Fruit And Popcorn Balls - cooking recipe

Ingredients

10 cups popped popcorn
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 2 cups dried cranberries (nuts, may be substituted for part of the 2 cups of fruit. cashews, peanuts, shelled sunflower seeds) or 2 cups dried fruit (nuts, may be substituted for part of the 2 cups of fruit. cashews, peanuts, shelled sunflower seeds)

Preparation

Butter a very large bowl. Add popped popcorn and your selection of the 2 cups of fruit and/or nuts. I like 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped cashews.
Heat brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and juice until just boiling. Pour over dry ingredients in bowl.
Butter hands with additional butter or cooking spray and form into tennis size balls. Compact lightly to get the mixture to hold a ball shape. Set aside. Wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap.
Option: The balls can be drizzled with melted chocolate for gift giving. I like to use white chocolate on the cranberry/ cashew ones. After wrapping with plastic wrap, I tie with a burgandy colored ribbon.