Dear almighty weather person, please warm this joint up! Yes, yes, it’s just beautiful. The snow covering the Flatirons is like frosting on a cupcake. The holiday lights twinkling through the cold white stuff is like something out of a fairytale. But what about my fingers and my toes and the roads — good gravy, the roads! Come on people. Boulder is full of geniuses and scientists. Let’s come up with a recipe that prevents ice from forming on our lovely streets. If someone can do that, I will make them desserts for life. I know it’s quite the payoff.
Let’s start with your first dessert. It’s a fun, low maintenance delicious treat — White Chocolate Popcorn Surprise. The surprise part is that you never know what I might toss into it, and you, of course, can use your own sweet mind and come up with something surprising, too.
I realize I am putting popcorn and surprising in the same sentence, but I do believe you will be surprised at how the delicious combo of white chocolate and popcorn will warm the cockles of your heart. And don’t we all need our cockles warmed these days?
How versatile is popcorn? Well, let me spill. Not only is it a fast and crunchy treat, but it is also a packing material and quite the decoration in many households.
I’m not sure I have ever strung popcorn in my life. OK, I might have started, but one for the string and four for me is just plain tedious, now isn’t it?
The only exploding puffed-up kernels (that’s popcorn to the popcorn newbie) that I ever have a problem with are those darned open-mouth eaters at the movie theatre. Come on, folks! It tastes the same with your mouth closed, and the rest of us can enjoy the flick.
So, I say, fellow winter wonderlanders, let’s all enjoy this simply sweet treat as we research a cure-all for our icedover snowy roads. It could happen.
Popcorn is brain food. OK, so maybe it’s not, but I do believe that enjoying it by the fire in the cold and snow with someone you love, or even like, will
make the cockles of your heart surprisingly warm and cozy.
How versatile is popcorn?
Not only is it a fast and crunchy treat, but it is also a packing material.
So perhaps I take that back, weatherperson, or meteorologist, if you prefer.
Let’s keep it cold for just a little while longer.
Now, follow the directions, put some love into it, and invite me over when it’s done!
Before you start: You can pop your own corn or you can use microwave popcorn if you would like. Use any type you prefer. I used lightly salted organic popcorn. All tastes fine. As I said, use your imagination and put in what you like. I use white chocolate, but dark chocolate is great, too. You can fill little holiday bags with this treat and give as party favors or as gifts.
White Chocolate Popcorn Surprise
2-3 cups popped popcorn 1 cup peanut M&Ms 1 cup plain M&Ms 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts 1 cup chopped almonds 1 cup dark chocolate chips 3/4 cup melted white chocolate In double boiler or microwave, slowly melt white chocolate. Stir until smooth and set aside.
In large bowl (the bigger the better), fill with popped popcorn.
Add both types of M&Ms, peanuts, almonds and chocolate chips over top of popcorn.
Pour half of melted white chocolate over mix and gently toss. Pour other half of melted white chocolate and gently toss again.
Let sit for at least an hour until white chocolate sets. Put in middle of table and eat away. Enjoy!
You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to [email protected].
