Homemade Microwave Popcorn

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup good quality popcorn
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, vegetable oil or melted butter (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or popcorn salt (optional)
• Brown paper lunch bag
• Stapler (or see below for alternatives)

Details

Adapted from cherskitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Toss the popcorn with the olive oil, salt, and any seasonings you may want, in the paper bag. Fold the top of the bag over and staple the bag twice to close. Place the bag in the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes to 3 minutes, or until there are about 5 seconds between pops. Do not walk away while cooking the popcorn.
The oil or butter and salt are optional. You can make plain popcorn if desired by omitting them.
If you are worried about the staples sparking, they shouldn't, but in case you still are, you don't even need to use staples, you can just fold the lip of the bag once or twice or you can use tape to close it or plastic paper clips. You can also open another brown lunch bag and put it over the opening of the bag your popcorn is in, so that it looks like a box (the mouth of one bag touches the bottom of the other) or a rectangle. Lay the bags on their side in the oven and proceed as directed above.

You can also place a paper towel under your bag because the oil can tend to be a little messy.

NOTE: Popcorn salt is a super-fine salt that is designed especially for sticking to food such as popcorn. It has the taste of regular table salt, but its granules are much finer.

There are all sorts of things you can add to your homemade microwave popcorn.
Add Parmesan and garlic powder.
Add a tablespoon of sugar with the oil to make kettle corn.
Add chili powder.
Salt & Vinegar: Spritz popped popcorn lightly with vinegar, sprinkle salt to taste
Taco seasoning mix
Ranch Dressing mix
Lemon Pepper