and then she would pour it over the popcorn and then me and my sister would mix it together and make the balls it was so much fun and my kids cant wait to do the same this time of the year. And then we would make our own Candy Apples you know the kind that has the hard red candy shell on them, I think those were the best and we would make some carmel apples also, waiting for the carmel to melt and then dipping the apples into it and rolling then in the crushed nuts. Do any of you here make popcorn balls or your own carmel apples, I think it is the best part of Halloween next to getting all of them candy bars.
What is your favorite part of Halloween. BOOO!!!!! LOL
8 people like this
16 responses
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I love them both LOL My Grandmother used to make us Popcorn balls for halloween and our neighbor used to make us candy apples. Man, those were all good. These days, with my Diabetes, I'd probably kill myself trying to eat either one LOL
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
8 Oct 07
My mom is diabetic as was her mom and dad and grandmother and all her (4)aunts So it runs n the family big time. They do have sugar free version of the candy apple it may not as be as great as the real thing but atleast your not putting yourself in a sugar coma trying to eat the real thing. The sugarfree caramels are more costly to but worth it and what better time to treat yourself then at Halloween when all the junk you isn't supposed to count..
~Don't ask God for a easier life,Ask him to make you a stronger person~-{-
2 people like this
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
7 Oct 07
My mom also was a diabetic but she made hers with a no sugar carmel, now and days they have different kind of candy out for diabetes that are sugar free. I love the carmel apples when you make them, the ones you buy in the stores sometimes you get have bad spots in them. Happy Halloween. Hugs!
2 people like this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
7 Oct 07
My favorite part of Halloween was dressing up.
My mom often made our costumes and it was GREAT!
I still LOVE dressing up and do nearly every year.
Last year I made my first costume (though I wasn't feeling well that day and ended up not dressing up) and it looks pretty good. It's a banshee costume I modeled after Phoebe's banshee costume from Charmed. The only thing I wish I could get for it is the contacts! But don't want to spend that much either LOL.
We never did the making candy apples or popcorn balls. I did make popcorn balls a few years ago for Christmas and swore I'd never do it again - at least with the recipe I had. I HATE the was molasses smells and the syrup was so hot I kept burning myself. I made them for my family as gifts (with a bunch of other goodies).
I think it's great you carry on those same traditions :) I think it's things like this that keep us young and happy!
If your popcorn ball recipe doesn't have molasses in it I'd love to have it if you wouldn't mind sharing it :)
Great discussion!
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I love making popcorn balls I do it a little different then you though I make up my popcorn balls not using syrup but marshmellow creme and make it like you would rice krispy treats. Sometimes we add those little mini kisses,m&ms,or reeses pieces or we drizzle with white or milk chocolate, Me and my little sister make sugar cookies and decorate them and we do make caramel apples and roll them in nuts.mmmmm so good! Yeah gotta love them little candy bars. My favorite part of Halloween is bascially the whole holiday, from looking for and making a costume and going door to door trying to keep up with the little ones as they run from door to door. I am thinking of having a party this year I hope that goes well..I think Halloween ranks high up there right along with Christmas. Once sweet hershey kiss on the lips and a lifetime on the hips..lol
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
8 Oct 07
It is fun just watching the kids have a blast. You can also use food coloring when making the marshmellow popcorn balls to represent the halloween colors we did alot of orange and green ones. I hope you have fun making them and the good part if you use the marshmellow creme and make them like the rice kripsy treats they are lower in fat then most halloween candies and so not to bad to eat a few yourself. My little sister(6) wants to be a kitten this year so I am going to be making a kitten costume. I think I will stick to being the spider lady. My hubby likes to sneak and scare the kids who come up to our house, they are usually only family or friends since we live up a holler and not many people venture up the hollers. We get about 10-20 kids. Last year we went to a house that had what we thought was a big doll like figure of michael myers and once we were past it and on the step it came to life and had this huge blade which it raked behind us on the concrete steps and it let off a errie sound freaked my little sister out so bad she was histerical especially since she watched the Halloween movie a few nights prior to trick or treating. The guy had to take his mask off and show her he wasn't micheal myers although it took awhile.. she was afraid to move off the steps because he was in the yard. Another place had a chucky doll that was animated and a werewolf that scared even me because I thought it was fake..lol But it was fun. The only thing I do hate about it is the endless walking a person has to basically pratice for halloween marathon..lol Well Happy popcorn ball making.
1 person likes this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
7 Oct 07
My favorite part of Halloween is decorating- I love to decorate the house and the outside- and Fall/Halloween is the best!
Plus picking out a costume with my daughter- this year she will be Hannah Montana! lol
I prefer Caramel apples- No we don't make them- we should try this year- Also I think I will try to make popcorn balls- I'll look for a recipe online- My daughter loves popcorn!
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Back in the day when kids didnt have to worry about people putting things in candy to hurt kids, one year my mom made popcorn balls the size of meatballs and passed them out to the kids in our neighborhood because they knew that it was alright to do and she told the other mothers that she would be doing that, but it was just for the kids that lived around us. The other ones that came from other neighborhoods just got candy. My boyfriend does all the decorating in our yard for halloween he love putting things out.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I used to do the same things with my children when they were growing up, hoghoney, and also with the grandchildren when they came along. It was all so much fun! These days I don't really do anything for Halloween because I live in a security building and I don't think any kids have ever come around trick or treating since I've lived here. I did almost buy some candy last week just to have on hand, but I changed my mind because I thought I might be stuck with all that candy and have to end up eating most of it myself, lol.
2 people like this
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
7 Oct 07
I would of helped you eat the candy. My boyfriend goes all out with the putting things in the yards and then when the kids get home with their goodies that is the fun part because you can go through it and then pick out what you want out of it. Happy Halloween. Hugs!
1 person likes this
@marylouu69 (297)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Yes the candy apples are the best, but don't get me wrong I like the popcorn balls too.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
9 Oct 07
When we lived in an apartment complex I made popcorn balls to give as treats. I would put my address on the cellophane so the parents would know it was from me and that it was okay for their kids to eat them. Every year the same people showed up on my doorstep to get the first of the treats. They knew that I stayed home while the oldest of the kids went around to the neighborhood.
On any given Halloween, I handed out 80 popcorn balls within 45 minutes.
1 person likes this
@Island_Geko (3759)
• Canada
8 Oct 07
I never really cared for candy apples, but I grew up making and enjoying carmel popcorn balls....My family would make a small back for tanksgiving and a larger batch for Christmas and we would mix in assortment of candies and chocolates into the mixture.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
31 Oct 07
Yummy! You're making me hungry, already!!! I love toffee apples and popcorn balls equally. Also, on Halloween, I like to make a nice, hot Chili Con Carne, with rice and salad, and maybe even a few chips. Pumpkin Soup is nice too and mmmmmmmm, Pumpkin Cheesecake.
But, my ultimate favourite on Halloween, is the Jack O'Lanterns burning in the window and hearth. They somehow make you feel so warm, and happy.
Brightest Blessings, and Happy Halloween to you, my friend. x
@mummymo (23706)
•
13 Oct 07
Hey honey! I have never heard of popcorn balls before and I have to admit they do sound very tasty! I love home made toffee apples ( that is what we call them) but haven't made them in years - wish I was fit to make them with the kids this halloween but hopefully I will be able to next year - I might even use our home grown apples! xxx
@CoffeeAnyone (3210)
• Canada
8 Oct 07
I love the fact that you and your mom have done this for kids. So it should be! However when I was growing up we were not allowed to eat anything homemade unless we knew the person who gave it to us. My mom had four kids and every year our candied apples and popcorn balls got thrown out. This was due to the fact that people found razor blades and needles in homemade items plus pills. So by the time my kids were old enough to go trick or treating very rarely did you see homemade goodies. So sad. I do remember a lady though that put her name and address on her popcorn balls. So that was okay!
1 person likes this
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
11 Oct 07
I also remember them days of bad people putting razors in halloween candy and that is why my mom only gave to the kids that she knew and she also told the parents that she was doing it so that they would know. But alot of my friends just couldnt wait to get them.
@georginaswift86 (111)
•
8 Oct 07
I don't think there's any competition... CANDY APPLES!!! Where did popcorn balls come from? ha! New age substitution just doesn't beat tradition!!!
1 person likes this
@halloween_candy (10)
• United States
8 Oct 07
I think that the best part about Halloween is getting free candy. And this year it's even easier! I might be too old to go out trick-or-treating, but I'm still getting FREE candy. I signed up at http://tinyurl.com/2vb8hs and I've already had 2 boxes delivered with 2 more on the way. I have a feeling mine will be the most popular house this year :)
1 person likes this
@seagoddess28 (873)
• Canada
31 Oct 07
I've never had popcorn balls before they sound absolutely delicious! I have had the red candy apples at the Ex (Canadian National Exhibition) but I only take a couple of bites and pass it to my hubby because I am diabetic. I would love to try the caramel apples, but then again, the same problem. Hubby says he does NOT want to be the garbage can, esp. now that he's trying (he says) to lose weight! LMAO!!!
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
13 Oct 07
Hi friend! Is good to see you, has been a while!
I'm not a fan of candy apples, but I do LOVE popcorn balls and make them once in a while. I won't hand any out to trick or treaters though because I know their parents will throw them away. Parents only seem to let their kids have candy that is sealed, which I completely understand, but it's sad how people who have put razors and such into homemade goodies have punish us all! Hope you have a good Hallowe'en, and happy candy apple and popcorn ball making!
Love & Hugzz, Your Friend, PurpleTeddyBear!
