It is hard to beat the convenience of microwave popcorn. It had a few faults - including burning in a snap, but none enough to keep me from eating it. Then, I learned that the stuff might be toxic…and I knew there had to be a better way. Unwilling to donate precious cupboard/pantry real-estate to a large oil-popper, and even more unwilling to tolerate the blandness of air-popped popcorn, I set out to find a method to make my own popcorn using the things I already had in my kitchen. And wouldn’t you know it, my favorite culinary genius, Alton Brown, already had a solution for me (scroll down for “perfect popcorn”). I’ve made a few tweaks, but this recipe consistently produces excellent popcorn in just a few minutes.  He also has a microwave method that I plan to test in the coming weeks - I will let you know how it goes.

STOVE-TOP POPCORN

INGREDIENTS:

3 oz unpopped popcorn kernels

3 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp salt (fine-grain or “popcorn” if you have it)

Seasonings to taste (see below for ideas)

EQUIPMENT:

1 large stainless steel measuring bowl

aluminum foil

Tongs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a LARGE stainless steel mixing bowl.

2. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, and make a few cuts to allow steam to escape.

3. Over a burner set to medium heat, shake/slide the bowl back and forth. Use tongs to grip the bowl. Continue to shake continuously for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the popcorn is done popping (nothing will happen for a few minutes, then there will be 30 seconds or so of popping).

4. Remove bowl from heat. Carefully remove aluminum foil. Bowl will be HOT, so don’t burn yourself.

5. Season to taste and enjoy!

Seasoning ideas:

My favorite combination is nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and onion powder. You could use any combination of herbs that you like, powdered ranch dressing mix, cinnamon and sugar, cumin and cayenne - get creative!

What is your favorite way to enjoy popcorn?

Got kind of lost on my run - took a new route through an unfamiliar neighborhood. That’ll teach me to run a new route before driving it first in my car! Oh well, at least it was a beautiful day.

If you haven’t made home made hummus before, there’s no better time to start. Most of the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find - chickpeas/garbanzo beans, lemon juice, garlic, salt, olive oil. The one trickier ingredient is tahini, which is a paste made from roasted sesame seeds. You can probably find it in either the international section or the health foods section at your local grocery store. I find it runs around $7-8 for a 1-lb jar, but as you’ll see you only use a little in each batch of hummus, so you can probably still save money over buying the pre-made stuff. Plus, home-made always tastes better.

We had some grilled bell peppers leftover, which inspired me to make this twist on my usual hummus recipe. You could roast the bell peppers in the oven, or use jarred roasted peppers. I left the charred skin on the pepper, and I thought the hummus came out great. Use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers - not green ones.

ROASTED PEPPER HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS:

1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed well (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)

3 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt to taste, about 1/2 tsp

1 roasted or grilled bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, skin left on

Dash paprkia

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor.

2. Process until very smooth. You’ll probably need to scrape down the bowl a few times. If needed, add water 1 tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency.

3. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Enjoy with veggies or pita bread for dipping, or use as a sandwich spread.

Another of my favorite hummus recipes is honey curry hummus (scroll down for recipe). I just use a tablespoon of curry powder and a dash of cayenne for the spices in that recipe. I can’t stay out of that one, it disappears fast!!

Have you ever made your own hummus? What’s your favorite flavor of hummus?