Everything you need to know about cooking Popcorn!
We tell you what makes popcorn pop and teach you how to pop popcorn on the stove and in the microwave along with some great tricks for making it at home along with plenty of links for more information like this link to learn how to make Candy Popcorn!
OK so what the heck is Popcorn anyways?
Popcorn really is corn or Maize. it has been around for thousands of years. In the united states it really gained popularity during the great depression because a bag of popcorn was so cheap (5 cents). It was filling and fairly nutritious. So during the great depression while other industries were failing the popcorn industry POPPED! Since then the varieties of popcorn and methods of preparing it have grown. Gourmet popcorn is now available thru out the United states and it is a mainstay of the movie theater business. Popcorn -made from popcorn kernels- is in fact the official state snack food of Illinois!
OK so what makes Popcorn POP when you cook it?
As everyone knows the outside of a popcorn kernel is hard. Not only is it hard but it is moisture proof. Inside the kernel there is moisture, protein and starchy oil. When you heat a popcorn kernel hot enough the moisture turns to steam and as it does it builds up pressure until the strong outer hull can’t contain it anymore and it pops. When it pops the pressure is suddenly released outward which expands the starch and protein in the kernel into a puffy white foam. This foam cools and hardens almost instantly into the classic popcorn!!
NASA has an excellent website page on the history of Popcorn and everything about popcorn. Why does NASA have a web page on Popcorn ? I do not know. But here is the link to Nasa’s Popcorn Kernel Page!
1) Learn How to make popcorn in the Microwave
You can buy microwave popcorn in bags.
- This popcorn is ready to pop.
- You simply follow the instructions on the bag:
- Placing it a microwave right side up and cook as indicated for 3 – 5 minutes.
- If your microwave does not have a turning table inside it helps to stop and shake the bag every minute.
- You stop cooking when the popping sound slows down to only a few pops every 5 seconds.
- There will always be some unpopped Popcorn kernels left over in the bag. If you try to cook them all you just end up burning some of the ones that already cooked so its better to have a few left over then burnt popcorn!
2) Learn how to Cook Popcorn on the Stove
You can buy Popcorn Kernels at the store and cook them in a covered pot on the stove.
Here are the basic instructions:
- You need a 2 quart pot with lid for a 1/4 cup of kernels or a 4 qt pot for a half cup of kernels.
- Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the bottom of the pot
- Place the Cover on the pan.
- Cook on medium high or high.
- Shake the pan every 15 -30 seconds to keep the kernels from burning on one side.
- When the popping slows to 3 to 5 seconds between pops,its done.
3) You can buy an inexpensive air popcorn popperto pop them like they do at the movie theater.
- They are easy to use and fun.
- You just follow the instruction on the machine.
- There is no need to use a stove or microwave.
- No need to shake the bag or the pan.
- Hot air pops the kernels so you never burn them either.
- They do not cook in oil so it is the healthiest way to cook popcorn!
- You can check them out at Amazon at this link:
Where to get the Best Quality Kernels for popping!
Yes there really are some popcorn kernels better then others. Some are better because they pop more of the kernels and others are better because they have their own unique taste.
- Everybody claims they have the best . So pick your own or go to amazon and pick one of their best flavors like the Wisconsin Firecracker popcorn in the Amazon advertisement to the right!
- For Microwave popcorn check out your local grocery store. Every ones tastes vary.
- For Gourmet Popcorn you can check out amazon.com or check out your local supermarket for more generic popcorn kernels.
- For the best Popcorn, just get the plain popcorn Kernels without flavoring. Then click on one of articles and learn how to make a specialty popcorn from a recipe like Spice Popcorn or Butter Popcorn or Kettle corn!
You can click on this link to go to our main page and read more about the Best healthy snack food!
OK thats it for this article
Is Popcorn Healthy for you? Know the Carbs and Calories!
This article discusses the Nutrition and Health aspects of Popcorn - we tell you how many calories and carbs are in different types of popcorn and teach you how to make healthy Popcorn! This article is a great article to read before Reading our Seasoned Popcorn Recipe. Most people want to know “is popcorn good for you” which it is as long as you don’t make it unhealthy by adding too much fatty toppings or adding way to much salt.
Popcorn as a Healthy Snack? lets start with the Plain Popcorn Facts!
According to many government agencies and watch groups Plain Popcorn IS a healthy Snack
For example the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Dental Association (ADA) both agree on this as fact!
Microwave popcorn nutrition and Movie popcorn nutrition are similar (although hull less popcorn loses some of the natural popcorn nutrition as we will discuss below) but the fat and salt content are not the same in different theaters and manufacturers so the question Is Popcorn Healthy is relative to exactly whose popcorn it is and how it is made!!
OK Like they say in Missouri Show Me! So here goes. Why Is Popcorn Healthy, ? Check out the proof :
7 Reasons why Popcorn Is Healthy:
- Popcorn has more protein than any other cereal grain.
- Popcorn is naturally sugar-free, fat free and low in calories.
- The Popcorn hull and outer layers are rich in iron, phosphorous and protein (remember that before shopping for hull less Popcorn!
- Popcorn has more iron than eggs, peanuts, spinach, or roast beef.
- Popcorn is a whole grain that contains 40 or more nutrients. 40 or more nutrients! So is popcorn healthy again it is !
- The “germ” in the popcorn kernel contains all of the B complex vitamins, plus vitamin E,
- Riboflavin and Thiamine.
Is popcorn Fattening? Here is the Truth:
Three cups of Plain Popcorn that is unbuttered, no oil, air-popped popcorn, only has about 100 Calories!!
Thats 3 cups of popcorn folks. Heck you could have 6 cups of popcorn and have less fat then just about any candy bar on the planet.
So NO! Popcorn IS NOT Fattening and Popcorn IS NOT high in calories!!
NOTE: most people eat way too much popcorn at one time. The average small Movie theater bag has about 6 cups so that has double the calories we listed. But still 180 calories with no fat IF ITS AIR POPPED is fine. But most movies pop in coconut oil or other fattening oils. Check it out below!
Popcorn Health Benefits - What about Butter Salt and other Seasonings and toppings!
OK this is where you can start to get in trouble with popcorn if you let yourself go overboard!
Here is our “Is Popcorn Healthy” list, color coded to let you know from Green to red what is a Healthy Popcorn Snack and where you cross the line and get into unhealthy popcorn Snacks!
Note the following rules of thumb:
- The maximum amount (Daily Value) of total fat in a 2,000-calorie diet is 65 grams.
- The maximum amount of saturated fat is 20 grams.
- The Maximum salt is About 6 grams a day -which is 2300 mgs of Sodium or about one teaspoon full for a grown up
Here are the statistics on Popcorn Nutrition that makes the headlines
NOTE: It is the butter, oil and salt that cause the problem, NOT the popcorn!
- Plain Popcorn, NO SALT NO BUTTER ONLY 90 CALORIES FOR 3 CUPS great!! So is Popcorn Healthy? Plain Popcorn Sure is!
- Reduced-fat microwave popcorn has only 3 grams of fat per serving size. So Its great Too!!
- Oil-popped popcorn with butter has around 250 calories per 3 cups – still not bad for so much food with the nutrients listed above!
- Buttered microwave popcorn has 11 grams of fat for per 3cup serving size,
- Theatre popcorn a kid-sized popcorn WITHOUT theater butter added extra contained 20 grams of fat, 14 of them saturated
- A large Theater popcorn had about 80 grams of fat, more than 50 of them saturated. Thats about the same as 3 big Macs worth of Fat. About 3 days worth of the recommended fat in one sitting. not to cool!
- A Large Theater Popcorn with added Butter has 130 Grams Of Fat or about the same as 4 or 5 Big Macs WOW!!Worse yet, the cholesterol raising fat soars to almost four day’s worth of fat! (Source: Center of Science in the public interest Is Popcorn Healthy?)
OK so Is Popcorn Healthy? Yes if its air pooped or very light on cooking fat and added fat IE butter or oil.
But what about the Popcorn Salt? The Sodium? Is popcorn healthy when it comes to Sodium?
Guys chill! its not as bad as most people think . Is popcorn healthy when it comes to Sodium YES
UNLESS YOU DOUSE IT IN EXTRA SALT!
Government guidelines recommend that people consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day — about one teaspoon of salt.
Popcorn is usually served salted and has a significant amount of sodium of around 270 to 330 mg of sodium. On top of which many of the popcorn Seasonings such as cheese and bacon salt have salt also.
But compare that too these common servings of other food and Popcorn is way healthier when it comes to salt!
- Canned chicken noodle soup (1 cup): 1,106 milligrams
- Frozen turkey and gravy (5 ounces): 787 milligrams
- Canned cream-style corn (1 cup): 730 milligrams
- Teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon): 690 milligrams
- Vegetable juice cocktail (1 cup): 653 milligrams
- Popcorn 270 – 330mg for the small thru large movie theater bags!
Summary: Popcorn is healthy. Avoid too much Oil, Butter, salt and fatty toppings
OK thats it for this Article!
How to make a homemade Candy Popcorn Treat!
We give you the ingredients and the recipe and then we show you how to add actual candy flavor so the red can take like cherries or the yellow candy popcorn can take like pineapples or lemon. This is a great project for the family and a great treat for everyone! If you really want to get creative you can click on this link and read our Popcorn Balls Recipe and combine the two to make candied popcorn balls!
The basics for making this colorful, flavorful Snack Food!
Basically you are going to coat popcorn with heated sugar corn syrup and gelatin mix and food flavoring. The corn syrup gives it the hard coating, the sugar the sweetness the gelatin mix gives it the color and the food flavoring the candy taste! . So this is a colored popcorn with Jello mix project – as simple as can be! It is easy and a fun project for the kids. FUN STUFF AND IT TASTES GREAT!
Warning: This involves heating sugar and corn syrup and if spilled it would give a nasty burn so DO NOT have kids do this without supervision!! You can click on this link to go to the US Governments Food Safety Site for more food safety ideas.
Recipe and Instructions for making the Candied and Flavored Popcorn
Ingredients
- 1 bag (12 cups) Plain unsalted microwave popcorn OR you can buy a bag of popcorn from the store.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/2 cup regular granulated sugar
- 2 3 ounce boxes of gelatin mix -what ever color you want. Or you can get two colors and split the project in two and make two batches of different colors.
- 1/2 teaspoon of food flavoring. this is sold in grocery stores where the sell baking supplies. they are usually small small gars sometimes 3 or 5 to a set with flavors like cheery,lemon, orange, pineapple etc. Pick a flavor that matches the popcorn color. Blue lemon flavored popcorn would seem weird.
You will also need:
- a 1 quart pan
- a baking pan sprayed with Pam. two if you don’t have one large 11×17 pan
- a long handled mixing spoon
- a pair of rubber gloves if you want to mix the popcorn by hand HOT!!
Instructions
- FIRST Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- If you are using two colors Divide the popcorn into two bowls. Place one bowl aside, otherwise put all the popcorn in one large mixing bowl
- Set the stove top on low and in a pan, melt butter
- Now add the corn syrup and the regular sugar and 1 of the boxes of gelatin AND the food flavoring. If you are making two colors only use half the ingredients on each batch!
- Stir the ingredients together in the pan as they heat.
- Bring to boil with medium heat.
- Continue to stir as you Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes.
- Stir while it simmers.
- Remove the pan from the heat and pour the colored mixture over the popcorn in the bowl
- Immediately mix the popcorn and the colored mixture with a large spoon (it will be HOT)
- Once the popcorn is well coated spread the Candy Popcorn into the spam sprayed pan in a single layer.
- Bake in the 300 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes to harden the popcorn and its coating.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- The Popcorn will be stuck together where they touch so break it into pieces and put back in original bowl.
If you were making two colors you Now repeat the process for the second bowl of popcorn using the second color of Gelatin. When both bowls of Candy Popcorn are done and cooled you can mix them for a festive and fun treat!!
You can click on this link to go to our main web page and read more articles like this Recipe for Candy Popcorn Article. OK thats it for this recipe !
Here is a Wild Homemade Spice Popcorn Recipe
Here is a fun and versatile Spice Popcorn Recipe! We give you the ingredients and the directions AND we give you some ideas for modifying the recipe with different seasonings! This is a great snack because it is both inexpensive and easy to make and is terrific for the ball game, a movie or even as a low calorie desert (Yes popcorn really is low calorie and healthy as long as you don’t drown it in too much butter, oil or salt…or chocolate topping which I do sometimes. If you want something that is a little sweeter you can click on this link to read our Country Fair Kettle Corn Recipe.
A Spice Popcorn Recipe Thats Outrageous man!
Popcorn Kernels – How much do you need?
- 1 tablespoon of unpopped popcorn kernels makes 2 cups of popped popcorn!
- 1/4 cup of kernels = 4 tablespoons = 8 cups of popped popcorn!
- 1/2 cup of kernels = 8 tablespoons = 16 cups of popped popcorn!
- 1 average sized Microwave Popcorn bag makes about 12 cups of popped popcorn!
Ingredients
1/2 cup of corn kernels OR you can use one bag of popped microwave popcorn (Yeah the 1/2 cup of kernels is 16 cups and the microwave bag is 12 cups. Close enough. This is Not rocket science).
2 tbs vegetable oil (if you are popping kernels on the stove)
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Directions for making the Spicy Popcorn!:
To pop the popcorn on the stove
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pot on a burner set to medium-high heat.
- Add the corn kernels and cover the pot.
- Shake the pot every 15 seconds on the stove once it has started to heat up for a minute or two.
- Stop and remove from the burner when the popping slows down to 1 pop every 3 – 5 second
To Pop a bag of microwave popcorn in the Microwave
- Remove the clear plastic bag that is often on the outside of the microwave bag of popcorn.
- Place bag in the microwave and BE CAREFUL to put the right side up!
- Turn the microwave on high and pop for 3 – 5 minutes. If your microwave does not have a rotating table it may help to take the bag out and shake it every minute.
- Remove from the microwave after popping slows to 1 pop every 4 or 5 seconds
- CAREFUL opening the bag there can be burning hot gas inside!
How to add the spices to the popped popcorn
- Add the spices to the bottom of a large bag, add in the popped popcorn and shake the bag around for 30 seconds
- Or you can add the popcorn to a large bowl and stir while shaking in the spices.
For more seasoning ideas you can click on this link to read our article on Seasoned Popcorn Recipes. Towards the end there is a list of 10 different seasoning ideas you can try!
You can click on this link to go to our main page and read more recipes like this Spice Popcorn Recipe!
Ok thats the end of this article!
You will love this GREAT Butter Popcorn Recipe
Here is a great Butter Popcorn Recipe in which we show you the trick to making crisp movie theater like butter popcorn. This is a very versatile recipe and we show you a great trick for making Vanilla Butter Popcorn which is really great tasting and is an easy variation to the base recipe! If you have never made popcorn before at all you can click on this link to read our article on How to Make Popcorn which gives a couple of different ways to make popcorn with a little more detail then I give here.
The trick to making crisp movie theater like butter popcorn
The first trick to great Butter Popcorn like the movie theaters make is NOT to go heavy with regular Butter! Movie theaters use butter flavored oil which does not soak into the popcorn the way regular butter does and does not make the popcorn soggy.
If you want to try to try to make your own popcorn butter that is not so soggy try this trick:
1) Melt two sticks of butter in the microwave.
2) The butter will separate into 3 layers
- a foamy layer
- and oily layer
- and a thicker layer on the bottom.
3) Skim off the foam and discard.
4) Carefully pour the middle layer into another cup – this is the clarified butter that you want to use for the popcorn.
5) discard the bottom layer which is milk solids etc.
Here is the actual Butter Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil to pop the popcorn in (vegetable oil is fine, so is peanut or canola or coconut)
- 3 tablespoons of clarified butter for the Butter Popcorn Taste!
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels – makes about 16 cups of popcorn. You can use microwave popcorn if you want but use unflavored plain. about 1.5 bags
- 1/2 tsp salt – either popcorn salt or table salt or find sea salt!
- Large sauce pan with lid 4 quart
Directions
- Put 3 tbl spoons of oil in the large saucepan.
- Heat the oil in the saucepan on stove or range over medium-high heat.
- Carefully add in all of the popcorn kernels and sprinkle enough salt to lightly cover the layer of kernels.
- Cover with the lid.
- As soon as the kernels start to pop, shake the pan back and forth across the burner every 10 seconds.
- Once popping slows down to about 4 seconds apart, remove from the heat.
- Pour into a serving bowl.
- Gentle add in the clarified butter while stirring popcorn with a big spoon. Alternately you can put the popcorn in a paper bag, pout in popcorn and shake it around.
The Vanilla Butter Popcorn Trick.
Just add half a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring to the popcorn in the sauce pan before you start to pop it and stir it around for 5 seconds!
As the popcorn pops it will pick up the vanilla flavoring!
You can click on this link to go to our main web page and read more articles like this great Butter Popcorn Recipe!
OK thats it for this article
A beginners Seasoned Popcorn Recipes – great for kids!
In this beginners Seasoned Popcorn Recipes we are going to give you the basic recipe and instructions for making popcorn AND give you our 10 favorite seasonings that you can add to the popcorn and we include the instructions for how to make the popcorn with the seasoning! If you want to know why popcorn pops or anything at all to do with popcorn besides recipes you can click on this link to go to Nasa’s Popcorn Kernel Page! (Seems kind of funny that NASA would have a popcorn page but they do and it is pretty cool). If you want to try something a little more colorful then just popcorn seasoning you can click on this link to read our article on how to make Candy Popcorn!
Getting Started – How to Pop Popcorn Kernels
OK this goes from really basic microwave popcorn to traditional popcorn (the old fashioned way).
READ the next section on popcorn seasoning BEFORE you get started. you will want to buy the seasoning if you need to and it may change how you cook or prepare the popcorn!
1) You can buy microwave popcorn in bags. If you are going to season it your self with one of the seasoning suggestions in the next section then buy PLAIN UNSALTED AND UNBUTTERED microwave popcorn
- Microwave Popcorn in Bags is popcorn that is ready to pop DO NOT OPEN THE BAG.
- DO take the bag out of the outer plastic wrapping.
- NOTE: From here you simply follow the instructions on the bag which we have repeated below:
- Open the microwave and Place the bag of popcorn in the microwave right side up. The bag says which side is the right side up.
- IF the bag is folded unfold it.
- Close the microwave door and set the temperature on HIGH or 10 if your microwave has the 1-10 scale.
- Cook as indicated (usually for 3 – 5 minutes until the popcorn stops popping for longer then 5 seconds).
- If your microwave does not have a turning table inside it helps to stop and shake the bag every minute.
- You stop cooking when the popping sound slows down to only a few pops every 5 seconds.
- There will always be some un-popped Popcorn kernels left over in the bag. If you try to cook them all you just end up burning some of the ones that already cooked so its better to have a few left over then burnt popcorn!
- Open the microwave and remove the bag BUT LET IT COOL FOR 1 minute before opening as it will have hot steam inside!
2) You can buy Popcorn Kernels and cook them in a covered pot on the stove. Here are the basic instructions:
- Buy a bag of popcorn kernels.You need a pot to heat the kernels in and a stove (a range with burners. Gas or electric) to heat the pot on.
- A 2 quart pot with lid for a 1/4 cup of kernels or a 4 qt pot for a half cup of kernels.Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the bottom of the pot OR butter if you prefer
- Add the popcorn kernels.
- Place the Cover on the pan.
- Cook on medium high or high.
- Shake the pan every 15 seconds to keep the kernels from burning on one side.
- When the popping slows to 3 to 5 seconds between pops,its done.
- Remove from heat and add popcorn seasoning as we describe below to taste
- You can click on this link to read our article on a Recipe for Chocolate Popcorn if you want to get fancy!
Our top 10 Popcorn Seasoning Ideas!
Homemade Popcorn Seasoning really is easy! Here is a list of my recommendations based upon experience. Some are a matter of taste
- Butter Flavoring - you can pop the kernels in a 1/4 or 1/2 stick of butter and they will get coated with butter as you shake the pot . You can also just apply margarinefrom a pump spray bottle after you pop the popcorn.. This is less then $2 bucks at the grocery store and will last you months. You just press the pump and spray it onto the popcorn in the bowl, bag or box, shaking the box as you go. For thicker butter on the popcorn use the squeeze bottles of I can’t believe its not butter or parkay, etc. then heat it just a little to get it to melt slightly, or else you will have some popcorn with gobs of butter and some with none!
- NOTE: Salt and seasonings go on after the Butter! The butter holds it in place on the kernels> BUT ALWAYS SHAKE tor stir the popcorn or you will get some popcorn LOADED with seasoning and butter and some with none!
- Popcorn Salt - is a special finer crystal salt made for popcorn.If you are on a low salt diet you can Experiment with low salt or no salt or some of the other seasonings on this list.
- Regular Salt – like table salt from a shaker can be used. If you put the butter on first it will help hold the regular salt on the popcorn. otherwise it bounces off a lot.
- Garlic Salt and seasoned salt . – Are all available from the spice rack of your local grocery store.
- Cheese Seasoning - Note that you use cheese powder for the seasoning. You can use grated cheese over the top of the popcorn and microwave it for about 20 seconds to slightly melt it on the popcorn but this usually makes the popcorn a little softer and less crunchy, For the powdered cheese you can get Cheddar Cheese, White Cheddar, Nacho Cheese – These are usually available in the larger grocery stores but are generically meant for all dishes. I find the real Popcorn cheese seasonings that you get from the popcorn suppliers on this page to be superior cheese powders that result in better tasting on Popcorn.
- Other Seasonings – Garlic, Jalapeno, Cajun, Barbeque, etc. Again either thru the specialty popcorn supplier or your grocery store BUT look at the ingredients. Many will already include salt so DON”T double or triple salt (some off the shelf cheese powders will include salt so pay attention or you will end up getting way to much salt on your popcorn and while it may not taste to bad it can make you sick to your stomach and is bad for your health long term OK?
- Sugar/cinnamon mixture. Mix sugar and cinnamon together using a ratio of about 2 teaspoons cinnamon per 1/3 cup sugar. Store any extra mixture in a covered container to keep moisture out and prevent sugar from hardening.
- Sugar/Chinese 5 spice powder mixture. Use the same ratio as in number 1 for cinnamon and sugar.
- Chili powder. Though some chili powders contain salt (check label), the amount of sodium in a teaspoon of chili powder averages 26 milligrams according to the USDA National Nutrient Database at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl or this link <Popcorn Seasoning >. This is much less than a teaspoon of salt which has 2,325 milligrams of sodium. To make your own salt-free chile powder check RecipeSource at www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/spices/chili-powder6.html or this link popcorn Seasoning
Finally you can click on this link to go to our main page and read more popcorn recipes and articles like this Seasoned Popcorn Recipes article.
OK thats the end of this article!
A Homemade Recipe for Kettle Corn like you get at the Fair!
Here is a great Homemade Recipe for Kettle Corn that is just like the sweet Kettle corn you can buy at country fairs! This is really easy to make (it only has 4 ingredients) and is actually a healthy snack as the popcorn has loads of fiber and basic minerals and the recipe does not go overboard with the sugar or other toppings (like tons of butter and salt) that tends to put movie theater popcorn on everybody’s bad snack list! We also include some old fashioned tips to make it even more healthy and tasty! Here is a link to another great popcorn recipe that is a little sweater and fancier then kettle corn, its a chocolate covered popcorn recipe! If you want to jazz up your kettle corn you can apply the chocolate drizzle method we show you in that article and have some really great tasting chocolate kettle corn!!!
The Quick and Easy Kettle Corn Recipe!
HERE IS THE BASIC Recipe (some people call it caramel corn but we have a recipe for caramel corn and it is slightly different). This Kettle corn, if you stick to the basic recipe and don’t juice it up with extra sugar or candy coatings, really is one of the easiest low calorie snacks to make on the planet.
How easy? The entire Recipe for Kettle Corn only has 4 ingredients and 7 steps!!!
The 4 Ingredients
Like we have already said a couple of times this is not complicated. You can change the ingredients here and there and not screw it up. I actually prefer to use more Brown sugar then listed here. Like double it. But to keep the calories down I just used the standard 1/4 cup. If you want it a little darker and more flavorful you can even try adding a little molasses. I have not tried it but it was a tip from a reader.
A note on quantities - 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 16 cups of popcorn popped. You get about 12 cups of popcorn out of a standard microwave bag of popcorn. But if you use microwave popcorn use unsalted and un-buttered popcorn!!
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or popcorn salt or regular salt.
You will also need a large 6 quart pot with a lid.
Directions:
- In the large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the popcorn and heat until the oil starts to sizzle.
- Now sprinkle the Brown Sugar over the unpopped kernels.
- Place the Cover on the pot and shake the pot with the pot remaining on the heat.
- Continue to heat and shake every few seconds until the popping slows to a few pops every few seconds.
- Remove The Kettle Corn from the heat and add the salt.
- Stir the kettle corn with a big spoon as you add the salt.
If you added a lot of extra sugar the kettle corn may stick together as it cools. You can pour it out onto a non stick cookie sheet in single layers to prevent having one massive popcorn ball when it cools!.
Kettle Corn Stores well in an Airtight container,.
Healthy additions that you can make to your Kettle Corn
Here are some alterations to the recipe to make it a little more exciting and even healthier!!
- When stirring in the salt add a half cup of finely chopped Peanuts for more protein.
- Or to really get healthy add chopped walnuts!
- Or wait until the Kettle Corn is cool and add in Peanuts, Raisins, M&Ms and sunflower seeds!!
You can click on this link for more great Popcorn ideas like this Recipe for Kettle Corn!
OK thats it for this Article
Two great Recipes for Homemade Chocolate Popcorn
In this Recipe for Chocolate Popcorn article we actually give you TWO great recipes and complete instructions for fantastic chocolate covered popcorn that you can make at home. This is so easy you can make it with your kids (It only has 10 steps!) but the results are professional quality chocolate covered popcorn that you can give as gifts! If you want to make a really cool snack you can also click on this link to read a great Recipe for Popcorn Balls apply the chocolate drizzle coating techniques you learn here to the popcorn balls making a really cool snack.
 Chocolate popcorn photo By TheFoodJunk Basic information about the process for making Chocolate Popcorn
OK these two recipes give you the basic idea on how to make chocolate covered popcorn and chocolate drizzle popcorn. you can substitute your favorite types of chocolate for the types we used and you can really get creative! I really like to make the caramel popcorn, that we give you a link to above, as a base and then make 2 different chocolate coatings. I think wiki lists chocolate popcorn as one of Oprahs favorite things and if you enjoy making this you can make your own gift bags for birthdays or the holidays – its really that good!. Also don’t be afraid to use your imaginatio to jazz it up a little. Chocolate covered popcorn sprinkles with sea salt before the chocolate hardens is fantastic!
Recipe #1 – White chocolate covered Popcorn
Ingredients
- 1 bag of microwave plain popcorn (about 12 cups) – or you can buy pre-popped popcorn or pop it from kernels – its up to you.
- 1.5 cups white chocolate chips (available in most grocery stores)
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1/4 cup butter
Directions for making our White Chocolate Covered Popcorn in 10 steps!
- Preheat your oven to 300F degrees.
- While the oven is preheating Grease a large glass baking pan or roasting pan. I use a 15 inch by 10 inch pan.
- Next Combine the white chocolate chips morsels, corn syrup and butter in a saucepan.
- Then Heat the combined white chocolate, butter and corn syrup over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a light boil.
- Carefully Pour the hot white chocolate mix over the popcorn and toss or stir well to coat.
- Bake the coated popcorn, stirring every few minutes for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the hot oven.
- Loosen the white chocolate covered popcorn from the pan and then allow to cool slightly in pan.
- Remove the popcorn and place on a nonstick surface like a wax paper or non stick cookie sheet to cool.
- Once cool serve and eat!
Recipe #2 – Chocolate Drizzle Popcorn
ingredients
The trick to this recipe is that you pop the popcorn in heated coconut oil that you have added sugar to. This coats the popcorn in a glaze before coating with chocolate!
This is easier to do if you have a range top and a microwave. If no microwave, melt the chocolates on the stove top instead of a microwave,
- 1 package dark or milk chocolate chocolate morsels (12 ounces)
- 1 package white chocolate morsels (12 ounces)
- 1/4 cp Coconut Oil
- 1/2 cp Popcorn Kernels
- 1/3 cp Brown Sugar (or white if you prefer)
- Salt (to taste – either popcorn salt, sea salt or table salt. About a half teaspoon full is enough for me.
Directions
- Heat coconut oil in large popcorn popping pot (it needs a cover) over medium-high heat until hot.
- Add sugar and popcorn kernels
- Stir for 30 seconds to cover kernels with sugar/oil. Put lid on pot.
- Shake the pot as popcorn pops until it slows down then Switch heat to low
- Next Melt white chocolate in microwave safe bowl – on high 30 – 45 seconds until melted
- Now repeat with dark or milk chocolate in a second bowl.
- Remove popped popcorn from heat and pour onto a large cookie sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt
- You then drizzle the first chocolate (your pick which one goes first) over the popcorn by pouring it in a fine steam across the popcorn. Pour from the bowl if you are brave or use a big spoon or a funnel with a very small hole. The finer the stream the better it looks so take your time. It takes a little while to get the hang of this
- Then drizzle with the second chocolate.
- Allow to dry a few minutes so its not a sticky mess (I like to put mine in the fridge or even freezer for a minute or two to flash dry the chocolate but it leaves the kernels warm.
Serve warm or cooled.
You can click on this link to go to our home page and read more great articles like this Recipe for Chocolate Popcorn.
OK thats it for this article!
Since people keep ashing here is a Chicken Popcorn Recipe
OK here is a KFC style chicken Popcorn recipe – OK this recipe has no popcorn in it at all but so many people asked us for it that I put it on the site.! Enjoy – and we show you some optional seasoning ideas too! This Chicken Popcorn recipe has less then 10 steps so just about anyone can do it! If you want to make a dish that is more like a meal but that still has popcorn in it you can click on this link to read our Tex-Mex Cheese Popcorn Recipe.
The KFC Style Chicken Popcorn Recipe
OK folks this is a terrific snack that is fast and easy to make and goes well with a good sports game on tv, or picnic or bag lunch (but put the chicken popcorn in a plastic bag).
Ingredients
- You will need 1 egg
- and about 1 cup white flour
- Seasoning is up to you – I like Lawyers Seasoned salt about 1 table spoon full but you can use Cajun or just salt and pepper.seasoning
- about 1/2 pound – 3/4 pound of boneless chicken breast
- 3/4 cups canola oil or vegetable oil
- a frying pan
- Some paper towels
- 2 bowls
- couple of spoons
Instructions
In the first bowl mix the flower and seasoning of your choice.
Pour half of this powdered mixture into a second bowl. (you save the other half in case you need more. This is not an exact science and it depends on how much you coat the chicken with).
Add the egg to the second bowl and Beat/mix the egg and powder in the bowl so it becomes a batter.
Put a pan on the stove with the 3/4 cup of cooking oil in it and pre-heat it on medium. The oil is ready to cook in when a drop of the batter sizzles and fries when placed in it. This is BURNING HOT BE CAREFULL!
Dice the chicken breasts into small pieces. I like mine in pieces about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. It is up to you. The smaller the piece the crispier it will be AND the more seasoning taste for its small size.
Now dip the pieces of chicken POPCORN in the flower and egg mixture and place them in the pan – slide them in the pan but make sure there is only one layer in the pan at a time - DON”T drop them in as it can splatter hot grease on you!
After 4 minutes use a spoon with holes or pancake flipper or fork with holes to carefully flip the chicken popcorn over to cook the other side. The chicken should be light brown and crispy looking.
After another 3 minutes scoop the chicken pieces allowing the oil to drain off.
Place on a plate lined with paper towels to catch the remaining dripping oil.
Serving ideas
You can serve this on a plate with a traditional meal like biscuits and corn on the cob or rice.
Or you can put it on top of a salad.
Or you can add it into bowls as a finger food type snack.
After it has air dried you can place in plastic bags for a paper bag lunch.
A fun idea is to get little popcorn boxes or popcorn cups and serve it like that (my and my kids favorite way!
You can click on this link to go to our main web page and read more articles like this Chicken Popcorn Recipe!
OK thats it for this Chicken Popcorn Recipe Article!
Here is A fun Popcorn Balls Recipe for any Occasion!
Here is a great festive recipe for a healthy snack that can be easily modified for any holiday!- we give you the ingredients and easy instructions plus we show you how to jazz it up with confetti popcorn balls! This is a great project for the family – but under adult supervision as it involves heating a sugar mixture the stove!
Here is one quick modification that you can make to the recipe before you get started. You an click here Caramel Popcorn Recipe to read our article on how to make Caramel Popcorn. You can actual may popcorn balls using the caramel coated popcorn instead of regular popcorn which gives you a much crunchier popcorn ball!
Some basic Background information before you get started
The process for making popcorn balls is really easy and so is the recipe! The cool thing about this recipe is that you can use just about any popcorn to make into the ball. so you can use the caramel Popcorn we show you how to make in the link farther up the page or candied popcorn, etc. Won’t work to well with chocolate coated popcorn as the hot syrup will melt the chocolate off the popcorn.
The process to make the balls is really quite simple all you do is heat up sugar and corn syrup in a pan and then you are going to pour it over already popped popcorn and finally you will form the now sticky coated popcorn into balls by hand. While they are still sticky balls you can add just about anything you want to the outside of the ball for seasonal decorations (edible of course). We give you some great festive ideas at the end of the article!
How much popcorn do you need?
The average bag of microwave popcorn has 10 – 12.5 cups of popcorn in a bag when popped and these recipes will work fine for that many cups. Its not rocket science and a little more or less won’t hurt.
Mini microwave bags of popcorn tend to have 2.5-6 cups of popcorn and you can cut this recipe in half if you use mini bags of microwave popcorn that have 6 cups of popcorn. But it doesn’t make sense to do this with any less popcorn then that!.
If you are going to pop popcorn kernels on the stove or in a popper here are some measurements you can use:
- 1 tablespoon of popcorn kernels = 1/2 ounce – makes about 2 cups of popcorn.
- 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 8 cups of popcorn or 2 quarts!
- 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 16 cups of popcorn or 1 gallon!
Here is the Recipe !
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar (note you can use brown sugar for a different taste and slightly darker colored popcorn balls – they look more old fashioned that way).
- 1 Microwave bag of plain unbuttered unflavored popcorn – about 12 cups popped popcorn
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
Other items needed:
- Large bowl
- Pam cooking spray or butter or oil (to coat your hands with when making the balls)
- Sauce pan to heat the syrup in.
Directions for making the Popcorn Balls
- Place popped popcorn in a large bowl.
- Mix syrup and sugar in a large saucepan; bring to boil.
- Remove syrup from the heat.
- Pour HOT syrup over popcorn;
- Mix with a large spoon to coat all the popcorn
- Allow to cool 3 or 4 minutes so you can handle the popcorn without getting burned..
- Coat hands with Pam or Butter or Oil.
- Shape into popcorn balls, each about 3 inches in diameter.
- Place balls on plate lined with wax paper and allow to cool.
- Un-popped popcorn can be stored in an airtight container for about 1 year. It is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer because the kernels will retain more of their natural moisture and pop up larger and fluffier.
Recipe number 2 – confetti popcorn balls!
OK this is super easy.
You take the exact same recipe and instructions from the Popcorn Balls Recipe above but as soon as the popcorn balls are done and still sticky you shake sprinkles over them.
- For fourth of July use the red white and blue cookie/cupcake sprinkles.
- For Halloween you can use the orange and brown sprinkles.
- For Saint Patrick’s day Green sprinkles!.
- The possibilities are endless.
- Want something healthier? Roll them in chopped nuts
- How about mini marsh mellows – kids LOVE this!
You can click on this link to go to our home page and see more great recipes like Popcorn Balls Recipe!
OK thats it for this article
Two Great Cheese Popcorn Recipes
Here are two Great Homemade Cheese Popcorn Recipes that are easy to make and taste Great – we give you 2 recipes and 2 ways to make cheese popcorn and free links to more Popcorn recipes, information and supplies! The first recipe is for a traditional cheese popcorn which is really just using a cheese powder seasoning that is available from any grocery store . The second Cheese Popcorn Recipe is a little cooler and involves using cheese as a popcorn topping for a tex-mex type of popcorn dish – great for serving when the big game is on TV!
You can also click on this link for a couple of great Caramel Popcorn Recipes.
Here are our two approaches to this classic snack!
Feel free to modify these cheese popcorn recipes with your favorite kind of cheese. Even the cheese powder used in the first quick and easy recipe can be modified. I like to use taco seasoning myself. It gives the popcorn a bold taste and goes great with soft drinks or beer.
The serving sizes can be modified as well. Here is some basic popcorn serving size information:
- 1 Tablespoon of popcorn kernels makes about 2.5 cups of popcorn. Want 10 cups of popcorn? then you need 4 tablespoons of kernels (4 tablespoons of kernels x 2.5 cups of popped popcorn per tablespoon = 10 total cups of popcorn).
- 1 regular sized bag of Microwave popcorn makes about 12 cups of popcorn
- 1 mini sized popcorn bag usually has 2.5 cups of popcorn.
- You can read the label on your microwave popcorn bag. But watch out for the serving size! If they say there are 3 servings in a bag you have to multiply everything times 3. So if serving size is 4 cups and there are 3 servings per bag 3×4 = 12 so there are actually 12 cups in the bag!
Recipe number 1: Fast and Tasty Cheese Popcorn
Ingredients
- 5 cups plain popped popcorn
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup cheese powder either white or cheddar
- Popcorn salt or regular table salt – you add this to taste so I don’t give an exact amount
Directions
Place the popped Popcorn In a large bowl.
Drizzle the melted butter over the popcorn while stirring or tossing gently.
Note: at this point I find it easier to add all the cheese powder and salt into a paper bag then pour the popcorn in the paper bag and shake for You can have the kids do that part. They love it.
Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese powder again while stirring or gentle shaking
Finally Season with salt to taste while stirring or shaking.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe #2 – Homemade Tex-Mex Cheese Popcorn!
This is not your average popcorn with cheese powder dish! Check it out. This is a GREAT football dish for when you are having friends over or you just want to WOW the family!
This will make 12 cups of popcorn.
Ingredients for Homemade Tex-Mex Cheese Popcorn
Note: DON’T USE MICROWAVE POPCORN OR PRE-POPPED POPCORN THAT HAS BUTTER AND SALT. GET PLAIN!
- 12 cups of POPCORN. (about 3/8 of a cup of kernels in a popper or 1 standard popcorn bag – read the bags to determine how much they make
- 1/2 cup of MARGARINE
- 2 teaspoons of CHILI POWDER
- 1 teaspoon of CUMIN,GROUND
- 1 teaspoon full of GARLIC POWDER
- 3 ounces of CHEESE, (MONTEREY PEPPER JACK but you can use cheddar if you prefer).
Instructions for making the Homemade Tex-Mex Cheese Popcorn!
- In a saucepan or frying pan Heat the margarine on low till it melts
- add the chili powder, cumin, and garlic to the butter
- Leave the butter on very low while you pop the popcorn (you want the butter to remain melted thats all).
- Immediately place the popcorn in a large bowl
- Drizzle the heated butter and spices over the popcorn while shaking or stirring the bowl.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the hot popcorn; toss. Immediately
You can serve this warm or cold.
1 cup of this delicious treat is only 73 calories and 6 grams of carbs! So Cheese Popcorn is a low fat, HEALTHY SNACK!!
You can click on this link to go to our main web page to get more great popcorn recipes like this pair of Homemade Cheese Popcorn Recipes!
OK thats it for these pair of Free Snack Recipes!
A Caramel Popcorn Recipe for great Homemade Popcorn!
Here is a great Traditional Caramel Popcorn Recipe. We give you the basic recipe and the guide on how to make the Caramel Popcorn PLUS we give you a more modern Microwave version of the recipe for those of you in a hurry! On a related note this link made me laugh – here is a link to a Virginia 4th grade math test that uses Caramel Popcorn in one of the kids questions! Really!
Our Recipe for Traditional Caramel Popcorn!
This is an old fashioned healthy treat that your family is going to love!. The nice thing about this recipe
is that you can use it as a base for several other popcorn recipes.
This recipe gives popcorn a tasty and HARD caramel shell. It is perfect
for preparing the popcorn to coat it with other toppings like chocolate. If you were to coat popcorn with
chocolate by itself the popcorn tends to soak up the moisture from the chocolate and t it becomes soft or
soggy. But with the candied caramel base the popcorn stays crisp and crunch and you get the added
benefit of the double flavor!!
Ingredients
in half. It takes about 1/2 cup of kernels or 2 bags of microwave popcorn to make 4 quarts
of popcorn!
Directions
- Preheat oven to 250f
- Spray a 17 x 11 (or similar) oven pan with cooking spray.
- Add popcorn to pan and place in oven to heat
- Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in Large saucepan.
- Heat on stove top on medium heat while Stirring constantly and bring to a boil .
- Boil 5 minutes
- Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla;
- Remove popcorn from oven. WARNING the next step involves hot syrup that can burn badly.
- Keep the kids away!
- CAREFULLY Pour syrup over warm popcorn, stirring with spatula or large spoon to coat evenly.
- Place pan back in oven
- Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cool; break apart.
- Enjoy!!!
#2 The MICROWAVE Caramel Popcorn Recipe
This is the Non-traditional fast food version!
Everything is done in the microwave. Note that you can modify this recipe by adding a cup of well chopped
peanuts to the bag of popcorn when you add the other ingredients. When you shake the bag and continue
heating it in the microwave you will end up with Caramel and Peanut coated Caramel! Pretty cool!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cp Margarine
- 1 cp brown sugar
- 1/4 cp corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 bags of PLAIN white Microwave popped popcorn without salt or butter.
Other supplies needed:
- 1 quart microwave useable bowl
- a large PAPER grocery bag.
- Pam cooking spray
Instructions for Making Microwave Caramel Popcorn
- Pop the 2 bags of microwave popcorn and set aside.
- In the microwave bowl mix the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup,salt
- Heat on high in microwave until it boils for 2 minutes.
- Let cool for 20 seconds
- Remove from microwave carefully.
- Add baking soda and stir well.
- Spray Pam inside the shopping bag and coat the whole inside
- Now empty the two bags of POPPED microwave popcorn into the shopping bag
- Pour the ingredients that you heated over the popcorn in the bag.
- Roll down the top of the bag so it fits in the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute
- Shake the Bag to stir it and then put it back in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute.
- Shake again and put it back in microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds..
- Remove the bag from the microwave and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Eat and enjoy.
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You can click on this link to go to our main page and read more articles like the Best Caramel Popcorn Recipe!
Thats it for this article!
Learn How to Make Popcorn on the stove or in the microwave
In this article on How to Make Popcorn we teach you the 2 great ways to make popcorn from popcorn kernels – The first is Popcorn popped from kernels on a stove AND the second way is homemade microwave popcorn in a paper bag! The second way – homemade microwave popcorn in a paper bag is pretty cool because it lets you cook quickly in a microwave AND it lets you select the ingredients you want. So if you want to add sugar and cinnamon to your popcorn you can do it in the microwave in one step! Same is true for cheese popcorn! You can click on this link to read our article on Seasoned Popcorn Recipes for more ideas!
How to Pop Popcorn on a stove
What you will need to pop popcorn on the stove:
- Popcorn kernels – they are sold in every supermarket or grocery store. They come in a bag or a jar.
- A Large pot with a lid to pop the kernels in. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LID OF SOME TYPE as the popcorn kernels will fly all over the place as they pop otherwise! (you can click on this link to read an article from NASA on why popcorn pops!).
- Salt
- Butter, margarine or cooking oil
Directions:
1 – Place the pot on a burner and set the burner on medium high (you can do it on high quicker bu mine always burn on high).
2 – Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the bottom of the pot OR butter if you prefer or Margarine or Coconut oil.
3 – Add the popcorn kernels.
- 1 tablespoon of popcorn kernels = 1/2 ounce – makes about 2 cups of popcorn.
- 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 8 cups of popcorn or 2 quarts!
- 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 16 cups of popcorn or 1 gallon!
4 – Place the Cover on the pan.
5 – Cook on medium high or high.
6 – Shake the pan every 15 seconds to keep the kernels from burning on one side.
7 – Remove from the heat when the popping slows to 3 to 5 seconds between pops.
Popcorn popped from kernels in a paper bag in the microwave.
OK this tricks works pretty well.
You will need the following
1) A paper bag large enough to hold the FULLY POPPED mount of kernels:
- 1 tablespoon of popcorn kernels = 1/2 ounce – makes about 2 cups of popcorn.
- 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 8 cups of popcorn or 2 quarts!
- 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels makes about 16 cups of popcorn or 1 gallon!
2) Popcorn Kernels
3) salt
4) butter or spray margarine
How to make the popcorn:
- Place the kernels in the bag.
- Add the salt and margarine or spray margarine (not liquid oil as it can drip thru the bag).
- Shake the bag a little and fold the top and tape it shut. Do not use staples or metal paper clips.
- Now place in the microwave and microwave on high for 3 – 5 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave when popping slows down to a few pops every 5 seconds.
- CAREFUL when opening as hot steam will be inside and can burn you as it escapes the bag!
Note that you can add in cheese powder or chilly powder or any other seasoning you like when you are adding the ingredients in the bag to make fancy popcorn!
Finally you can click on this link to go to our main page and read more articles like this How to Make Popcorn Aritcle!
OK thats it for this How to Make Popcorn Article!
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