I have a new favorite snack. Not really a new snack. Actually a very old snack. As old as Jiffy Pop. Did you ever eat that one? Loved me some Jiffy Pop. Back in the good ol’ days. Before microwave ovens. Isn’t it weird to think about the things we used to live without? Makes me feel old. But we don’t want to go there.
And Dear Hubby actually came up with this way to do popcorn. Now it’s quite possible that there are millions, no gazillions, of you out there who already know this beloved method. But I saw Dear Hubby do it the other day and asked him where he got the idea and he said, “I don’t know. Just thought I’d try it.” Which in my book means he made it up. And it’s very, very clever.
I saw something last year on a blog about popping popcorn in a regular brown paper lunch sack. And I’ve been doing that for awhile. And it works OK. But just OK. Dear Hubby’s way is much, much better. And very economical. It’s a win/win as far as I’m concerned. So I’m eating popcorn every day.
You wanna know how he does it?
First of all you start with a regular ol’ bag of popcorn like this. Yours probably won’t have maïs à éclater on it, but if it says popcorn, you’re good. Or popping corn. And I particularly like that this is the no name brand. It means that it cost a buck twenty nine. Yes, $1.29. Did I say economical? I really meant that this is cheap. Really cheap. Compare it to the cost of those boxes of microwave popcorn? I rest my case. ‘Cause you can get 782 servings out of this bag. And what do you get in those boxes? Maybe 10? Cheap.
Now the key to making this popcorn really, really, I mean really, good? Is this stuff. Coconut oil. Don’t you love that it says “excellent for hair, skin and cooking?” Like the cooking with it was an afterthought. But I must admit, I’ve never used it for my hair or skin. I must be missing out on something. But I’m hearing all kinds of good things about eating it. And if you’re hearing something different, I don’t even want to know about it.
So here’s Dear Hubby’s trick. By the way, the coconut oil is my personal addition. Dear Hubby was using olive oil. You can use either. Your choice. Don’t you like having choices? Anyway, you put the popcorn – about 1/4 cup – in the bottom of a large, microwave-safe serving bowl. This one happens to be Corelle. Add about 2 tsp of coconut oil and stir it around a bit.
Take another bowl of equal size and put it upside-down on top of the first bowl. I actually saw something just yesterday on the internet where you could do this with a plate on top. I think I prefer the bowl like Hubby did. I think the popcorn needs more room than a plate would give. But you can try it if you want.
When I get back to Texas, I’m going to try it with my glass mixing bowls. Don’t you think it will be ever so cool to actually watch it pop? Fun.
Then I just hit the popcorn button on my microwave and let ‘er rip! Or rather pop!
Beautiful, perfect popcorn. See the steam that forms inside the top bowl? You don’t even need any butter. I just shook on some salt and some onion powder. Because I’m crazy with my popcorn and flavors. Dear Hubby prefers it plain. The coconut oil helps the salt to stick a little and makes it all extra yummy.
You should be aware that the bowls get extra hot. At least mine did. I had to use hot pads to take them out of the microwave and slide the top bowl off.
But yesterday I didn’t mind the nice warm bowl. Because it was 65 degrees for most of the day in the motorhome. Fall has arrived in Montreal! And the forecast says it’s going to be 35° tonight. Brrrrr! I just might be having warm popcorn every day.
Speaking of that, the internet also said that it was 92° last night at 9:00 at home in Texas. Ha! I texted several of my girlfriends yesterday, “It’s 62°… had to share.” And, nice friends that they are, they wrote back, “You can’t see me, but I’m sticking my tongue out at you” and, even better, “Bite me.” I think it’s been a long, hot summer in Texas.
So this was me yesterday afternoon. What could be better on a 65° Fall afternoon than a nice warm bowl of popcorn, a nice flannel quilt, cozy slippers and a baseball game?
Well, I suppose it would have been better if this cutie-pie would have been in my lap too? But she might have wanted to share the popcorn.
And how could anyone resist this sweet face?
Oh. And by the way…..
There were only this many kernels left in the bottom of the bowl. Pretty good, eh? And it might have even been better if I’d used the name brand instead of the no name brand.
And yes, I realize I used too much salt.
Blowing cooler air towards Texas,
Barb
