Kettle Corn

I love popcorn just as much as the next person, (hey, it's a whole grain, after all!) but I also have a SERIOUS sweet tooth.  Sometimes I want a little popcorn for couch time in the evening, but I also want something sweet.  Yes, I could have popcorn AND dessert, but unfortunately, MyFitnessPal wouldn't approve.  :)  Kettle corn is one of those perfect snacks, if you ask me -- salty, sweet, crunchy, caramel-y, and definitely a satisfier of multiple cravings.  Mmmmm....

However, I refuse to pay an arm and a leg for pre-popped kettle corn, either from the Farmer's Market or the grocery store.  Popcorn has to be the cheapest snack on the planet, and is relatively healthy when homemade, so I figured, there HAD to be an easy way to make it at home, right?  Besides, who wants to run to the store every time a kettle corn craving rears its ugly head?  Not I.  (Mostly because kettle corn cravings usually strike me when I'm clad in either sweats or pajamas.  Who wants to get dressed AND run to the store?  Definitely not I!)

All that was required was a quick google search, and homemade kettle corn was MINE!  Thank you, internet.  (More specifically, thank you, Two Peas and Their Pod.)

Kettle Corn

1 serving

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil (I love using coconut oil for popcorn!  It tolerates high heat well, and lends the popcorn a rich, almost buttery flavor.  But use whatever high-temp oil you like!)

2 tbsp popcorn kernels

1 tbsp granulated sugar

fine-grained sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add the oil and popcorn kernels to your favorite, heavy-bottomed, at least 2-quart pot.  (If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, you'll want to adjust the size of your pan accordingly!)  Heat over medium-high heat until the kernels begin to sizzle in the oil.  (You could also choose to use a popcorn popper, such as a Whirley-Pop or Stir Crazy ... I just don't have one, so I can vouch that the pan on the stove works great!)

2. Sprinkle the sugar over the popcorn and oil, then cover.  Continue cooking, shaking the pan occasionally, until the popcorn pops slow considerably.  Remove the pan from the heat and wait just a few moments, in case you have any stragglers that are about to pop and leap across your kitchen.

3. Dump the popcorn into your favorite serving bowl, salt to taste, and enjoy!  (May I recommend soaking your popcorn pot at this point, to make cleanup LOADS easier later on down the road?)

What is your favorite popcorn topping?  I lovelovelovelove the "Cheddar & Spice" popcorn seasoning from Frontier, which my co-op conveniently carries in bulk.  But now that I know how to make kettle corn, we might have a tie at my house.  :)