Saturday, January 19, 2013

It's National Popcorn Day

Today, January 19th, is National Popcorn Day.  Plain air popped popcorn is an excellent treat to share with your canine family members.  It's low and calories and has a taste most dogs love.

Hounds awaiting Popcorn
Of course you can make popcorn in the microwave, but I think the stove popped kind is tastier and its easier to make it totally plain for your pups, and then add flavors for yourself if you want.   Although you can make popcorn in a pot on top of the stove, the brown eyed baker has good instructions, if you are going to be making a lot of popcorn its worth investing in a popcorn maker, I like Whirly Pop,  easy to use and only 20 dollars on amazon.

While plain air popped corn is fine, and certainly the healthiest option for people and dogs, I like my popcorn with a bit more flavor and National Popcorn Day is a perfect time to make something special.   Jacques Torres Chocolate, which is in down town Manhattan, is a mecca for all things chocolate and sells a delicious chocolate-caramel popcorn. 
Here is a picture of Weasley  outside the store last summer, you can read the post it is from, The Sleepy Foodie, here

 I wanted to try making my own version at home.  I found plenty online but I used the one from Chocolate, Chocolate, and More, with some slight changes and the addition of chocolate.

Caramel, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Popcorn 


  • 10 cups of plain air popped popcorn (make this in the popcorn maker or on the stove top in a large pot using the Brown Eyed Baker's method, 1 tbsp of kernels makes about 1 cup of popped corn, so use 10 tbsp of kernels and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to make your corn).
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syryp
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp, butter cut in pieces
  • 1/2 cup of peanut butter (optional there is no peanut butter in the Jacques Torres version, but I liked the addition)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or semisweet)
In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon to combine
 Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes until it is a a deep golden brown.  Stir in the peanut butter, if using, and the vanilla and stir to combine.  Pour over the popcorn, which you need to  have in a large bowl, and stir quickly to combine.  Transfer the popcorn to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Put in the oven at 200 degrees and cook for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes so that the popcorn gets a little crispy (you may want to use two pans so you have enough room to stir).   Put back in the large bow and add the chocolate ships.  Stir to melt the chips.  Store in a large air tight container.



Of course with popcorn you need a movie. Here are five somewhat under the radar canine centered films we recommend.

1) Charlie Chaplin's: A Dog's Life, 1918: This was Chaplin's first hit and stars the Little Tramp and his canine companion.




2) The Thin Man, 1934, and After the Thin Man, 1936: Beautiful clothes, gorgeous sets, and most importantly, Asta the Dog.


3) Umberto D, 1952: Italian art-house classic about an old impoverished man and his beloved dog.  The final scene below is a major tear-jerker, but it a good way.


4) Milo and Otis, 1986-The charm of this film is there are no people present at all.  Just adorable animals, led by a pug and an orange cat.







5) My Dog Tulip, 2009: This is the story of the writer J.R. Ackerly who finds the love he is been looking for all his life when he adopts a German Shepherd dog.  This might be the only movie that has ever made me cry.



18 comments:

  1. Great dog movies and yummy looking popcorn too! Have you seen Greyfriars Bobby? It's one of my favorite dog films!
    Diane

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  2. Oh my Dog!! We love popcorn! Noboday ever told us it was popcorn day (did you Mum).
    Those dog movies are so great!
    Dip Bridge and Elliot x

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  3. Mmmmm I love popcorn, Mum likes salted popcorn, I like cheese popcorn, Dad likes the candy covered stuff, yuck!
    Great dog movies to sit and eat the popcorn to!
    Cute photo of Weasely last year, I forgot how tiny he was! Love the group photo, I can see they all love your popcorn!
    Love, Licks and Hugs from your Furiend Frank XxxxX

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  4. We love popcorn but not having a sweet tooth we like salt N butter. Great idea popcorn and a movie. It is a cold and miserable afternoon here so just perfect. Have a super fun Saturday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. I would eat every bit of that popcorn, which is why I won't make it. I love the picture of the pups with all the tongues out...yum. I love the Thin Man movies.

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  6. Woof! Woof! We made my mom miss the Garrett popcorn in Chicago. Enjoy your Popcorn Saturday. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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  7. Well,there went my diet! And I absolutely adore Asta! I know it's animated and it's 'new' (I,too, am a huge fan of the old black and white movies) but I love "Finding Nemo". Happy Saturday.

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  8. OMD..Humom had crappy microwave popcorn de uffer night..It waz horrid. Fank'z for diz :) love'z the video'z too :) Youz so clever xx00xx

    Mollie and Alfie

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  9. Oooohh Popcorn is popular in our house too! And we happen to have Milo & Otis! Sounds like a great thing to do this evening to stay in out of our still fureezing weather.
    hugs
    Bailey, Hazel & Greta

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  10. Who knew there was a national popcorn day! That's pawesome. And love your recipe:-)

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  11. OMD I love popcorn! I am going to get after my Mom right now. Thanks for letting me know.

    Loveys Sasha

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  12. I don't have many opportunity to eat popcorn (I don't know why!) but I LOVE ones covered with chocolate and caramel and all! Enjoy your popcorn...and have a great popcorn weekend :-)

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  13. I have never heard of that last movie- My Dog Tulip. I will have to check it out! woo woo!

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  14. Reading popcorn in the title and then seeing the photo of anxious hounds had me laughing even before seeing the caption. ;-) Classic!
    Love,
    Christy

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  15. mmmm that sounds yummy

    Stop on by for a visit
    Kari
    http://dogisgodinreverse.com/

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  16. I would just be cautious - the kernels can wreak havoc on stomach linings of dogs (maybe just mine? I have a pug!) so I always pull the kernels out of the popped corn before I give it to my puglet :)

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  17. Love that 1st photo...everybody is licking their chops in anticipation of popcorn! So cute!

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  18. I make popcorn every night, but I use the air popper. I like mine with melted butter and Parmesan cheese, but my hips don't like it. The dogs love it, but I think it's more for the butter than anything else. :-)

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