| Home | “‘Microwave popcorn’ that comes in a bag is fast and easy, but there is controversy over how safe it is to eat.” |
1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz.) of popping corn $0.06
3 tablespoons (3/8 stick) of butter 0.22
1/2 teaspoon of popcorn (extra fine) salt 0.02
0.13 kilowatt-hours of electricity 0.01
----
Total cost $0.31
|
“Microwave popcorn” that comes in a bag is fast and easy, but there is controversy over how safe it is to eat. In addition to the controversy, even the “natural” (no artificial butter flavor) type includes vegetable oil, which is not a good thing to cook with. Better to buy a bag of inexpensive popping corn, pop it in real butter, and save some money to boot. (There is no reason to waste money buying expensive “gourmet” popping corn. The thing that makes popcorn really delicious is the freshly melted butter and the extra fine salt.)
In order to prepare this recipe, you will need a 7 cup microwavable glass baking container with a plastic lid. The glass bowl that I use came from Wal-Mart®. It is the largest of a set of 4 bowls manufactured by the Anchor Hocking Company (anchorhocking.com). (http://LLBest.com/EnergyEfficientCooking.htm). It comes with a plastic lid, but I don’t recommend that you use it for this particular recipe because it has a tendency to melt at the high temperatures generated by popping popcorn. Instead, I use a 7¼ inch diameter lid that comes with a “disposable” microwave container by Ziploc®. This lid fits fairly well when placed upside-down on top of the bowl.
1. Add ½ teaspoon of popcorn (extra fine) salt* and 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) of butter to a 7 cup (1¾ quart) microwavable glass bowl.
2. Microwave uncovered, on high, until the butter is completey melted.
3. Rock the bowl from side to side until all of the salt is completely wet with butter.
4. Microwave uncovered, on high, for one additional minute.
5. Quickly add ¼ cup of popping corn.
6. Quickly cover the bowl with a loose fitting, microwavable plastic lid, or 2nd best is an upside-down paper plate. (Do not use a glass lid, because the glass reduces the amount of microwave energy that reaches the popcorn.).
7. Microwave on high until the container is full to overflowing, and the popping has slowed to 1 pop every 3 or 4 seconds (approximately 2 minutes).
8. Remove from the microwave, but keep covered.
9. Using a 1 cup microwavable container, melt another tablespoon or two of butter, and pore it over the popped popcorn.
10. Preferably, serve while still warm, but is also excellent after it has cooled to room temperature.
* A good substitute for popcorn salt is celery salt.
| Home | THIS WEB PAGE URL: http://LLBest.com/WorldsBestPopcorn2.htm |