Cinnamon Kettle Corn

“Summer cooking implies a sense of immediacy, a capacity to capture the essence of the fleeting moment.”

~~Elizabeth David, food writer (1913-1992)

I love quotes about food.  Guess that's sorta par for the course when you love to cook and bake like I do, but it amazes me as to how many people talk about food in their everyday conversations.  Like last night at church. I overheard a conversation between two guys. They were initially complaining (WHOA... men complain?!) about what a horrible preseason the Packers are having. Then the conversation switched gears and one guy was complaining to the other (is it possible these guys were PMSing?!) about what an awful round of golf he had played that morning.

Then the conversation REALLY switched gears. The golfer said, "But DUUUDE, the dogs at the snack shack ROCKED! I had 3 of 'em and then I didn't care about my pissy round of golf so much."

Whoever says that men are from Mars and women are from Venus should try hanging around the coffee and doughnut table at church once in a while. OK... 'nuff said about that.  Let's have some kettle corn!

Sweet and salty are one of my favorite food combos, and when you toss in a little crunch factor, it sends me over the moon. That's why I was so excited to take part in making this week's Sundays with Joy recipe. When it comes to cooking and baking, Joy the Baker knows all about how to transform ordinary into extraordinary. In her book, "100 Simple and Comforting Recipes", Joy shares a recipe for making sweet and salty kettle corn. A wonderful snack that is likely to turn just about any frown upside down. I made a slight adaption to Joy's recipe by sprinkling a little ground cinnamon onto the popcorn kernels along with the sugar and salt before I popped them. The result was a delicious treat that reminded me very much of a warm security blanket...you just want to grab a hold of it and never let it go...

CINNAMON KETTLE CORN

Slightly adapted from Kettle Corn recipe by Joy Wilson

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup unpopped yellow popcorn kernels
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1.5 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or more/less, to your taste)

DIRECTIONS

1.   Make sure the pan that you're using has a tight fitting lid and handles on both sides so that it's easy to lift and hold. You'll be shaking the pan during popping, so use oven mitts or pot holders to protect your hands from burns.

2.   Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
Add the popcorn, then evenly sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the unpopped kernels. Place the lid on the pot and increase the heat to medium high.

3.   When the corn begins to pop, use the pot holders or oven mitts to hold the lid firmly on top of the pot. Holding the pot by the handles, carefully remove the pot from the heat and shake it up and down a few times. Return the pan to the heat and allow the kernels to continue popping. Shake again every 30 seconds or so to prevent the popcorn from burning.

4.   When the popping slows down, turn off the heat and CAREFULLY remove the lid slightly to release some of the steam. Lift the lid AWAY from yourself so that you don't burn yourself with the steam. When the popping stops completely, remove the lid and sprinkle the popcorn with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Empty the contents of the pot into a large bowl and finish salting, to taste. The sugar will be very hot, so toss with a wooden spoon to prevent your fingers from burns.
Resist the urge to throw your face into the bowl and ENJOY.

Find more wonderful recipes from Joy Wilson in her book