Kettle Korn Popcorn

A couple of weeks ago I posted here the perfect way to pop popcorn.  My friends have been amazed at how good it is.  I have made it for some friends when we got together for movie day.  Today I am going to try kettle korn.  Now you either love or hate kettle korn there's not much in between.  My husband doesn't like it so I used this time while he was away to try it.  Just a couple of notes.  Learn from my mistakes.  You really need to let the sugar dissolve a little more before you put it back on the heat.  And you really need to keep it moving on the eye.  Some of the sugar burned in mine and I think it was because it wasn't dissolved enough.  But I will try it again.

It smells good and looks good.

 You use the same things you use for regular popcorn but add the sugar.

 In a small bowl, add 1/3 cup kernels.

 Add 3 Tablespoons sugar.  I think I will try it with 2 T next time.  I like mine just a little less sweet.

 Add 3 Tablespoons of coconut oil or whatever oil you are using.

 Put it on the heat to melt.

 Add about 3 kernels to the pot.

 Let the oil melt and get hot.

 Add some salt to the oil in the bottom.

 Cover and wait for the kernels to pop.

 Remove from the heat.  Add the kernels and sugar.

 Stir with a spoon.

 See all the sugar.  I should have stirred it a little bit more to melt the sugar.

 Cover and put back on the heat.  The beauty of a flat stovetop is it will be easy to shake on the eye.

 When it is all popped remove the lid and remove from eye.  Be careful there might be a few kernels still popping.

Enjoy.


Kettle Korn Popcorn Recipe

1/3 cup kernels
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
3 Tablespoons sugar
salt

Super Bowl Pizza Panini

I know it has been a while since the Super Bowl, but I am just now getting around to posting this.  The beauty about these wraps are that you can put whatever your favorite toppings inside.  You could also make these on the stove if you do not have a panini press.

Pizza in wrap form.

Gather up whatever pizza toppings you like or have on hand.

Start with a flour tortilla.  I bought the big ones for this.  Spread a little pizza sauce in the middle.

I had some browned ground beef with onions.  I added that and some chopped bell peppers.

I bought a ball of fresh mozzarella cheese and cut that and placed on top.

Add the pepperoni.

A little freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Then roll up.  Start by folding the bottom up, then the top down.

Fold one side in and then the other side over.  Hold in place.

Spray with a little spray butter.

Have your press preheated.

Lay the edge side down to seal.

Then close.  Let cook until all the cheese is melted.

Remove from the grill and cut.  There were lots of good juices inside so it was very messy.  A two napkin job.  I have learned something I want to share.  To clean the press, get a paper towel and dampen it.  Before you cut it off lay the paper towel on top and close it.  The steam will help clean the grills.  Turn it off and let sit until the paper towel has cooled off.

Happy Mardi Gras Day

I didn't get around to making anything new this year for Mardi Gras, thanks weather.  So I thought I would share with you some recipes from the past.  I think you will enjoy them.

Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice

Easy King's Cake

Cafe du Grobmyer Easy Beignets

Easy Mini King's Cakes

Apple Pie Panini

I made this for breakfast this morning.  The original recipe called for ice cream on top and was made as a dessert.  But I think of the cinnamon bread as a breakfast bread.  If you want to make it for dessert it would be good but it is also a nice warm breakfast dish too.

It was suppose to snow today so I used my snowflake plates to maybe encourage it to snow and not rain.

 The recipe called for mascarpone cheese but you could substitute cream cheese if you wanted.  I bought this cheese just for this recipe so I could try it.

 Start with 1/2 cup of the cheese.  You can mix by hand or put in the food processor.  It makes it quick and easy in the food processor.

 Add 2 teaspoons honey

 Whip the cheese and honey until fluffy.

 Take your bread and butter the two outside pieces.  I use spray butter but you can soften butter to use.

 Turn it over and put a light coat of the cheese/honey mixture of both sides.

 Then thinly slice a Granny Smith apple and core the pieces.  Place on one side.  I also bought a different apple to try another day.

 Close the bread.

 Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top.

 Then place on your preheated panini grill.  You could use a frying pan if you do not have a press.

It was really good.  The mascarpone cheese was light.  It had a slight sweet taste to counter the tart green apples.  The apples were soft but not mushy.  Give it a try on one of these cold mornings.

Apple Pie Panini Recipe

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons honey
softened butter or spray butter
cinnamon or cinnamon-raisin bread
tart apple
brown sugar

Red Velvet Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Okay I have to confess here.  I bought the Hershey's Kisses for this back before Christmas and my plan was to make these National Championship Cookies for Alabama's Championship game.  We all know how that turned out.  So I had to wait a while before I could bring myself to make them.   So they turned into Valentine's Day cookies.  Can't let those Kisses go to waste.  They would have been so much better as National Championship cookies.....

Happy Valentine's day

 This is a true red velvet recipe because it calls for white vinegar.

 These are the peppermint kisses that are available during the holidays.

 Start with 1/2 cup oil.

 1/2 cup brown sugar

 1/2 cup sugar. Mix well

 1 egg

 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 1 teaspoon white vinegar

 1 Tablespoon red food coloring

 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/4 cup cocoa

 1 1/2 cups flour

 Dip out by spoonfuls or use a cookie scoop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in a preheated 325 oven and bake for about 12 minutes.

 While they are baking you can unwrap the kisses.

 As soon as they come out of the oven put the kisses in the middle of the cookie.

 Like so.

 When you have the kisses in all the cookies let them sit for about 1 minute.

 After that minute or so the kisses are softened so drop the cookie sheet on the cookie sheet a couple of times and the kisses will spread out and make the thumbprint.

 Then remove the cookies from the cookie sheet to cool and let the kisses firm up.

And then box them up and give them to someone special.

Red Velvet Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Hershey's peppermint kisses
Preheat oven to 325.  Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Places a kiss in the middle of each cookie.