S'mores Popcorn and some more book talk

Recipe challenge, week twenty-eight

Continuing with the s'mores theme...

Yesterday, I had a to-do list a mile long. I was listening to my audiobook while I was driving around town and it got to be so good that I couldn't continue on with all the stuff I had to do because I had to finish the audiobook.  I sat at my desk and stared at the wall for like 5 hours while I listened to this book.  I browsed meaninglessly online, but I couldn't comprehend anything I was reading because I was so drawn into the story.

The Sea of Tranquility, in case you're wondering.  After I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads (is there a way to give 6 stars?), I started looking through the other 5 star books I'd read this year: The Girl on the Train, Coming Clean, The Storyteller, and One Plus One.  Also, Better Than Before, but that's like self-help so it probably doesn't count.  And I'd kind of like to go back and give The Storyteller 4 stars.  When I come across a book that's SO great, others kind of lose their luster. Or maybe The Sea of Tranquility is just a 6 star book.  Not only is it a fascinating story, but it's a fascinating story with an ending that kind of blew me away.  I predicted the ending like 28 seconds before it happened, just for the record.  The ending took it from "great story" to "whoa, this writer knows what she's doing".

Anyway.

That's why the laundry isn't done.

Here's some popcorn.

S'Mores Popcorn

1-2 bags of popped popcorn (I used about 1 1/2 bags of lightly salted, no butter)
20 large marshmallows or 2 cups mini-marshmallows

1 T. butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 T. corn syrup

2 cups mini marshmallows

2 Hershey bars, melted

6 graham crackers, roughly chopped

NOTE: (Pour the popped popcorn into a bowl, and then put the popped kernels into another, bigger, bowl to separate the unpopped kernels...does that make sense? You do not want to chomp down on an unpopped kernel.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup together.  It doesn't have to boil, just melt. Add in the marshmallows.  Stir well and let them melt.  When the mixture is nice and smooth, pour it over the popped popcorn and fold with a spatula to coat.  

Melt the Hershey bars (note: this doesn't really work with chocolate chips) at 30 second intervals in the microwave and stir until smooth.  Drizzle over the popcorn and fold it in with a spatula.  Add in the chopped graham crackers and toss it all to mix well.  

Store in a Ziploc bag.  It's best served right away but can last just fine overnight.  

Red Velvet Popcorn

A few weeks ago, Scott and I went to see Wolf of Wall Street.  Now, the only theater playing this was almost an hour away.  It became an all-day affair.  

Let me paint you a picture:

In Alaska, we lived 5 minutes from one of those 16 screen, brand-new, stadium seating multi-plexes.  

We would go to a late movie, the ones starting at 9:30pm, and the idea would be suggested around 6 pm…"Wanna go to a movie?"  

"Sure."

I'd put on my sweatpants, we'd leave the house at 9:15pm, and be in bed by midnight.  Plus, that theater was never very crowded because it was in "the valley".  

(I'm sure I've told this story before.)

Anyway, here, if we want to go to a nice theater, it's an hour drive.

We did it though and, since we had to plan the entire day around the movie showtime, we went to Target first.  

Scott said he was going to take a nap in the car while I went in (the long drive exhausted us both).  Twenty minutes later, my arms full of clothes, I found him in the Valentine's aisle, his arms also full.  Clothes, socks, soap…he'd been taken in by Target.

As we walked to the register, nearly dropping things (you don't get a cart unless you mean business and I was trying to avoid that), he said, "It's so quiet in here".  I said, "And that's the appeal of Target…straight-up middle class.  It's quiet.  It's pleasant.  You don't leave with a headache and an impending anxiety attack.  Welcome."

Anyway, while we were at the movies, we ate one of the BIG buckets of popcorn (it was a long movie).

The next day,  I made this dessert popcorn.  It was after we'd eaten it all in one day, Scott told me he doesn't like popcorn.  

Red Velvet Popcorn

1 T. butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cream cheese frosting + extra for drizzling

1/2 cup powdered red velvet cake mix 

1 t. vanilla

2 T. corn syrup

2 cups mini marshmallows

Sprinkles

2 bags popped popcorn (Pour the popped popcorn into a bowl, and then put the popped kernels into another, bigger, bowl to separate the unpopped kernels.  You don't want to chomp down on a kernel!)

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup together.  It doesn't have to boil or anything.  Stir in the cake mix and frosting.  Once combined, add in the marshmallows.  Stir well and let them melt.  When the mixture is nice and smooth, pour it over the popped popcorn and fold with a spatula to coat.  Decorate with sprinkles.  Warm the extra frosting in the microwave and drizzle it over the popcorn. Serve warm or store in an airtight container once cooled.

Funfetti Popcorn

A pre-scheduled post...

As I type on this snowy April day, I'm quite annoyed at the stupid bag of funfetti popcorn that I made.  Some of it got more caramel-y marshmallow-y sauce on it than other parts.  So I'm digging through the bag, picking out the chewy stuff, ruining my dinner and my teeth.  

Hmph.

If you're going to make this, just...share it.  Please. I threw the bag across the room.  Scott found it and finished it off.  Teamwork is important.

Funfetti Popcorn

inspired by this recipe

1 T. butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vanilla or cream cheese frosting

1/2 cup powdered cake mix (white, yellow, or funfetti)

1 t. vanilla

2 T. corn syrup

2 cups mini marshmallows

Sprinkles

1 bag popped popcorn (Pour the popped popcorn into a bowl, and then put the popped kernels into another, bigger, bowl to separate the unpopped kernels...does that make sense? You do not want to chomp down on an unpopped kernel. Speaking from experience. Twice.)

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup together.  It doesn't have to boil or anything.  Stir in the cake mix and frosting.  Once combined, add in the marshmallows.  Stir well and let them melt.  When the mixture is nice and smooth, pour it over the popped popcorn and fold with a spatula to coat.  Decorate with sprinkles.  Serve warm or store in an airtight container once cooled.