Dear Sun Spots: I have read your column at every opportunity for years and hope my plea for assistance will receive the success so many of your readers have gotten.

I am a 72-year-old grandfather and very often baby-sit my six grandchildren. They all enjoy Cracker Jack, peanut brittle and cheesecake, which I always make an attempt to have around for them. Unfortunately I am on a fixed income, and these treats have increased in price to the point it is really difficult to afford them. I am hoping one or more of your readers will have a recipe that can be made at home and is very comparable in taste, texture and appearance to each of these treats. You can e-mail skipshoedog@aol.com. Thank you. – No Name, Auburn.

Answer: Sun Spots located a recipe for Cracker Jack from “CDKitchen” that you might consider trying:

Ingredients: 4 cups freshly popped corn, lightly salted; 1 cup packed brown sugar; ½ cup butter or margarine; ½ cup corn syrup (light); ½ teaspoon vanilla; ½ teaspoon baking soda.

Method: Put popcorn in large, shallow roasting pan. In heavy saucepan mix sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Continue boiling for five minutes without stirring. Remove from heat; add vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat well.

Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring several times. Cool on waxed paper so it won’t stick to pan, break apart and store in tightly covered container. Note: if desired, 1 cup peanuts may be added to popcorn before adding caramel sauce.

Dear Sun Spots: Can you tell me who Dan Harris (ABC news anchor) is marrying and when? Thanks. – B.A.P., No Town.

Answer: Sun Spots could only find one reference that Harris has made to his fiancée, Bianca. On his social networking sites, he mentions that his wedding was held on Saturday, May 30.

Sun Spots was also unaware of Harris’ ties to our local area. According to the ABC Web site, he is a 1993 graduate of Colby College in Waterville. They also note that prior to joining ABC News, he was an anchor at New England Cable News from 1997 to 2000. Before that he was an anchor and political reporter at WCSH Channel 6, and he began his broadcasting career as a reporter for WLBZ, the NBC affiliate in Bangor.