Several years ago, we stopped buying microwave popcorn. We were concerned about the artificial colors and flavors and we also decided that we preferred the flavor of stop top popcorn. Of course, with stove top popcorn, you have to get out a pot, heat the oil, add the corn, and shake it till the corn is done popping. Some nights, after I’ve cooked supper and washed the dishes, I’m just not up for that. I made a rule that whoever wants to eat popcorn has to wash up, and that pretty much squashed all the popcorn requests after supper. Nobody wants to wash another pot after supper.
Photo by Flickr/Jaynneandd
My second daughter absolutely loves popcorn. So when I found a new technique for making microwave popcorn in a plain brown paper sack, I knew she’d love it. I tried it and it works marvelously. While it doesn’t make quite enough for each member of our family of six to have a full serving, it’s easy enough that we can make several bags of popcorn. I think even my eight-year-old son could do this.
Here’s what you do.
You’ll need a brown paper lunch sack, some cooking oil, and a half cup of popcorn.
Measure out the popcorn and drizzle a teaspoon of cooking oil over it. I do this while it’s in the measuring cup. Dump the popcorn into the sack and shake it to coat all the kernels with oil. Add some salt if you like. Fold the top of the bag over twice and fasten it with a length of masking tape.
Stand the popcorn in the microwave and start the microwave just like you would for a commercially produced bag of popcorn. I have a popcorn bag on my microwave, and it cooked my popcorn perfectly.
Remove the bag when the kernels stop popping or slow down. Don’t overcook it or your house will smell like burned popcorn for days!
Carefully remove the bag from the microwave. Open it with caution because the steam will be VERY hot.
Serve in bowls in front of the television while watching a John Wayne movie.
Enjoy!
