Last Snack Day of the Year! Kettle Corn or Kiddie Crack

It's my last turn at snack day until the kid starts GRADE SEVEN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE!!!
Anyway, enough with the wholesome muffins and good for you whole grain breads. For the last snack these kids are getting crack. To make myself feel a week bit better I threw in a huge container of watermelon but let's not kid ourselves because it's going to be all about that sweet, salty goodness that is kettle corn.

Little Shack discovered the whole salty sweet popcorn thing a few weeks ago when he has some Smart Food's version of kettle corn. I wanted to make my own and started poking around the internet and it seems that everyone on the planet uses the same method so I am not going to credit any one source. Oh, and no, I didn't cut out the kid's watermelon into hearts and flowers. What, do you think I am crazy or something?

Kettle Corn

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup sugar
kosher salt to taste

Heat the oil over med-high heat and add three kernels. Put the lid on and wait for those three kernels to pop. As soon as they do, add the popcorn and let it sizzle for a few seconds and then sprinkle the sugar over the top of the popcorn. Put the lid back on (you might want to use a tea towel to hold the lid on if your pot gets hot or if you are on the wimpy side and can't deal with a really warm lid - I'm not judging, I'm just saying) and proceed like you would for normal popcorn. Turn the heat down to med to med low and make sure that you shake often. I count to four on the burner and lift up the pot and shake for four.
Wait wait wait wait
lift and
Shake shake shake shake
It's not rocket science but it works and you won't burn your popcorn if you do that.

Don't wait for the very last kernel to pop or the sugar will burn. When the popping slows down to just the odd pop, pop, pop, I take it off the burner and wait about ten more seconds before removing the lid and dumping it into a large bowl. Don't let the popcorn sit in the hot pot or it will burn.

Sprinkle a good pinch of kosher salt over the top and give it a few tosses. Do that again and taste and see if it's salty enough for you.
That's it!
I am warning you that this stuff is truly kiddie crack so beware and serve with caution.

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