Sweet Suppertime

heavy on the butter and sugar...

White Chocolate Covered Popcorn

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Christmas popcorn, Christmas treats, sweet suppertime

It doesn’t get any easier than this! ( And yes, I realize that these are in the same classification of Rice Krispie Treats.)  No judging until you have tried them!  This popcorn treat is fun to make, fun to eat, fun to package, fun to vary, fun to give away, fun to keep…..well you get the idea.
This summer I attended the wedding reception for the son of a good friend of mine.  As we left they had adorable popcorn cartons filled with the most delicious variation of popcorn mix that I had ever seen.  Then I tasted it and fell in love.  Your imagination is literally your only limitation with the mix.  For the Christmas Season I have used mint creme candies, crushed candy canes, chocolate coated candies and chocolate covered pretzels.  At Halloween I love to toss in candy corn or/and pieces of caramel.  Sometimes I drizzle milk chocolate for added color.  I had a dream the other night that I started with a layer of potato chips, milk chocolate, popcorn, white chocolate, pretzels etc.  Yes I dream food! This is a great last minute party treat and a super delicious neighbor gift at Christmas!

This is how I made mine today…

Christmas Treats, sweet suppertime

Pop one 3.3 oz butter flavor popcorn in the microwave and pour out on a large jelly roll pan covered in parchment or wax paper.  Remove all unpopped kernels. My mom had a handy Tupperware that could do this job but alas I had to use the hunt and peck method.
Now it’s to add all the the nummy treats to the top of your popped corn!  Reserve a few of your smaller treats to add to the top after you have drizzled your white chocolate.  When I make mine I sort of break the pan into sections, putting different treats in each section so that when I put them in a bowl or package it all up it looks like there is a lot of variety.

Christmas Popcorn

Now comes the super fun part; melting and drizzling the white chocolate.  Pour 1 package (12 oz) of white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl (I like glass).  This is how I melt mine;
Microwave on half power for one minute.
Remove and stir once.
Microwave on half power for another minute.
Remove and stir a couple of times.
Microwave on full power for 30 seconds.
Stir until smooth and start drizzling baby!  I like using a metal tablespoon (dinnerware style) to do this.
Now, be generous and get a good coating on this as the chocolate is what binds it all together.  When you have it all nice a pretty, toss on those reserved candies to add color and texture to what the eye sees before the mouth consumes.

Christmas Popcorn, Gift Ideas

Let your masterpiece sit for 30 minutes while the chocolate dries.  Gently break it in to pieces for serving.  It goes a bit like this at my house; one for the bowl, one for me, one for the bowl, a bite for me… this usually yields 1/2 bowl and one happy tummy. 🙂  If that’s the case wrap it up pretty and give it to someone you REALLY like.

White Chocolate Covered Popcorn by Sweet Suppertime

Ingredients

1  3.3 oz. bag butter flavored microwave popcorn, popped and unpopped kernals discarded
1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips
Candy of your choice such as:
chocolate coated candies
chocolate covered pretzels, broken in large pieces
chocolate mint cremes
crushed candy cane…the possibilities are endless

Instructions

After popping the popcorn, pour it out on a large jelly roll pan covered with wax paper or parchment.  Sort through the popped corn and discard any kernels that have not popped. Spread out evenly on the pan. Sprinkle your desired candies on the top.  Be as generous as your taste buds and budget allows. Reserve a few candies to place on top of the finished product.
Melt one 12 oz package of white chocolate chips in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.  Use half power for in minute in the microwave, remove and stir.  Microwave for an additional minute on half power, remove and stir.  Microwave one last time on full power for 30 seconds.  Remove and stir until smooth, then quickly drizzle over the prepared popcorn and candies.  You will want to use the entire bag of white chocolate as this is what holds the popcorn bark together.  Sprinkle any reserved candies on top and allow to cool and dry for 30 minutes.
Gently break into pieces and enjoy!  (and maybe even share)

After School Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Sweet Suppertime Chocolate Chip Cookies
Danny is 17 and believes in chocolate chip cookies with all his heart.  It has come from years and years of being indoctrinated after school by a very specific chocolate chip cookie. He doesn’t know how easy it is to make, that’s my little secret.  But I do love making cookies for my kids.
I think before you can talk cookie–or in this case share a cookie recipe–you sort of have to set some fundamental cookie rules. It’s important for any reader to know that, while I like dark chocolate and have been known to bake with semi-sweet morsels now and then, I am definitely a milk chocolate kind of girl.  Additionally it is important to note that I am loyal to a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie. I have often tried a new recipe only to find out that it’s too “cake” like or “crispy”.  This cookie is soft and chewy, a bit salty and loaded with chocolate chips.  Sometimes I toss in white chocolate chips, sometimes peanut butter chips and if I feel domestic a dip them halfway in melted chocolate.  What I love most about this recipe is that it’s a small batch and I am in and out in under an hour which makes it the perfect cookie for an after school snack.  And because I whip these babies up in a bowl with a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease the clean up just seems simpler.
In this recipe I use shortening, it keeps the dough soft and if you take a look up here you won’t see vanilla.  What?! No vanilla? I forgot to add it one day and found that I really liked the flavor of the dough better without it so…no vanilla here.  If you love vanilla add a bit.
Cream the sugars and shortening together until it’s nice and creamy and then add the egg, stirring the dough until you can’t tell you added the egg, about 20 strokes.  Add the salt and baking soda followed by the flour.
Stir until the flour is incorporated and then add all those happy little chocolate chips!   These I just fold gently into the dough and then using a cookie scoop, put 12 balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet or pizza stone.
After placing them on an ungreased, cool cookie sheet I like to push them down gently with my fingers and sprinkle just a bit of sea salt on top.
Pushing them down just seems to keep them from flattening out too much which gives them that crispy edge that I don’t care for. I also bake just a few the first round so that I can see if they need more flour to keep their shape.  Most of the time they don’t.
Sweet Suppertime Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bake at 350 degrees for about 9 minutes.  Cool on your cookie sheet for about two minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  They are fast, easy and delicious and they make my house smell like “home” when the kids come through the door.  These are the perfect after school chocolate chip cookie.

After School Chocolate Chip Cookies      Sweet Suppertime

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white super
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars together.  Add egg and stir.  Add soda and salt evenly over the dough and stir until well incorporated.  Add flour and once the flour is absorbed into the dough fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls or use a cookie sheet to drop 12 balls of dough onto a cool, ungreased cookie sheet or stone.  Press the dough down lightly with your fingers and top with a few sprinkles of sea salt.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until edges are turning golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool for two minutes before transferring to a wire rack.