Microwave Popcorn

This white fluffy snack has a tender spot in my heart for many reasons.  We used to have popcorn competitions up North at our families cottage with my relatives cabin next door.  Of coarse my Uncle Bob was clearly the winner every time with his perfect application of salt to butter ratio! Thanks to my aunt and uncle, who  would make popcorn for us after we got done swimming at their house,  to this day I cannot go swimming without craving popcorn afterward.  My Aunt, Uncle and Cousin moved to popcorn country, Minnesota, years ago and bring it back to Michigan in a 50 pound bag to divide amongst us when they come for a visit.

 Another sweet memory of popcorn I have (and anyone reading this that is a cousin or sibling of mine) would certainly have sweet memories of Grandma in her pink robe standing over the stove top making Jiffy popcorn.  We would stand in amazement as the flashy foil expanded nearly 7 or 8 inches high!

Growing up I remember the green popcorn maker that we had.  My mom would pull it out often and serve it with kool-aid to have as a snack while we watched a movie together.

Or how about all the times we went to the show growing up with someone carrying a huge purse to conceal the bags of popcorn we popped at home.  I felt so sneaky and it was fun!  I haven't done this since one of my children questioned the dishonesty of it.  Leave it to an honest child to convict me!

Since the modern convenience of microwave popcorn has made it's way on the scene, most people never use the stove and a pot to make their popcorn.  I can't tell you how many people have commented on my popcorn making ways when they come over to watch a movie together.  Most people these days never use a stove or a popcorn maker (and I'm not talking about an air-popper that creates a snack that is just a little better than nibbling cardboard!)  While I am totally in favor of white popcorn made in a pot on the stove, or in my "Stir Crazy" machine, I have found a most convenient, inexpensive, healthy way to make it.

I can appreciate the need for convenience so you might want to try this. If you have a microwave, a paper lunch bag, a teaspoon of oil (any kind will do), and of course popcorn, you have everything you need.

All you do is pour 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in the bottom of a paper bag and pour 1 teaspoon of oil on top.  Fold the bag over a couple of times on top so the popcorn doesn't come out and put in the microwave for approximately 1 1/2 minutes.  Any unpopped kernels can go back into the microwave in the same bag.  You can further flavor it after it is done.  That's it, pretty basic.  It yields the amount shown in the picture.