Spicy Caramel Popcorn

We love this with a handful of chocolate chips tossed in with the popcorn before you pour the caramel over it all.
Christmas variation: no spice, use crushed candy cane and white chocolate chips instead of peanuts and chocolate chips to make a peppermint bark variety
Thanksgiving variation: substitute pumpkin pie spices for the peppers and leave out the chocolate chips and nuts
(I'm sure you could do others: red hots on Valentines day, Green m&m's for St Paddy's~but we haven't tried those...yet!)

From Smitten Kitchen website
Makes 4 quarts
Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil
1 cup popcorn kernels
2 cups salted dry roasted peanuts (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon EACH dried cayenne & chipotle pepper
1/2 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Air pop popcorn.
Handful of semisweet chocolate chips
Toss with salted peanuts in a big bowl (I use my big roasting pan).
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and cayenne pepper.
Spray Pam 2 large baking sheets and 2 heat proof spatulas and have them ready. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking-soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up).
Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and don’t fuss if it doesn’t all come out of the pot — you’ll have plenty. Working quickly and carefully, use the prepared spatulas to toss the caramel and popcorn together, as if you were tossing a salad, until the popcorn is well coated.Add a handful of chocolate chips if you're feeling bad
Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and quickly separate them into small pieces while still warm. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or two minutes, if you’ve got a family like mine.
**Quick save:If you don't cook the caramel long enough & the popcorn winds up sticky instead of crunchy, bake it at 250 degrees on the cookie sheets until it's nice & crispy, stirring every 20 minutes**