Kettle Corn

This is one of my all time FAVORITE recipes! I got on a kettle corn kick a couple of years ago.

In Tallahassee when I was at Florida State, I loved going down to the downtown market on Saturday mornings to get the freshly popped sweet & salty snack.

I found this recipe on Rachel Ray's website and it's super easy. I've got it memorized & I've easily made it about 2 dozen times.

If you are a kettle corn lover, you need to try making it yourself. It's much better than the instant bagged stuff (blahh...) and it's more accessible than stand at a weekend market or state fair!

Here it is:

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Putting It ALL Together

In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn. When the oils sizzles, sprinkle the sugar over the kernels.

Cover and shake the pan until the popping slows down, about 3 minutes. [Beware! If you don't continually shake the pan, it will burn the sugar & ruin the kernels].

Remove from the heat and toss with the salt. [I transfer the popped corn into a gallon sized ziploc bag and then shake with salt...this mixes it together easier.]

Chickpea & Raisin Salad

OK, your first impression of this title may be "BLLLAHH," because of the interesting combination of ingredients. But, wait! Give this recipe a chance.

I follow the magazine REAL SIMPLE on Twitter & I saw them post this recipe for a "Chickpea and Raisin Salad" with the claim that "It only takes 15 minutes!"

It was about time for lunch, and I happened to have all the ingredients, so I gave it a chance.

I cut the recipe in half, because I only had 1 can of chickpeas & I was only making it to feed myself.

I'm not used to eating chickpeas on their own (I mainly buy them to make hummus). But the combination of all the ingredients in this recipe really balances out all the flavors. (and I'm here to say, it REALLY did only take 15 minutes). Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

3 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed

1 cup fresh cilantro

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt & pepper

Putting It ALL Together

In a small saucepan, combine the raisins, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a simmer (raisins should plump up a little), remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the chickpeas, cilantro, scallions, and raisin mixture to the oil, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Verdict: This would be a good side item at a picnic or BBQ...rather than the typical pasta or potato salad. The raisins adds sweetness & the cilantro and scallions add a burst of flavor.