Kettle Corn!

I had to share one of my new favorite toys...the Whirley Pop. My friend Paige made popcorn in her Whirley Pop for a sleepover a couple years ago and it was the best popcorn ever! I've been looking for one ever since. When we were out Christmas shopping a few weeks ago, the hubs wanted to stop in at a tool store. Ugh! We've been to this tool store several times and it is always torture. He can aimlessly walk around that place FOREVER and there is not a darn thing that interests me there. I usually follow him around playing on my Blackberry the whole time complaining that I'm bored (I admit it!). Anyway, I walk into the store expecting the usual and run right into a whole display of Whirley Pops! I was so excited! So, we bought a few for friends and family and one of myself (of course!)

When we got home, I had to try it out. I could have just made plain popcorn for my first attempt, but kettle corn is our favorite so I tried that first. (Why walk when you can run, right?) It took me three burnt batches before I made a good batch! There are a few tricks to the thing that I had to find out the hard way. First, you really have to spin the thing...like fast (thus the name "whirley" I guess?) And, if you add the sugar in the beginning, it gets too hot and burns more easily. We like our kettle corn with a hint of sugar and salt and less like caramel corn. I've tweaked the recipe that was in the book a bit to meet our tastes. Here it is:

Whirley Pop Kettle Corn

3 T Canola Oil

1/2 cup Popcorn Kernels (I use whatever's cheapest)

1/3 cup Sugar

2 tsp Salt

Preheat Whirley Pop. Add oil and popcorn kernels and close top. When the kernels begin to pop, quickly open the top and add the sugar and salt.

Close the lid again and spin the handle...fast! The popping will slow because the sugar cools it off, but keep stirring and it will start up again. When the popping slows, take off the heat and immediately pour into a bowl. Let it cool, COMPLETELY. Even though there are cool spots on the top, the three year old will inevitably grab popcorn from the still-hot center and burn her mouth (just sayin :))

Still loving my new camera, can you tell? Seriously, though, this stuff is soooo good! You can use up to 1/2 cup of sugar and it will be more caramel corn-ish in it's coating. But, again, stir the thing FAST or it will burn and your house will smell like burnt popcorn and sugar for a week. Trust me!