How to Make the Best Popcorn

If you think having popcorn means putting that bag of Butter-Rama in the microwave, you are truly missing out! I LOVE popcorn so much, I went through two 8 pound containers of kernels last year! Trust me, this is how to make the BEST bowl of popcorn. Friends have told me I need to package and sell it!

Things You'll Need

• Stove
• Popcorn Popper
• Oil
• Popcorn Kernels
• 2 TBSP Butter
• Johnny's Seasoning Salt
• Kosher Salt
• opt: white cheddar popcorn seasoning
• Popcorn Bowl

Instructions

1. Have your popcorn bowl ready next to the stove.

2. 

   Put your popcorn popper on the stove top. Add about 1 TBSP of oil to the popcorn popper and turn burner on high.

3. 

   Measure out 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels and add to popper. Begin stirring with the handle. It is important to stir continuously so popcorn doesn't burn. Once popcorn is popping, it is especially important that you don't stop stirring! When the popping slows down, quickly remove from heat and dump the popcorn into the popcorn bowl. If you do this too slow, the popcorn on the bottom can start to burn. Turn off burner.

4. 

   Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and then pour over your popcorn, going back and forth to try and spread the butter around.

5. 

   Kosher salt is so much better than your typical table salt. Add salt to your tastes. I'm usually pretty liberal with it.

6. 

   Now, here is the KEY to great popcorn! Sprinkle Johnny's Seasoning salt over your popcorn to your liking.

7. 

   And if you want to add a little something extra, I sprinkle in just a little bit of this White Cheddar Popcorn seasoning that I picked up at the grocery store next to where the popcorn kernels are sold. This is optional.

8. Now, mix it up. I like to hold the popcorn bowl with both hands and shake it back and forth and in a bit of a circular motion so the butter and seasonings can spread around. You can also use a spoon or your hands to mix it up.

9. Now, take a seat in front of your favorite show and munch munch crunch! YUMMY! I know it's not good to veg out and eat in front of the tv, but popcorn is one of those things that you eat while being entertained. This whole bowl has about 400 calories, if you split it with a friend, that's only 200 calories and you will get a lot of satisfaction from it!

Tips & Warnings

• Air popped popcorn is WAY better than microwave popped popcorn. If use use an electric popcorn popper, that will work and be better than microwave popcorn. But the BEST popcorn is made over the stove like this!

• If you don't want to buy a stove top popcorn popper like I have in the picture, you can just use a large pot with a lid. It's a little more work though because you have to hold onto the sides and shake it over the burner the whole time, and trust me...your arms get tired doing it that way. These popcorn poppers range from $15-30. I got mine on sale for $8 and as you can see, have gotten more use out of it than most of my kitchen stuff!

• Trying to get more whole grains into your diet? POPCORN is a whole grain :)

• Be careful not to burn yourself when making popcorn. You can wear oven mitts just in case!