Waiting to Start My Life: May 2012

Monday, May 7, 2012

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Updated below!

I apologize for my long silence. I had a serious case of writing burnout, as online classes are very writing intensive. I am taking a break from classes for a while.

Meanwhile, I'm discovering many other ways to live better on less.

The latest discovery: Homemade microwave popcorn!

This is something I never even considered doing myself. Partly because I despise most commercial microwave popcorn. But some I can make myself...well, that may prove to be irresistible.

Evidently, all you need are fairly fresh popcorn kernels, a paper bag, and a microwave. You need fresh popcorn because it has the moisture needed to pop the corn.

(What you don't need is the loads of unknown fat and chemicals that go with most packaged microwave popcorn. Fat, in and of itself, is not a bad thing, but some fats a far better than others. The key here is that you control what goes into your popcorn.)

One blogger recommends using 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels &1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a paper bag with the top folded down and crimped. Pop as you would normally pop a smaller bag of commercial popcorn. There is a related page about how to make kettle corn on the site as well.

At The Yummy Life there are tips on how to make popcorn in a microwave safe bowl and a related post on different flavors you can create.

For my own part, I'll be picking up some organic* popping corn, and trying my own microwave popcorn with some butter and salt. I'll report back on my own results soon.

UPDATE: I have tried two versions so far. One involved butter in a glass bowl. The popcorn was delicious, but the butter at the bottom of the bowl burned. I also put some unadorned popcorn in a paper bag and microwaved it. It popped up beautifully but was somewhat tasteless. In both cases, it took longer than packaged popcorn does to pop, so put some extra time on when you cook it. As with the commercial popcorn, stand by and listen carefully.

Neither version caused the usual bloaty feeling that commercial microwave popcorn causes me. Big plus!

Here are the website addresses I have linked in this post:

http://tipbusters.com/2011/microwave-popcorn-in-a-brown-paper-bag/

http://tipbusters.com/2012/microwave-kettle-corn-in-a-brown-paper-bag/

http://www.theyummylife.com/blog/2012/04/303/Healthy+Microwave+Popcorn+--+10+sweet+%26+savory+flavor+recipes+using+coconut+oil%3B+100+calories+%28or+less!%29

http://www.theyummylife.com/blog/2011/02/146/Homemade+Microwave+Popcorn+-+Healthier,+Cheaper,+%26+Greener

*Note: I recommend organic popping corn because genetically modified (pesticide resistant) corn has been approved for human foods now, and it won't be labeled. The only way you can be sure you aren't getting GMO corn is to buy organic. Since the corn in pet food makes my pets sick, I don't care to try it myself. But that's another story for another day.

About Me and the Reason for This Blog

"Life is what happens while you're making other plans."

I've been separated/divorced for 23 years now. I've remained single through that time.

A bit of history: My ex-husband left when the going got tough, telling me he "just wasn't having enough fun". At the time my kids were 9 months, 3 and 6 years old. They are now 24 (Rosie), 26 (Middy), and 29 (Dude). Dude had meningitis when he was 4, lost hearing in his right ear, and he has some speech difficulties. Rosie had a congenital heart defect that, luckily, was repaired and considered cured when she was 8 months old. Both of them spent a lot of their childhoods catching up from these big setbacks, but are doing pretty well now. Middy is living with me and working full time. She has a wonderful little daughter now.

So I'm a grandma now. It's the best thing ever. I highly recommend it. -----------

As I slogged through the day-to-day of getting my kids through school and launched toward better futures, I dreamed of the days when I could start living my own life. You know, get a good, well-paid job that doesn't need to work around school hours, evenings to myself, the ability to put something away for retirement, and generally become the boss of my own life. Freedom from the constant needs and demands of others. The ability to make plans or do things on the spur of the moment.

That isn't to say that I/we haven't come a long way since 1993. When my ex first left, I had a minimal roof over my head, a $32/wk job, and child support of $70/wk. I confess, I was terrified at first. Efforts to find a job/affordable child care combination were not successful.

We spent a few years on public assistance. It was a great help. Particularly fun were the nasty glares from cashiers when I handed them food stamps. Oh, the glory days. I work full time at a low-pay, dead-end job, but we don't need public assistance and we live pretty well. It isn't fancy but it's a vast improvement over other times.

But I figured I'd be doing better by now.

In the intervening years I've earned two associate's degrees and earned a lot of credit toward a bachelor's. None of it seems to count. I really want to break out of the low-income bracket. Here's hoping the next degree makes a difference.

Anyway, I'll be posting on being a single mom, the challenges of a low-cost life, older kids, work, and whatever else comes up. I have a lot stored up.

I might as well do something while I wait for my real life to begin.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

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