When it comes to watching movies many people are drawn to buttery popcorn. I am one of the few who can take or leave popcorn, unless it is doused with caramel, butter, or some other sinful coating. Funfetti falls into that category.

This homemade popcorn is easily made with a regular brown paper lunch bag, corn kernels and butter. Cook in your microwave and listen to them pop! Then coat them with a little more butter and some dry cake mix. Use whatever flavor your prefer, I happen to love Funfetti. The sprinkles!

One year ago: Vegan Buckeye Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup

Two years ago: Bacon and Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Three years ago: Peanut Butter Hummus

SINGLE SERVING CAKE BATTER POPCORN

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp yellow uncooked popcorn

2 Tbsp melted, unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup dry cake mix (any flavor will work, I used Funfetti) (heat treated*)

1 Tbsp sprinkles, optional

Directions:

1. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the unpopped popcorn and one tablespoon of melted butter. Pour the coated corn into a brown paper lunch sack, and fold the top of the bag over twice to seal in the ingredients.
2. Cook in the microwave at full power for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Carefully open the bag to avoid steam, add remaining melted butter, cake mix and sprinkles, shake, and enjoy!

*Raw eggs are not the only possible source of bacterial contamination, raw flour is also a culprit. Heat treat by heating in microwave to 160 degrees F – about 1 minute stirring every 15 seconds.

Source: Adapted from What Katie’s Baking and Allrecipes.

Need a great festive snack for Halloween? How about popcorn balls that look like little pumpkins? Using GH Cretors Chicago Mix (combining cheese corn and caramel corn in the same bag), these popcorn treats offer sweet, salty, crunchy and cheesy in every bite. The color of the popcorn made for an easy transition into resembling pumpkins, especially with the addition of little stems and candy leaves (from a Wilton Halloween cupcake decorating kit).

Want to get your hands on some of G.H. Cretor’s Chicago Mix? Full size bags for parties are available at select natural food and mainstream grocery stores across the country, while single serve bags (for trick-or-treaters!?) can be purchased on their website.

One year ago: Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

PUMPKIN POPCORN BALLS

Makes 6 popcorn balls

Ingredients:

5 cups G.H. Cretor’s Chicago Mix Popcorn

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 pretzel twists, cut in half

Directions:

1. Coat a large heatproof bowl with butter, vegetable oil, or cooking spray and place popcorn in the bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, combine honey, sugar and butter. Place over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until it registers 260° F on a candy thermometer, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Pour honey mixture over popcorn and stir to coat with a rubber spatula then allow to cool slightly.
4. Using buttered or greased hands, shape popcorn into balls. Insert pretzel rods as the pumpkin stem.

Source: Adapted from Spark Recipes and Chow.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary bags of G.H. Cretor’s Chicago Mix Popcorn by Crier Communications. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This new mix is made using a special, “mushroom” variety popping corn, contains only all-natural ingredients, is free of GMOs and certified Kosher. The caramel corn is made the old fashioned way: by hand, in copper kettles. Cane sugar, brown rice syrup (a non-GMO alternative to corn syrup with a lower glycemic impact) and real butter is heated over a flame and then stirred slowly by hand to develop its rich complex flavor and crunch. For the cheese corn, real cheddar cheese is melted in special kettles and then gently mixed with locally-grown, air-popped corn.

But the real question is, does it taste good? Cheesey popcorn is wonderful, as is caramel, but together? I wasn’t sure what I would think of this particular sweet and salty combo. When told that I would be sent the caramel and white cheddar popcorn separately in addition to the Chicago Mix, I was convinced that I would end up preferring it that way. But I am here to tell you that those segregated bags are just plain wrong. These two kinds of popcorn were meant to be together in one bag.

To continue the pairing of sweet and salty, I decided to make my own version using their Kettle Corn and adding my favorite sweet and salty combo ever – peanut butter and chocolate! We are only at week 2 of football season so I truly hope you are not tired of having your Saturdays filled with this pairing. I myself find it difficult to imagine ever growing tired of it. This popcorn involves a caramel-ly peanut butter coating with a drizzle of melted chocolate. You could even add in peanuts or miniature Reese’s cups.

Find out more about G.H Cretors on their Facebook page, and be sure to check out their current sweepstakes!

P.S. This week a #14 Ohio State plays at home vs. UCF.

One year ago: Buffalo Chicken Meatball Subs

PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE POPCORN

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:

8 cups plain popcorn (I used G.H. Cretors’ Kettle Corn)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

1. Place popcorn in a large bowl and line two baking sheets with parchment paper;  set aside.
2. In a medium pan over medium heat, mix the honey and sugar and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 2 minutes or until slightly darker in color, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted, then mix in the vanilla.
3. Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and stir until completely coated. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets and spread evenly. Using your hands (carefully) break apart the popcorn.  This way there are individual kernels.  Drizzle with melted chocolate and let sit until chocolate hardens.

Source: Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen.

Disclosure: I received bags of G.H. Cretors’ popped corn for free from Crier Communications. I was not compensated for this post. Thoughts and opinions are my own.