Originally this post was going to be about Halloween, but then I realized there are so many reasons I love Fall other than just the holiday on Oct. 31. It's the most colorful time of year with the leaves changing and apples and squashes filling the grocery story. It's no longer hot, but still sunny and warm most days, and with the holiday season approaching there's a happy sense of anticipation that adds a slight skip to your step.
Of course one of the best parts of the season is all the yummy food you can start eating again: hot chocolate, pie, pumpkin. A couple weeks ago my husband and I tried making popcorn balls for the first time and with a few additions they turned out pretty well. Here's the recipe from http://allrecipes.com.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn | 6 tablespoons butter 5 cups miniature marshmallows |
Directions:
| 1. | Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside. |
| 2. | Add vegetable oil to a 4 quart saucepan, and heat over high heat. When oil is hot, add popping corn. Keep pan moving constantly. When corn stops popping, remove from heat. Put popcorn in prepared pan. |
| 3. | Melt butter In a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook until melted, stirring constantly. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and mix with spoon to coat evenly. |
| 4. | Let mixture cool slightly. Smear butter on your hands or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix popcorn with your hands so that it is evenly coated. |
| 5. | Form popcorn into 8 balls. |
My husband and I added junior mints to the popcorn before the marshmallow mixture, so they would melt and distribute the color/flavor evenly. I think next time I'll intersperse some candy corn too.
Finally, who doesn't like pretending their someone or something else for a little while?
