Simply from Scratch: Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Brown Bag it!

I LOVE kettle corn flavored popcorn.  It's a little salty, a little sweet and a whole lot of crunchy goodness.  But you've also heard the stories in the news... some man eats one bag of microwave popcorn every day for 30 years and keels over one day.  The popcorn is to blame.  You could easily argue that eating that much popcorn can't be considered moderate consumption but it also isn't a secret that microwaved popcorn is chock full of additives and chemicals that just aren't very good for you.  (Especially when they are superheated and bonded to your food.)  Sadly, kettle corn flavoring is one of those.  




In one of my Pinterest inspired quests to find healthier snacks, I stumbled on several posts about homemade popcorn.  The great thing about making it yourself is that YOU control what is added.  I dabbled with stove top popcorn making for a while but it became high maintenance.  I had to watch that the butter didn't burn and it took about 15-20 minutes to make it.  Plus, I had to clean the pots I used to prepare it.  Then I found a few posts about microwaving popcorn in a paper bag.  All I needed were raw kernels and a brown paper bag.  I could add anything I wanted to it... butter, olive oil, salt or nothing at all.  And another added benefit is that when I was done, the paper bag got thrown away.  I like easy clean up.    

Basic Popcorn:

1- brown paper bag
1T. raw popcorn kernels (I used Orville Reddenbacher)
salt to taste

Add kernels to the bag and fold the top of the bag over like you would for a school lunch.  Microwave for about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave.  Listen to the popping the first few times and adjust the time, if needed.

Variations
Toasted Coconut Popcorn- I added 1 tablespoon of butter and finely shredded coconut to one bag and it was delicious.  I learned that you can also TOAST coconut independently in a brown bag instead of in the oven or stove top.  Who knew?  (I put about 1/4 cup of coconut in the bag and microwaved it for 1 minute.)

Homemade Caramel Popcorn- gently heat 1 tsp of butter and 2 T of sugar on the stove top.  I used Sugar in the Raw.  Once the sugar dissolves, drizzle over the prepared popcorn.  Wait a few minutes to eat it as the caramel will be very hot.

Toasted Coconut Caramel Popcorn- obviously this one is more involved but it was my favorite!  Prepare caramel as directed above and toast coconut in a brown bag.  Set aside.  Prepare basic popcorn and add to a bowl.  Drizzle caramel over it and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

All I can say is YUM!  Obviously the variations with the caramel are a special treat and not something you should eat every time you make it.  The fact that this method of popcorn making is healthier AND more cost effective makes this a win-win all around in my book.  I'll be experimenting with other flavors in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned!


Photo credits- http://pinterest.com/pin/19281104624435089/