Whirley Popcorn

Sometime during Jr. High, I started eating a bag of popcorn on an almost daily basis.  My popcorn eating habits decreased tremendously because for some reason, I could never figure out how to pop a good bag of popcorn in my microwave.  I tried more during the summers if there was a different microwave, but it usually proved unsuccessful.  On occasion, things would end up with the apartment smelling like smoke, and I would toss the bag out on the porch:

Then I got engaged, and one of our presents from Peter's brother and sister in-law was a Whirley Pop.  I had only a vague idea of how to make popcorn on the stove, but I gave it a shot.  That is when my life was forever changed.

I'd like to say that in our 8 short months of marriage, I have mastered the popping technique, and I have also gotten rather creative, too.  It's all about timing.  You put just a couple tablespoons of oil into the popper (more if you're adding a lot of seasonings that need to stick to the kernels) over medium heat.  Then you put about 3 kernels of popcorn in.  Once those 3 have popped, it is time to add your popcorn. and stir.

As I have previously stated, I'm starting to get creative with the popcorn, more so than just butter and salt.  Whirley Pop's website has  a whole "recipe book" of popcorn.  I've tried a few, and I feel that it is my duty to report back to you (whoever you are) how they turned out.

Kettle Corn
This is my go-to popcorn.  If I don't feel like putting together some sort of fancy popcorn, and I want more than butter, then I make kettle corn.  You just add some sugar when you add popcorn.  The problem I have found is that if you don't keep stirring the popcorn until it has cooled, you ended up with a popcorn ball in the shape of your bowl instead of separate pieces of popcorn.

Game Day Chili-Cheese Popcorn
 This one is pretty darn good, a combination of popcorn, chili powder, garlic salt, and cheese.  I could definitely see myself watching a Cardinals game or the NHRA races with a bowl of this popcorn in my hand.  Whatever you do, don't add the cheese while the popcorn is still in the popper.  I still haven't figured out how to keep all of the cheese from falling to the bottom of the bowl.  It's sort of like bagglers, though.  (Bagglers=French fries at the bottom of your happy meal bag.)  While it is annoying to have to pick out the cheese from the bottom of the bowl, you still get excited knowing that there is more leftover.

Bacon Flavored Whirley Popcorn
This one requires the substitution of leftover bacon grease instead of olive oil/veggie oil to pop the popcorn.  I was surprisingly disappointed with this one.  The directions clearly stated that it is good without butter or salt because of the mild bacon flavor.  Wrong.  Perhaps the problem was that I went directly from eating delicious, flavorful, crunchy bacon to eating popcorn with nothing on it but bacon grease.   Perhaps if you saved the bacon and crumbled it up to mix in with the popcorn, it might taste better.  If I'm being honest though, the bacon wouldn't last long enough for the popcorn to pop because it would be eaten before then.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn
Cinnamon, sugar, and popcorn--a pleasant combination.  If Kettle corn is too boring for you, then add a dash of cinnamon.  The directions say to pour the spice mixture into the popper right after you take it off the heat.  However, that just burnt the cinnamon.  If you wait just a little bit, then it won't burn.  Remember, a little bit goes a long way when it comes to cinnamon.

Garlic-Parmesan Popcorn
I've only made this once, and I don't remember too much about it.  That tells me it wasn't the best, and it wasn't the worst.

Southwestern Popcorn
This was the popcorn that inspired me to write this post.  I made it last night after I got off work.  It is a whole heap of southwestern-flavored spices and some popcorn.   The southwestern  popcorn is probably the only popcorn that was so good, I couldn't finish the bowl.  It was just too much deliciousness to handle.  I recommend having a glass of water to go with this bowl, because between the slight kick and all the spices, you're going to need something to wash it all down.  I probably won't make this too frequently just for the fact that I don't want to go through all my spices in one week.  It is also the first recipe that I have used my coriander for, so that was a milestone moment in marriage.

There are about a thousand other popcorn recipes that I am just dying to try, including mastering the art of caramel corn.  However, this is a pretty darn good start.  Friends, be warned.  If I can't find anything good on your wedding registry if/when you decide to get married, I just might buy you a Whirley Pop.