Gumdrop Goblin Balls

8 cups air-popped popcorn
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup orange gumdrops
1/2 cup red gumdrops
1/2 cup yellow gumdrops

Place popped corn in mixing bowl; set aside.

In small saucepan, over medium-high heat, bring sugar, corn syrup, water, margarine, and salt to boil. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, for ten minutes or until reaches hard-ball stage of 254 degrees F on candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Wearing oven mitts to shield against splatters, carefully stir in vanilla extract. Pour over popped corn; using prepared spoon, toss until well coated. Stir in gumdrops. Wearing rubber gloves, form into 2-inch balls; let cool on baking sheet.

286 Calories; 1g Fat (2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 71g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 135mg Sodium