My family loves fresh-popped popcorn, and I’ve figured out special ways to turn it up, with an awesome snack idea for movie-night or football season: setting up a party-style, popcorn buffet. I have recipes to share to make it fun and super special, and you may want to save this idea for your parties or extra hang-out time on the couch:
Perfectly Popped, Chocolate Caramel Pretzel, Caramel Corn, Cracked Pepper, and Kids at the Movies.
First, you need to know how to make perfectly popped popcorn on the stovetop. Do yourself a favor and make it from scratch. You’ll be glad you did. It’s kind of my philosophy when making all things. Like cake for example: a boxed recipe can still taste pretty good, but in all ways, it’s just not as good as making it from scratch.
Mili’s Sweets Perfectly Popped Popcorn Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need:
3 tablespoons of canola oil or grape seed oil
1/3 cup corn kernels
Tools: stopwatch, pot, oven mit
Here’s what you’ll do:
For every 1/3 cup of kernels, use 3 tablespoons of oil. In my 10 quart pot, doubling this is the perfect amount, for an even distribution at the bottom. Therefore, I use 2/3 cup kernels and 6 tablespoons of oil.
Both oils are good and perfect for popcorn popping, since they burn nicely at high heat. I’ll explain how to work with each one.
First, measure your kernels and oil and place them in a cold pot. Move the ingredients around to completely and evenly cover the bottom.
Next, place the pot on the stovetop and set to medium-high heat. Set your stop watch to start. When 3 minutes are up (when using canola oil) you’re oil is ready. When 4 minutes are up (when using grape seed oil) your oil is ready, and at least one kernel will be popped.
At the moment you see a single kernel popped, (when the 3 or 4 minutes are up) cover the pot with a lid. Reset your stopwatch. Move the pot back and forth, over the medium-high heat. Once your stopwatch reads 3 minutes, remove it from the heat. You’re done.
There you have it! Perfectly-popped popcorn, with no burn, in 6 minutes. I love this recipe since it’s easy to remember with all of the 3s: 3 tablespoons of oil, 1/3 cup kernels, three minutes to heat, three minutes to pop. Perfect! xox
It’s always fun to offer a variety of flavors. Below are a few recipe ideas. I’m going to share how to make “Chocolate Caramel Pretzel,” “Caramel Corn,” “Cracked Pepper” and “Kids at the Movies.” Each flavor is great, but if your home is like mine, the caramel corn will be the first to disappear!
Mili’s Sweets Caramel Corn Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need:
8 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
10 standard sized marshmallows
kosher salt, to-taste
Here’s what you’ll do:
While stirring constantly, melt the butter and brown sugar in a non-stick pan, at medium heat.
Place the marshmallows and continue to stir. Allow the marshmallows to break down and melt.
Pour the mixture over the popped popcorn and mix with a spoon.
Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle with salt to taste and serve. This is a more sticky, pull-apart snack. It’s the only popcorn flavor recipe I’m sharing where a scooper can’t be used when serving.
Mili’s Sweets Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Popcorn Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need:
8 cups popped popcorn
1 cup chocolate covered pretzels
1/4 cup prepared caramel (I sometimes use my homemade version. This time I used Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Topping.)
kosher salt, to taste
Here’s what you’ll do:
In a non-stick pan, on medium heat, place the caramel and heat until it simmers.
Pour the warm caramel on top of the pretzels and popcorn. Mix with a spoon. Some of the chocolate on the pretzels will melt onto the popcorn. That’s what you want! If you want the end-result to be more beautiful, remove the melted pretzels and replace with fresh ones. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve.
Mili’s Sweets Cracked Pepper Popcorn Recipe
This is the easiest and the healthiest! Honestly, I can enjoy this popcorn, plain and unsalted. To but to kick up the flavor, I like adding freshly cracked pepper, using a pepper mill. Sprinkle kosher salt to taste, and you’re done. It’s super simple and amazingly delicious, especially when the popcorn is fresh and warm.
Mili’s Sweets Kids at the Movies Popcorn Recipe
This is all about my kids. Whenever we go to the movie theatre, our tradition is for the kids have a box-tray on their lap. I give a portion of popcorn and sprinkle onchocolate covered raisins and sour candies. They love the combination of sweet, salty, chocolatey and sour. It’s a no-brainer for kids of all ages.
So there you have it! I’m sure you can think of 100 other different flavor combinations for freshly-popped popcorn, but this is a nice start. I hope these easy-breezy recipes make for lots of fun at home.
Take care and enjoy.
