Monday Munchies with Popcorn

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

I wanted to make something for Valentines Day last night that was a little different.  No offense meant to cute cookies, cupcakes and other traditional goodies because I'm a traditional girl, but after 2 parties last week, I just wanted something a little different.

 Sunday night around here is usually popcorn night.  I make a big batch on the stove top (it's really so easy and tastes so much better than microwave popcorn) and we throw it in to two bowls and share together.  So yesterday I thought..."Why not make a flavored popcorn!"  I looked up recipes online and decided to go with the cinnamon sugar popcorn.  It looked like it was not quite as sweet as caramel corn but definitely more than just regular old popcorn.  I actually really like to add seasonings to my popcorn--taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, etc., but I'm the only one at our house, so I have to fix myself a small bowl because no one will share with me.  I started with this recipe, but changed it a little bit.  I actually put all of the sugar and spices in with the butter and melted them down together (oops...might should read the recipe a little closer).  But it came out just fine.  I also added pecan halves to the bowl of popcorn before pouring on the glaze.  And then, after baking it and letting it cool a little, I melted chocolate chips down and drizzled that over the top of the pans and let it cool for an hour or so before packing it all in air-tight containers for the night.

I thought we'd take some to the kids' teachers.  We'd bought them valentine chocolates for them already, but this was a special treat and I really didn't want it all here in the house with me.  I've got the willpower of a one-celled organism (or something else with absolutely no willpower!).  But then Emma came down with the stomach flu in the night, so I have all of this beautiful bagged popcorn just sitting here and laughing at me.  Luckily for me...once it's bagged up so pretty, I have no interest in opening it up.  It's like I know it's actually someone else's, so I don't want it.  I should bag up everything in the house that way!

I think it looks so pretty, like one of those expensive gourmet mixes you can buy.  Who knew it was so easy??  I will admit I ate more than my fair share last night.  I may or may not have given myself a stomach ache.  I'm just saying....  But I will add that if I were to make this again, I'd definitely double the cinnamon sugar mixture so that all of the popcorn had a little more of the goodie on it.

Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn
  Based on MACCO's recipe from allrecipes.com  My changes and additions are in pink.


Ingredients
1 cup unpopped popcorn

• 1/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ( I added a handful of pecan halves and maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Sorry, I didn't measure.)
• 
  
• Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Pop the popcorn using an air popper according to manufacturer's directions. Place into a large mixing bowl, and set aside.  I added the pecan halves to the bowl of popcorn.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla, and cook until thick and bubbly. (This is when I misread the recipe and poured it all in the pan together and melted it down. Worked fine for me.)  Pour over the popcorn, and stir until the popcorn is evenly coated. Spread the popcorn into a large roasting pan.  (I actually spread it onto 2 parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.)
3. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, then turn the heat off, and allow the popcorn to stay in the oven 20 minutes longer. Remove from oven, and cool completely before serving.
4. When it had cooled some, I melted a BIG handful of chocolate chips in the microwave and then drizzled it over the popcorn on the cookie sheets.  When the chocolate had cooled and hardened, I stored the mixture in air-tight containers.

If you make some of this, let me know.  And if you've got any recipes you'd like to share, then share!  I'm always up for new recipes!