Air-Popped Buffalo Popcorn

It’s Friday, and what better way to end the week than with a movie and a big bowl of popcorn.  Sounds lovely right about now!!  Almost all of us reach for boxes with little prepackaged bags of kernels to throw in the microwave for a couple minutes and out comes piping hot, buttery, salty popcorn.  Yummy!!  Popcorn has always been a favorite snack of mine, but no more prepackaged popcorn in this house, only air-popped popcorn.  It’s healthier, more affordable, and the possibilities of flavor combinations are endless.

Almost all the corn produced in this country is genetically modified, but that is only the beginning of the health problems associated with bagged popcorn.  A common buttery flavor ingredient, diacetyl, is linked to a whole host of health issues including Alzheimer’s and lung disease.  Aside from diacetyl, the bags contain another harmful chemical called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA).  PFOA is from a line of chemicals I’ve mentioned this week, PFC, and likely a carcinogen (a cancer causing substance).  But hey, it’s Friday, and I really don’t want to focus on the bad.  Let’s make some better-for-you popcorn!!

So, the best part about making it on your own?  Abag of Arrowhead Mills Organic kernels is about $3 and will be enough for about 34+ servings!  Perfect for a classroom snack, tailgating, entertaining, Halloween, or a quiet Friday night.  It’s easy to make on the stove top!  If you have a large 3 quart saucepan here’s directions.  Since we all love popcorn in my house, I purchased this stovetop popcorn maker.  The popcorn comes out perfect every time!

Most recipes call for canola oil, but I’ve used olive oil for every batch so far, and have not had a problem.  If you use canola oil, be aware most canola is genetically modified, so look for an organic one.

I added 3 tbsp olive oil, let it heat for a minute before adding 1/3 cup kernels.  Once the popcorn was popped I poured it into a large bowl and let it cool for a minute.

Since it’s now football season, I wanted a flavor that would be great for tailgating or watch games with friends.  I melted 1 tbsp of butter, and added 1 tbsp of wing sauce, mixed well, and poured it into a vinegar dispenser.  I found using the dispenser to add the sauce makes a big difference.  I added some of the hot sauce mixture to the popcorn, then shook it around to spread evenly.  Once it was all covered I poured it out into a serving bowl.

This will be the perfect snack for football season!  You can always leave out the wing sauce, and you have the perfect snack for the kiddos, too!  We can’t get enough right now.