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The Secrets to Great Popcorn:  Recipes and Ideas for Popcorn Enjoyment

IMPORTANT!!!  READ THESE SAFETLY PROCEDURES FIRST!
NEVER use your popper without oil.
NEVER put an empty popper on the stove.  Aluminum melts at high temperatures.  Electric stove elements can generate the temperature to melt any aluminum pan.  Always add oil and popcorn before placing on the stove.  Stir immediately when popper is on the heating unit.
NEVER put your face near a pan that contains hot oil.  Moisture or food might cause the hot oil to pop out of the pan.  After washing, dry all parts carefully.  Allow adequate time for the popper to air-dry before using.
HOT OIL might burn or catch fire if left too long on the heated element.  Always attend to heating oil.
NEVER use water or liquid to extinguish an oil fire.  The safest and most effective way to put out an oil fire is with a fire extinguicher approved for oil fires.
NEVER let children make popcorn without close, careful adult supervision.

How to pop step by step:
1.    Preheat electric stove just above Medium setting.  Gas stoves should be set on Low (preheating is unnecessary).  Next, measure the popcorn (1/2 cup for the six quart popper and 1/3 cup for the four quart.)
IMPORTANT:  Don’t forget, if you use a gas stove, always set it on Low. Never higher.  Gas is much hotter than electric!  On an electric stove, start just above Medium.  Experience will tell you when it’s right.  Best rule of thumb is to look for a partially red, partially black electric element.  Never use it on a redhot element.  REMEMBER!:  Never leave your popper on aheated unit.  NEVER LEAVE POPPING POPCORN UNATTENDED.  OUR POPPER IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE ON GLASS TOP UNITS.
2.    When stove is ready, put the popcorn in the popper.  Add the oil.  For first time users, begin with one or two tablespoons.  As you bocome familiar with the popper, you can reduce the amount of oil to as little as one teaspoon.  Start stirring slowly and evenly.
3.    The popcorn will start popping in about two minutes, finishing in about three to four minutes.  CONTINUE stirring until you hear the last “pop, pop, pop”.  Remove the poper from the heat and quickly pour into a cool serving bowl.  Additional heat will damage the popcorn.
HERE”S THE TEST!  All popcorn should pop into a general “butterfly shape.”  If your popcorn pops into a round ball (mushroom shape), you’ve popped it too hot.  It will be tough and chewy
Your popper eliminates the steam (moisture that makes the popcorn soggy).  Result!  The most crispy, tender and the lightest popcorn you’ve ever eaten.
WHAT KIND OF OIL SHOULD I USE?  Although any oil will do, we recommend a monounsaturated oil such as Canola, rice bran or olive.  Carn or peanut oil will also work well.  Macadamia nut oil gives you aheavenly popcorn.  Use coconut oil or palm oil very sparingly.  They are high in saturated fats.
EASY CLEAN UP!
If you use your popper every week, washing is not necessary.  Just wipe out with a paper towel.  If used infrequently, wash in warm soapy water (use grease-cutting detergent).  Air-dry carefully.  Your popper can be washed in the dishwasher but we recommend the wooden handles not run through the hot drying cycle.
THINGS TO AVOID!
NEVER use melted butter instead of oil.  Butter burns and ruins your popcorn.  Only add after popped corn is in a bowl.
NEVER add butter or salt in large amounts!  Add just a little at a time.  You can’t remove too much, but it’s easy to add more.  Pouring popcorn back and forth between two bowls is an effective way to apply butter and salt evenly.

TROUBLESHOOTING!
Here’s help if your popper is not performing well.
The stirring system jams.  Stir in the opposite direction for one turn-then continue turning in hte proper direction.  Also, too much popvorn can overfill the pan and jam the stirring wire.  Stirring wires may need occasional adjusting to keep them even across the bottom of the popper pan.
Your popcorn is burning.  1.  Chances are you’ve got your stove too high.  Reduce heat until you achieve perfect popcorn.  Remove the popper from the heat quickly.  Most burning takes place at the end of the popping cycle.  2.  Popcorn is old and dry.  Replace with new.
The top is difficult to attach to the pan.  Lubricate bottom of both clips with cooking oil (use fingertip).  Put clip closeat to handle on first, then opposite side.  Press firmly down.  (Clips will loosen as popper is used.)

Sweet Touch Crispy, Lightly Glazed Popcorn
•    1/3 cup of unpopped popcorn
•    4 tablespoons sugar
•    4 tablespoons canola oil (any oil will do)
Flavor to taste, if desired. (Choose from coconut, rum, or other flavorings. Try 1/2 teaspoon in the first batch and increase with each batch to suit your taste.)
Preheat electric stove (just above Medium setting).  For gas stoves, set Low-never higher (preheating is unnecessary with a gas stove).  Pour all ingredients into popper.  Stir constantly until popcorn is just finished popping.  quicly empty pan onto metal cookie sheet.  Shake to get the corn out of hot pan!  While the corn cools, take popper immediately to sink, run hot water into it with liquid detergent.  Close lid on suds and let soak for easy clean-up.  When glazed popcorn is cool, break into pieces.  Pick out any unpopped kernals.  Makes approximately four quarts glazed popcorn.
To add color: Add a few drops of food coloring on the unmelted sugar when ingredients are put in the popper.  Don’t squirt in one spot; it will lump.  Dot small amounts in 6 or 8 places.
Store finished glazed corn in an airtight canister or jar.  It keeps for weeks and just gets better and better.

Cheddar Bacon Popcorn
•    5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
•    10 cups popped corn
•    1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  In a large baking pan, combine bacon, popcorn and cheese.  Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is just melted.  serve at once.  Makes about 10 cups.

Maple Popcorn
•    1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
•    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    3 tablespoons butter
•    8 cups popped corn
Lightly butter a 9″x13″ baking pan.  Set aside.  In a heavy saucepan, combine maple syrup and butter.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reaches 275 degrees (syrup separates into hard, but not brittle, threads when dropped into very cold water).  Remove from heat, add vanilla extract.  Pour over popcorn.  Pack the mixture lightly into the prepared pan; let cool completely.  Cut into small squares.  Makes about 16 pieces.

Tennessee Barbecue Popcorn Mix
•    12 cups popped corn
•    1 teaspoon lemon pepper
•    3 cups bite-size shredded wheat squares
•    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•    1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
•    3 tablespoons butter
•    1/4 dried oregano
•    1 teaspoon chili powder
•    1 teaspoon paprika
Combine popcorn and shredded wheat squares.  Drizzle with melted butter; toss lightly to coat evenly.  In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Sprinkle evenly over popcorn mixture.  Mix well.  Serve at once.  Makes 15 cups.

Maple/Peanut Caramel Popcorn
•    3 tablespoons oil
•    1/3 cup white granulated sugar
•    1/3 cup peanuts
•    1 tablespoon brown sugar
•    1/3 cup unpopped corn
•    1 teaspoon maple flavoring
Heat oil over medium heat.  Add peanuts to the hot oil.  Then immediately dump popcorn in, followed by white sugar, brown sugar, and maple flavoring.  Stir continuously until corn just stops popping, then remove quicly from heat.  Dump immediately into waiting bowl.

Pink Elephant Popcorn
•    3 tablespoons butter
•    4 tablespoons dry strawberry flavored gelatin
•    1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
•    2 quarts popped popcorn
Melt butter over low heat.  Stir in marshmallows until they are soft but not melted.  Add flavored gelatin mix.  Stir until everything is a nice  pink color throughout.  The gelatin may not dissolve completely, but that’s all right.  Pour evenly over popcorn and stir until all flakes are evenly coated.

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
•    6 tablespoons butter or margarine
•    1/2 3 ounce pkg. raspberry gelatin (3 tablespoons)
•    3 cups tiny marshmallows
•    3 quarts unsalted popped corn
In medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium low heat.  Add marshmallows; stir until melted.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Pour over popcorn, mixing well.  With buttered hands, forn into balls.  Makes 12 medium balls.

Cheese Popcorn
Cheese and popcorn go together beautifully and deliciously!  One of the best way is to obtain some Kraft Powdered Cheddar.  Because it is powdered so finely, it sticks to the popcorn wonderfully.  It is usually available from restaurant supply houses.   You can add regular cheese (of many types) directly to popcorn.  Grate the cheese of your choice finely.  Some excellent tasting cheeses include Monterey Jack, Gouda, sharp cheddar, and other cheddars.
Pop your corn and carefully sprinkle cheese over a half bowlful.  Finish filling the bowl with the rest of the popcorn, then sprinkle the rest of the cheese over it.  Place the heat-proof bowl into a 325 degree oven for about five minutes or until cheese is melted.
Experiment by adding small amounts of onion salt, garlic salt and melted butter or margarine, in with the cheese.  Toss all in with the popcorn and heat in a 325 degree oven for about 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  If you’re a cheese lover, this could become a way of life.

The 10 Golden Rules of Poppery
1.    Use good popping corn to start.  Moisture content about 14%.  Store unused popping corn in a glass jar with a tight lid.  If it pops poorly, add one teaspoon of water and shake a couple times per day for 3 days.  A damp paper towel can be used instead of water and no shaking is necessary.  If you buy a plastic bag, transfer the popping corn to a glass jar right away.
2.    Use correct temperature to pop.  At least 475 degrees (a medium high, slightly red stove eye is perfect).  Popping corn will pop as low as 250 degrees, but it only puffs, leaving hard centers for you to bite into.  At 475 defrees the popping corn literally explodes into full fluffy, tender flakes.  Use a flat bottom pan with popping corn one layer deep.
3.    Stir the popping corn continuously.  It is essential to keep popping corn kernels evenly heated by moving, tossing and coating with oil.  The result?  Perfect popping corn and nearly 100% popped kernels.  A few cracked hull kernels where the moisture has escaped won’t pop in any popper.
4.    Use the proper amount of oil.  It takes 1/2 cup popping corn (slightly less if gourmet brands) to pop a 4 quart pan full.  Use exactly 3 tablespoons of oil (measure!).  This works out to be about 1/3 as much oil as popping corn.  Use this formulas without fail on any amount you choose to pop.
5.    Preheat your oil.  This is essential!  Popping corn will not pop well unti lthe oil reaches its peak temperature of 475 degrees.  This is just at the smoking point.  Watch the oil carelfully.  When you see the first, slightest wisp of smoke, add the corn immediately and stir or shake.  another way is to add 2 or 3 kernels and when they pop, add the corn.
6.    Be sure steam can escape.  If you use a popper where steam is held inside, just expect tough and chewy popcorn.  For light and fluffy popcorn, vent pan.
7.    REmove the popper from heat promptly.  This is critical if you expect tender popcorn.  When the main popping surge is over and you’re down to an occasional “pop…pop…pop…” get it off the heat!  Dump the popcorn fast.  Get is out of the super-hot popper.  The result … delicious tender popcorn.
8.    Never use melted butter as your popping oil.  Butter burns quickly and will ruin your popcorn.  Use instead oils such as vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, etc.
9.    Never add salt until after corn is popped.  Salt makes the popcorn tough if added to the oil before popping.  Wait until after!  Also, a finely ground popcorn salt sticks on better, although regular salt is just fine.
10.    Add butter and salt methodically and intelligently.  It’s easy to take great popcorn and ruin it by being careless here.  Remember, it’s no problem to add more salt and butter, but impossible to remove “too much”.  Be conservative the first time around.  Taste it!  We recommend adding both via the “spin the bowl” method.  Put the popped corn into a bowl and “spin” slowly; add butter and salt while the bowl is spinning.  Don’t start with a full bowl.  Do half a bowl, then add the rest and repeat.