When you think of popcorn you think of fun things: movies, parties, Friday night Shabbos treats, Shabbos afternoon snacks, Shalom Zachors, Kiddushim, etc.  It’s the kind of treat you see everywhere and in which everyone likes to indulge. I want to share different variations of popcorn that you can enjoy.  It’s so much fun to change the basic nature and jazz it up now and then.  Hope you enjoy.

Colored Popcorn

(great for Shalom Zachor (blue) or Simchat Bat (pink)

2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

⅔ cups butter or margarine

6 quarts plain popped popcorn

2 packages Kool-Aid (any flavor you want)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 F.

Boil sugar, syrup and butter/margarine together for 3 minutes.

On a large shallow ungreased baking dish, spread out popped popcorn.

In a separate bowl, combine the Kool-Aid with the baking soda.

Remove sugar syrup from the stove and carefully stir in the Kool-Aid mixture. (Note: This will make the sugar mixture puff up. Be careful to not get burned.)

Now take sugar mixture and pour it over the popped popcorn. Carefully mix until combined.

Place it in the oven and stir every 10 minutes. Repeat this three more times.

Take popcorn out of the oven and when it starts to cool, break it apart into pieces.

Alternate food coloring method:

In a pot bring the following to a boil for at least three minutes:

1 cup sugar; 3 tbls. butter or margarine; 3 tbls. of water; your choice of food coloring. While this syrup is boiling, pop four quarts of popcorn. Take out the old maids. In a large bowl, pour the hot syrup over the popcorn; stir to coat.  Pour all this onto wax paper or parchment paper to dry for about an hour.  Enjoy!!!!

Amazing Caramel Popcorn

1 1/3 cup popped popcorn

Double this recipe: one stick margarine; 1 cup brown sugar; ¼ cup light corn syrup; ½ tsp salt.  Boil for five minutes then add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla sugar. Keep mixing for 1 to 2 more minutes. Take mixture and pour over popped popcorn kernels. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Transfer to parchment paper and lay flat in the pan. Bake at 250° for one hour.

My Favorite Chocolate
Popcorn

½ cup sugar

½ cup light corn syrup

½ stick margarine

2 tbls. cocoa

½ tsp. salt

8 cups popcorn

Over medium heat, using a four-quart pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, margarine, cocoa, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once this is well mixed, add the popped corn. Cook and stir until popcorn is coated, approximately two minutes. Cool mixture.

Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years, married for over 35 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.

By Gail Hochman