Who watched the Opening Ceremonies last night? I would have to say my favorite part was either Rowan Atkinson with the London Symphony, or seeing how even a superstar like Paul McCartney can get choked up at the sight of thousands of athletes coming together for the Olympics.
The Munchkin (& even Mini-Munchkin, who wouldn’t turn away from the TV long enough to nurse, let alone fall asleep, for some time) loved staying up late to watch. It got her as excited about the Games as I hoped it would.
Our special treat for our Olympic watching party? These popcorn ball “torches.”
This recipe has only a few ingredients, but getting the caramel to the right consistency (not too hard, not too soft) can be tricky. This makes enough for 8, 3- to 4-inch balls.
- 2 bags microwave popcorn, popped (I love kettle corn)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 small bags M&Ms in Olympic colors (let your Munchkin help you remove the orange ones; dark brown counts as black)
- colored cardstock or scrapbook paper, formed into a narrow cone & taped
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, & cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Boil 3 minutes, until “soft ball” stage. (This will happen quicker than you think.)
- Place popcorn in a large bowl, then pour caramel over the top. Stir to coat. Sprinkle M&Ms throughout & carefully stir. Some may melt a little.
- When mixture has cooled slightly, form into balls. (This will take longer than you think; do it too soon & you WILL get second-degree burns. Not that I know from personal experience…)
- When fully cooled, place atop cones (or just hold in your hands) & enjoy!
Make Myself at Home 
where do you get the cones from
I just made them out of scrapbook paper. You could even do ice cream cones if you wanted.