Daily snack: Orville Redenbacher’s Select White

I’m a big advocate of popcorn. Can’t get enough of the stuff. Fills you up, it’s a whole grain, you can make it or buy it as low fat as you like, and it tastes great. And even after all of those reports from last year that said microwavable popcorn was the number one killer in America (or some such) I kept on buying it; didn’t stop for a minute. Because I’m hooked. Have been since the mid-‘80s, when everyday after school my snack of choice was a shared sack of Orville Redenbacher’s, the trailblazer in the world of easy at-home popcorn preparation.

Even when my bottom lip would swell and then harden due to some sort of allergic reaction (it was either the yellow dye or the salt or the hydrogenated oil; still not sure) – I kept eating it. And I’m still eating.

But today marks the dawn of a whole new era in my world of microwavable popcorn, as I’ve just tried Orville Redenbacker’s new Select White for the first time. White, light, fluffy like cirrus clouds and as salty as a brackish estuary; there’s a touch of real butter in there too and you can really taste it, albeit mixed in with the bad boy palm oil.

It’s by far the best microwavable popcorn I’ve ever had. In fact, it’s so good that even if my lip swells up again, I’m going to keep on eating.

My daily snack

If, like me, you've always thought that microwave popcorn was a one-trick pony, here's a twist on a familiar go-to snack.

I was recently sent a delivery that included a box of Cineplex Big Screen Snax microwavable popcorn, along with a big tin can full of Cranberry Caramel Corn, with the recipe attached. 

The thought was nice, but the popcorn was stale. I liked the idea behind the caramel corn born of microwavable popcorn though, and have definite plans to pop up some corn and make the recipe my own. Perhaps I'll sub Smarties for the cranberries, and I'll likely throw some nuts in there too. 

But for now, here's their recipe. Let me know how it goes.

CRANBERRY CARAMEL CORN

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

2 bags Cineplex Big Screen Snax light popcorn, popped

Method:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, stir in corn syrup, sugar and salt; stir constantly until mixture comes to a light boil. Simmer without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in baking soda and vanilla (careful! it foams up).

Put popped corn in a large bowl, pour hot mixture over corn and mix well. Add chopped cranberries and spread coated corn into large cake pans and bake for 30 minutes, stirring at the 10 and 20-minute intervals.

Remove caramel corn from oven and allow to cool for 10-12 minutes before serving.