Popcorn

Today will be my last post until after Thanksgiving. Our family gathers at our house for Thanksgiving each year and I've got much to do between now and dinner (lunch) on Thursday.

I've been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving for a couple of weeks or so and one of the things that came across my mind was popcorn. I LOVE popcorn! Back in the day when I was in school we learned that the Pilgrims and the Indians enjoyed popcorn at the first Thanksgiving. I wondered if that was really true.

So I decided to check out the history of popcorn in America on the internet. It looks to me like it's just who you want to believe. Some articles say the Indians introduced the Pilgrims to popcorn, some say that's just a myth.

It doesn't really matter to me. I'm just glad we have it now.

I really prefer "real" popcorn - you know - the kind you actually make yourself. Not the microwave kind. Although I will eat microwave popcorn too. It's just that fresh made popcorn tastes so much better to me.

And I really LOVE movie popcorn! I always dreamed of having an old movie popcorn popper.

Then one day several years ago I saw our (then) neighbor unloading a movie popcorn popper from his truck and taking it into his house. I tell you I was over there in a flash! Where did he get it - was it really his - was he going to keep it - and if not, could I have first dibs on buying it from him.

No such luck. He was keeping it. Occasionally I could smell popcorn being made as the scent wafted over towards our house. One of the 10 Commandments is "Thou shalt not covet." Man, was it ever hard not to covet that popper!

Over the next few years I would ask, and ask, and ask our neighbor or his wife if I could buy the popper if they ever decided to sell it. Finally they got tired of me asking and they promised I could have first chance IF they ever decided to sell it. They probably thought that would stop me from asking.

I didn't quit asking. I just didn't ask quite as often and the question turned from "Can I have 1st dibs" to "When are you going to sell . . ." I'm glad we're still friends. Looking back I was really a pain in the neck.

Then low and behold, I caught our neighbors wife on just the right day. She was so excited to share the news that they were expecting their first grandchild. I was excited for her too! But as she was about to leave I asked that age old question again. And she bit! She said she was going to be needing a camcorder for the baby's arrival and if she could talk her husband into selling me the popper it would be a good down payment on one. And off she went.

A few minutes later she called and said - and I will never forget these words, "If you want it, come and get it NOW!" I don't think I've ever moved so fast in my life.

AD got his 2-wheeler and we wheeled that popper right over to our house.

One slight problem - we didn't have a 220 outlet to plug it into. So I went looking for an electrician to wire the house. A couple of weeks later (which gave us time to put a fresh coat of paint on the popper) we were in business.



Wasn't that a fine looking popper? And it made great popcorn! On Sunday nights after church we had popcorn for supper - literally. Of course we had popcorn other nights through the week, but we always had popcorn on Sunday nights.

When G1 and G2 came along they loved watching the popper overflow with popcorn.

One day our neighbor's wife asked me if I ever decided to part with the popper, if they could buy it back. I laughed and said "Sure" thinking that was NEVER going to happen in my lifetime.

Don't ever say or even think the work NEVER.

A few years passed and G1 and G2 were getting older. AD and I wanted to take them to Disney World. How to raise some money for the trip? We had a couple of garage sales. I still felt we needed a little more cash.

I looked at my popper - and I thought about it - and I thought NO - but the question was still there - NO, I'd think again. Then finally I decided to part with that wonderful popper.

I called the neighbor's wife, and just like she'd said to me a few years earlier, I said, "Come get it NOW if you want it." We did have a wonderful trip to Disney and I don't regret selling the popper back to the person who had "shared" it with me.

But I continued to think about owning another popper. We didn't really have room for a big one.

A few weeks ago we were in Kohl's and I saw this on display. A little miniature reproduction of a movie popcorn popper. It wasn't all that expensive and I had some Kohl's cash so I brought one home. While it's not the same as a "real" movie popper, it does quite a nice job. And I'm happy with it.

Now if you've stuck with me through this long story I thank you. And I have a recipe to share with you.

Do you like Kettle Corn? For a long time I thought the only way to have Kettle Corn was to go to a fair or Silver Dollar City or somewhere like that. Then I came across a recipe for Kettle Corn that you can make right in your own home.

Kettle Corn can be made in a large pot or, even easier in my opinion, in one of these - a Stir Crazy. They were popular years ago and they seem to be making a comeback, although a slow comeback. But either way - pot or Stir Crazy - here's the recipe and it's SO easy!

Kettle Corn

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
salt (optional)

Heat the vegetable oil in a Stir Crazy popcorn popper (or in a large pot over medium heat.) Once the oil is hot, add in the sugar and let the little stirrer do its job. When the sugar has started to kind of melt a little, add the popcorn. Cover, and let pop until the popping slows. Immediately unplug the Stir Crazy and invert it so the popcorn doesn’t burn. Shake on salt if desired.

If using a large pot, when the oil is hot, add the sugar and the popcorn and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps. Shake on salt if desired.

That's it for this post. Talk to you soon.

From this Oklahoma Granny - I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!