Coconut Oil Kettle Corn and Giveaway!

I’m not one of those people who keeps trying the same recipes over and over, tweaking them each time, until I get them just right.  I have no patience for it.  If a recipe doesn’t work out the first time, I usually figure it’s just not worth making.  But something was different about this particular recipe.  It kept rolling around inside my head, begging to be made perfect.  I was obsessed with the promise of perfectly addicting sweet coconut oil popcorn! And guess how many tries it took me to get it right?

Go ahead, guess.

SEVEN.  You heard me right, SEVEN TRIES.  Ugh.  It was definitely a patience-builder, this one.

I probably shouldn’t be admitting this to you, on account of my being a food blogger and all, but I have to get it off my chest.  Just lean in close, and I’ll whisper it in your ear.  Closer…  closer…  I’ve never made popcorn on the stove.  Well, until I started these seven tries, that is.  I’m attached to my air popper.  I love the air popper.  I know the air popper.  The air popper is reliable and fast and close.  I can let the kids use the air popper without fear that they will burn the house down.  A while ago I moved the air popper from a high and inconvenient cupboard above the fridge to a much easier to get to and more reachable cupboard above the stove.  The air popper practically has a place of honor in our home.  Because that’s how much we use it!!

Switching to the stovetop method was kind of a mess for me.  A mess of burned popcorn and burned sugar and sugary popcorn, and six bowls of popcorn that no one wanted to eat.  Don’t worry, though.  I’m going to induct you into the super-secret club of people who know how to make stovetop popcorn really well.

STEP ONE: Heat the oil

Put 1/4 cup coconut oil in the pot.  Throw in 2 or 3 popcorn kernels, and set the burner to medium-high.  When the kernels pop, you know it’s ready.

STEP TWO: Remove from heat and add ingredients to pot

Add the popcorn to the pot, cover, and wait thirty seconds.  I like to use a glass lid, so I can see what’s cookin’.  I also set the kitchen timer for 30 seconds, because you don’t want to wait any longer than that.  This process helps all the kernels heat evenly, so they pop at pretty much the same time.

STEP THREE: Add ingredients and return to heat

Just as your 30 seconds are about up, drop 1/4 cup butter and 1/3 cup sugar over your popcorn kernels.  Give the pot a back-and-forth shake, and return it to the heat.

STEP FOUR: Let it pop

While the pot full of popcorn is on the burner, you’ll want to shake it pretty frequently.  I generally sit it down for a few seconds, then pick it up and shake gently, then return it for a few seconds, and repeat.  Keep heating and shaking while the kernels pop, until you have a space of about 2 seconds between pops.  When that happens, it’s done!!  Remove it from the heat and pour the popcorn into a bowl.  Sprinkle it with some salt and enjoy!!

I will say that I have always ended up with a few pieces at the bottom that were coating in gooey burnt stuff, and I’m not really sure that is avoidable, as long as you are using a regular old pot.  Perhaps if you have an actual oil popper, this whole thing might go more easily for you!  When I finally got it right, I knew it was right because I literally went digging through the burnt pieces in the pot, to find any good pieces at all.  I think that says it all!

 

Remember when I talked about the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil a while ago? This stuff is seriously awesome sauce.  And not just because they gave me a free jar of the good stuff.  I wanted you to have your own jar, too, so Tropical Traditions has agreed to give away a big 32-oz. jar of the Gold Label Coconut Oil to one lucky winner.

There are lots of ways to enter, so pick your favorites, or do them all!  I hope you win, I really do.  But if you don’t, you might want to pick up your own jar of Coconut Oil sometime.  You won’t regret it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Win 1 quart of  Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil.

Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil.

Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the  advantages of buying coconut oil online.

Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy:

Party Popcorn from Jen’s Favorite Cookies

Marshmallow Popcorn from Get Off Your Butt and Bake

Cinnamon Cookie Crunch Popcorn from Our Best Bites