Recipe of the Week - Kettle Corn

Kettle corn is delicious!  But, buying it at the store is expensive and what do you do when you have that sudden craving right before Blue Bloods is about to start?   The answer is easy; make it at home in just a few minutes and at a fraction of the cost.

Ingredients:
4 Tbs. cooking oil (palm oil, coconut oil)
1 Tsp.  salt
1/2 cup sugar
A splash of maple syrup
1/2 to 1 cup nuts (peanuts, pecan pieces, etc.) optional  (The last time I made this, it was a last minute, spur of the moment decision to add nuts.)
1/2 cup popcorn

Equipment:
4 Qt. or larger pan with lid
Measuring cups/spoons
Small bowl for mixing
wisk 
Long handled spoon
Hot pads
Low sided cake sheet for cooling

Makes 4 quarts
1 Serving  :)


Planning ahead and preparing everything before starting makes any cooking project flow easily.  Lay out the ingredients and necessary equipment.

While the oil is heating, (over medium-high heat), combine the salt and sugar and blend thoroughly.  This helps evenly distribute the flavors, evenly.  Add the popcorn and nuts to the same bowl.

Place several popcorn kernels in the pan and cover.  Once the test kernels pop, add the sugar/salt/popcorn/nut mix and a splash of maple syrup.  Mix well with your long handled spoon.  (The syrup makes the solution thinner, allowing you to keep everything moving more easily.)

Adding all these ingredients will cool the oil.  Allow to re-heat.  This won't take long, so stand by.  Once the popcorn starts to pop, keep the pan moving over the burner.  Use the hot pads to protect your hands from steam.  When the popcorn begins to pop rapidly, lift the pan 1" above the burner and it keep moving.  The popcorn will continue to pop and burning is less likely.

As soon as the popping slows, set the pan aside on a cool burner and remove the lid.  Empty the popped corn into the pan and allow to cool.  Left overs will keep well in zip lock bags for a couple days.

To make regular popcorn, eliminate the sugar and maple syrup and follow the same technique.

For smaller amounts, reduce the ingredients, proportionately.

Future recipes include oven planked salmon, cole slaw like you've never seen and "shelf preservation".