Stir some fall flavor into your popcorn

One of the telltale signs of the holiday season is the sudden abundance of cranberries in the grocer's aisle.

Like many crops, fall is harvest time for cranberries. Stirred from their sleepy marshy growing grounds when they reach their peak in color and flavor, cranberries are harvested from September through November.

Not surprisingly, the ensuing fall and winter holidays are filled with recipes using this bright and bold fruit.

Here's are two sensational seasonal recipes from the Popcorn Board.

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn

10 cups popped popcorn

1 cup dried cranberries

½cup whole almonds

½cup (1 stick) butter

½packed brown sugar

¼cup corn syrup

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, undiluted

1 teaspoon orange or vanilla extract

½teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 300 F. Place popcorn, cranberries and almonds in a large bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and orange juice concentrate over medium heat until butter is melted. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in extract and baking soda (mixture will foam).

Pour syrup mixture over popcorn mixture in bowl; stir to coat well. Spread evenly in a large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray.

Bake 30 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. Stir caramel corn as it cools on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

Maple-Bacon Popcorn Mix

8 cups popped popcorn

6 slices thick-cut bacon

¼cup pure maple syrup

8 cups popped popcorn

2/3 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

¼teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

¼teaspoon maple extract

Preheat oven to 400F. Line jellyroll pan with foil. Place wire rack in pan. Arrange bacon in single layer on rack. Bake 15 minutes until ends of bacon start to curl.

Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. Brush bacon with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup; bake 15 minutes until browned. Cool then coarsely chop bacon.

Combine popcorn, pecans and cranberries in large bowl.

Combine butter, black pepper, maple extract, remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup and reserved bacon drippings. Cook over low heat until butter is melted.

Drizzle over popcorn mixture and mix thoroughly.

Spread popcorn mixture in jellyroll or roasting pan.

Bake 5 minutes. Toss in bacon pieces. Serve warm.