3 Best Seasoned Popcorn Recipes

National Popcorn Day is Saturday, January 19th this year and we are celebrating with POPCORN. All kinds of popcorn. Quick and Easy Popcorn Recipes , Sweet-N-Salty Popcorn Pretzel Sticks, Beef Jerky Chili Popcorn and Cookies-N-Creme Popcorn Recipes are on the menu today to celebrate National Popcorn Day! #NationalPopcornDay

POPCORN The Inside Out Snack

I live in Chicago and we happen to have some of the BEST popcorn ever, like it is THE BEST popcorn you will ever have in your life. If you ever visit the Chicagoland area, be sure to make a stop at Garrett Popcorn! you will not be dissapointed!

POPCORN FACTS

What are Popcorn Kernals? A popcorn is simply a hull with a shell. What makes a hull with a shell turn into popcorn? Steam!! How does steam pop popcorn? This hull iwth a shell is a tiny little pressure cooker really. Steam is trapped inside the hull and has no where to go. So, <POP> it comes out when the steam rushes out of the kernal.

What is the white stuff inside the corn kernal ? The technical term is endosperm and it is the starch of the kernal. It is the stored food inside the kernal it uses to grow into a sprout. When heat is added to the popcorn kernels, the moisture inside the kernals turns to steam, which causes the kernals to pop.

Did you know most of the popcorn consumed throughout the world is grown in the United States? Although popcorn is is world-wide, Americans eat more popcorn than any other country.  Americans consume 13 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year!

Popcorn is a whole grain

Popcorn is a 100% unprocessed healthy, whole grain. It contains the bran, germ, and endosperm. One serving can provide about 70% of your recommended daily intake of whole grain. Popcorn is good for your gut too! Popcorn is also gluten free for anyone with gluten issues AND it is pretty much fat-free. What makes popcorn fattening is #ALLTHEBUTTER everyone puts on it! ☺ Popcorn also doesn’t have any artificial additives or preservatives, and is sugar-free. IE: That is when popped from kernals in an air popper.

POPCORN SHAPES

The popped kernal of corn you eat is called a flake. Most popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it's popped: snow flake and mushroom flake . The snow flake shaped pocorn kernals are normally used in movie theaters and ballparks because they look pretty and pop larger. The mushroom flake shaped popcorn kernals are used for candy confections because the kernals don’t crumble.

I happen to think the smell of popcorn is quite irresistible! The smell, taste, and ease of popping make it very popular in my house. I think my kids eat at least 10 bags of popcorn a week betweenthe three of them. They all have their favorite toppings too, so no one ever shares a bowl! LOL 

Since there are so many different ways to eat popcorn — plain, full of buttery goodness or loaded with toppings — popcorn always makes for the best snack in my home.

QUICK AND EASY POPCORN RECIPES

Favorite Shake-On Popcorn Toppings

Here are a few of our favorite toppings:

• Garlic Salt

• Cheese Powder

• Grated Parmesan Cheese (one of my favs)

• Cumin

• Seasoning Salt (another one of my favs)

• Dry Taco Seasoning

• Dry Ranch-Style Seasoning

• Dry Cup of Noodles Seasoning**This is my ALL-TIME FAV topping!!

• Cinnamon, Brown Sugar, Nutmeg

Spciy Beef Jerky Popcorn

Ingredients

8 cups unsalted, unbuttered popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup butter (most of the time I omit the butter)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp each garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped beef jerky

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the popcorn on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the popcorn.
2. In small pan set over medium heat, melt butter; stir in chili powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Bring to light boil; remove from heat.
3. Drizzle hot butter mixture over popcorn; sprinkle with beef jerky. Bake, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until popcorn is dry and crisp. Toss gently; transfer to shallow serving bowl.

Cookies'N Cream Popcorn

Ingredients

• 12 cups popped corn

• One 11 oz. package white chocolate chips

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

• 15 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces

Directions

1. Spread popcorn on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oi in the microwave and stir until fully melted

3. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Toss on chopped Oreos.

4. Gently toss together and place in the fridge or freezer. Place into bowls and enjoy!

Sweet & Salty Popcorn Pretzel Sticks

Ingredients

• 6 large pretzel rods

• 6 tablespoons peanut butter OR nutella or melted chocolate

• 3 cups popped popcorn

• Sprinkles - any variety

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Spread pretzels with peanut butter/nutella/meltedchocolate. Leave the top of the pretzel without an toppings.

2. Press popcorn onto topping of choice to coat. Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles and chocolate chips. Place in the fridge or freezer for a bit and ENJOY!

POP, POP. POP, POP, POP! POP!

What is your favorite Popcorn topping?