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Old-Fashioned Popped Corn

Kids love the noise and excitement of popping corn outside the microwave. This recipe has been modified from my mother's kitchen bible, Joy of Cooking (Bobbs-Merill 1985).

One-half cup corn makes about 1 quart of popcorn.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons or more of melted butter or grated cheese

Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a heavy-lidded or electric skillet over high heat.

My mother's method for determining whether the oil is hot enough is to add a single drop of water to the pan and wait to hear it sizzle. If your oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. When the oil is hot, cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of the popcorn kernels and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.

As soon as the popcorn begins popping, run the pan back and forth across the burner. When the popping slows, remove pan from heat (keeping the lid on) and wait for popping to subside.

Pour popcorn into a large bowl and discard imperfect kernels. To save time, use the same pan for melting butter. Top warm popcorn with butter and salt or cheese and toss gently with a wooden spoon.

Popcorn Toppers

Here are updated toppings to really make the flavor of the popcorn pop.

· Add M&Ms for a touch of color and a mouth-watering mixture of salty and sweet.

· My mother would sprinkle on Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese from its cylindrical green shaker. For a modern update on an old favorite, try topping your popcorn with grated Asiago cheese.

· If you don't have the time or inclination to make a batch of caramel corn, sprinkle the warm popcorn with brown sugar. Add some cinnamon to spice things up even more.

· For grown-ups looking for a little extra kick, try adding Cajun seasoning. For a milder kick, add Cavender's Greek seasoning.

Note: When using seasonings that already contain salt, adjust the amount of salt accordingly. For a more uniform coating, put popcorn and toppings into a large bag and shake well.

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