Butter Toffee Popcorn

I know I have several different popcorn recipes on this site. I kinda love sweet delicious popcorn! I also love the salty, buttery and even cheesy kind of popcorn (note to self - figure out how to make cheese popcorn). I mentioned when I posted my soft caramel popcorn recipe that I also had a crunchy popcorn recipe that I loved. I have a really hard time deciding which one I like better. My husband on the other hand chooses this one. I will admit that once I start eating this popcorn I can't stop! It is kinda like Cracker Jacks but better! The salty peanuts also give it a new depth of flavor that is fantastic. Don't worry I have made it without peanuts too and I love it just as much, so if your not a peanut fan feel free to leave them out. Either way you make it this popcorn is bound to disappear fast!

Butter Toffee Popcorn

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hr
Makes about 18 cups of toffee popcorn

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup unpopped popcorn kernels, white or yellow
2 sticks butter
2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 cups roasted, salted peanuts
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Grease two large rimmed baking sheets and set aside.

Pop the popcorn kernels, in shifts if needed to ensure your popcorn popper doesn’t burn the popcorn, and place the popcorn in a large bowl, sifting through to remove the unpopped kernels.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When melted add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil while stirring. Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, for 3 minutes. The mixture will be slightly thickened. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda. The mixture will bubble so be careful. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and mix slightly. Add the peanuts and mix well but gently (so you don’t break apart the popcorn) until the popcorn is evenly coated and the peanuts are distributed through the mixture.

Turn the popcorn out onto the baking sheets, spreading into an even layer. Bake the popcorn for one hour, stirring and tossing every 20 minutes. Move the bottom tray to the upper rack and vice versa each time you stir. The popcorn will deepen in color and harden a bit as the caramel bakes and sets. Cool the popcorn to room temperature. Store in an airtight container. I’ve found the popcorn will keep, stored tightly, for 1-2 weeks.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

White Chocolate Popcorn

I first must say that I am loving the fall colors. I think I have accepted the fact that it is fall and that winter is coming. I do love fall. I think I would love fall even more if it wasn't followed by freezingness. Oh well I love fall. I love the trees changing colors. I love that it is cold at night, and the crispness in the air. We live in an area that we have lots of mountains near us and we get to watch all the trees and mountains turn bright red, orange, and yellow.  What more do you need on a beautiful autumn day than some nice white chocolate popcorn? Ok ok I know that this might not go together like one would hope, but when is a bad time for white chocolate popcorn? I had this popcorn years ago at a friend's aunt's house and it was better than any white chocolate popcorn I had ever had. When she told me how simple it is, and the one secret that makes it awesome...I was sold. I have made this several times throughout the years and love it every time. The funny thing is that I'm not a huge fan of white chocolate. I actually don't like to eat this popcorn until the chocolate has hardened onto the popcorn. The combination of the white chocolate and the salty butteryness of the popcorn blend together to give it the flavor that I love. If you are thinking about skimping on the buttery popcorn think again. You will just have to trust me when I tell you that it makes it awesome. Try it and you will be sold!

White Chocolate Popcorn

2 bags buttery microwave popcorn (buttery or extra buttery preferably)
12oz white chocolate

Place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals stirring chocolate after each 30 seconds until white chocolate is all melted and smooth. Set aside. Pop microwave popcorn per box instructions. Place popped popcorn in a large bowl being careful to remove any un-popped popcorn kernels. Pour melted white chocolate over popped popcorn. Stir popcorn until white chocolate is evenly dispersed throughout the popcorn and coats every kernel. Keep stirring for a few minutes to make sure everything is well coated and mixed. Allow to cool and chocolate will harden on popcorn. Enjoy.

Soft Caramel Popcorn

I have a battle that goes on within myself every time I want to make caramel popcorn. The battle isn't whether or not I should make it. No, it is whether to make a gooey popcorn or a crunchy popcorn. I love them both for different reasons. A few years ago I thought I was a gooey person all the way. I then decided to make a crunchy popcorn and couldn't stop eating it. It has been a while since I have made this soft gooey popcorn and now I can't stop eating this one either. The moral of the story is that caramel popcorn is divine no matter what form it comes in!

Soft Caramel Popcorn

1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 bag (1 lb) brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add corn syrup and brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling mix in sweetened condensed milk. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until mixture almost reaches a soft ball stage. I like mine a little softer so I brought it to about 220 degrees. Pour over one large bowl popped popcorn. I used air popped popcorn but microwave popcorn works well too. I used about 1 cup un-popped popcorn that turned into one large bowl of popcorn. Use more or less popcorn depending on how much caramel you like on your popcorn.

Coconut Oil Kettle Corn

I hate to admit this but I spend over an hour this morning reading about the health benefits of coconut oil. Let me tell you its pretty awesome. Now those of you who really know me might know that I don't like coconut. I don't really know what it is about shredded coconut, but I really don't like it. Anything that has coconut in it I shy away from. Spencer bought some coconut oil a while back and has been using it kinda as a lotion at times, and I have used it as an eye makeup remover (works great by the way). I hadn't ever really thought too much about eating it though. Yesterday I had a patient tell me about this green smoothie girl. I decided to look her up today which then somehow took me to coconut oil :).

I have decided that I'm going to start using more coconut oil in my baking. Most of you know that I really really love baking, and trying new recipes! Now when I get an idea in my head I have to do something about it....so I went out and bought some organic virgin unrefined coconut oil (supposedly this is the healthiest kind or something). I found a really yummy kettle corn recipe that I just found here.  I must say it is pretty good! I will keep you all updated as to how this coconut venture goes for me :).

Here is the recipe.


Kettle Corn
Over 3 batches air-popped popcorn in a brown paper bag or very large bowl, pour 1/3 cup agave nectar and 1/3 cup coconut oil. (Liquefy them together by warming double-boiler style submerged in hot tap water, in a heavy bowl or jar. Sprinkle mixture with 2 tsp. Original Himalayan Crystal Salt, and stir or shake well.

Now I didn't know what that type of salt was so I just used sea salt and I worked just fine.