[recipes]
A Kernel of Joy
Festive, flavorful holiday recipes that pop BY AMY HIGGINS RECIPES@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG A Pop of Piquancy
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Coconut Popcorn Snowballs 2 cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut 3 quarts popped, unflavored white popcorn 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 3 cups miniature marshmallows 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract 8 candy canes or candy cane sticks, about 3-4 inches long
photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board
Popcorn is a baker’s delight. It mixes well with brownie and cookie recipes, and tastes great topped on soups and salads.
Popcorn pops up everywhere during the holidays. From crafting festive garlands to receiving giant gift tins, people love getting their hands on the savory kernels. Whether you’re entertaining, looking for a practical gift idea or wanting a tasty snack while watching your favorite holiday classic, you can easily find creative, delicious popcorn recipes, many that have a punch of holiday pizazz. The Popcorn Board, for one, has a slew of ideas on how to get creative with these bite-sized bits of joy. This holiday season, get popping and try one of these festive recipes.
Grab a Handful When snack cravings kick in, pop some popcorn. With only 30 calories per cup, popcorn is a healthy snack choice.
Festive Popcorn Trees
10 cups air-popped, unflavored white popcorn 1 10-ounce bag miniature marshmallows 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Decorating sugar, holiday colors 1 tube of white frosting (with decorating tip) Assorted small colorful candies, such as sprinkles and miniature silver dragées Spray a large mixing bowl lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Place popcorn in bowl. Place marshmallows and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour mixture over popcorn. Toss well to coat popcorn evenly. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray, then scoop up about 1 cup of popcorn mixture. Shape mixture into a cone shape, keeping the base flat. This forms the tree. Sprinkle tree with decorating sugar; place tree on baking sheet. Repeat to make the rest of the trees. Pipe frosting on trees to make a garland, then decorate them with colorful candies. Serving suggestion: Place each tree on a sugar or gingersnap cookie and decorate your serving tray with shredded coconut to resemble snow.
photo courtesy of The Popcorn Board
TIP
Place a large sheet of parchment paper over a work surface. Spread coconut onto paper. Spray a large mixing bowl lightly with nonstick cooking spray and place popcorn inside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in marshmallows and extract, then stir until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over popcorn and mix well until coated. Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray, scoop up a handful of popcorn mixture and press firmly to form into a ball. Place ball on coconut and roll and press coconut to coat. While holding popcorn ball, gently press a candy cane into the ball. Repeat to make the rest of the snowballs. Serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap for storage.
For more popcorn recipes, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Recipes. 20
DECEMBER 2016
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