Chicken Scampi

Cut raw chicken breasts into strips or buy chicken tenders. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Melt butter in skillet, quite a bit of butter!!! Channel your inner Paula Deen for this one girls! This is pretty much your sauce. Saute the chicken in the butter. When cooked through, pour chicken and butter over hot, cooked, drained pasta of your choice. We use a pound of thin spaghetti or angel hair, usually. Then sprinkle with Parmesan and stir everything together really well. See why it is important to use a LOT of butter! Otherwise you just have tasteless noodles. Add more garlic salt at this point if it seems like it needs it. It's THAT easy!!!

I just love shrimp scampi but Brian hates shrimp and Matthew is allergic to fish. We have had a delicious Chicken Scampi at The Olive Garden that has a creamy delicious sauce. I decided to just make up my own version of a combination of both. It is so simple and really delicious!!! The best part is that EVERYONE in my family loves this recipe! Even, Matthew, a.k.a. the pickiest eater EVER!!! You can make this recipe as big or as little as you or your family need it to be. If you are making it for one just use 1 chicken breast and a little pasta and butter. If you are making it for a lot more people add more. It's very versatile

Popcorn Popping...

Sesame-Ginger Popcorn

This snack is as fun to make as it is to eat. It's popcorn with a twist. Toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and fresh grated ginger give this popcorn it's unique sweet and spicy flavor. If you are looking for something tempting to serve at your next movie night, this delicious snack is the one.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups popped popcorn  
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger  
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
• 1-1/2 cups lightly salted cashews 
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup 
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove all unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. Put popcorn and cashews in a greased 17x12x2 inch baking or roasting pan.

In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, butter corn syrup, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Continue boiling at a moderate rate, without stirring, for 5 minutes more.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in sesame seeds, vanilla, and baking soda. Pour mixture over popcorn mixture. Stir gently to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring twice. Spread popcorn mixture on a large piece of buttered foil to cool. Store tightly covered. Makes 8&1/2 cups.

Cinnamon Popcorn

• 2-3 quarts popped corn in a large bowl 
• 4 Tablespoons butter-melt in a small saucepan.
• Add: 3 Tablespoons water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 

Increase heat. Boil 3-4 minutes. Stir into popcorn. Stir while cooling.

White Chocolate Popcorn Crunch 

• 5 cups popped popcorn 
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries 
• 1/2 cups sliced almonds 
• 12 ounces white chocolate baking chips, chopped white chocolate or white candy coating 
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Here's how:
Cover a baking pan with foil or wax paper; set aside. Place popcorn, cranberries and almonds in a large bowl; set aside. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth OR melt according to package directions. (If chocolate in not smooth after melting, stir in 1-2 tablespoons shortening until mixture is smooth and loose enough to coat popcorn). Pour chocolate mixture over popcorn mixture and stir to coat. Spread onto prepared pan; allow to cool completely. When chocolate is cooled and set, brerak into chunks for serving. Sotre in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Variation: White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Crunch: Omit cranberries and almonds. Stir in 1 cup crushed hard candy peppermint after chocolate is melted.

  

Marshmallow Pink Popcorn 

• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tblsp. light corn syrup 
• 2 Tblsp. butter 
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups mini marshmallows, divided 
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 6 drops red food coloring 
• 4 quarts popped corn 
• 1 cup salted peanuts 

In heavy saucepan blend syrup, butter & water. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens. Add 1 cup of the marshmallows and stir until they melt. Add powdered sugar and coloring. Stir and cook until bubbling. Pour over corn and salted nuts and the rest of the marshmallows.

Jello Popcorn 

• 1 c. unpopped corn (24 c. popped popcorn) 
• Salt, optional 
• 3 oz. pkg. Jello 
• 1 c. granulated sugar 
• 1 c. light corn syrup

 Put popcorn in large bowl. Salt to taste. Put Jello powder, sugar and syrup into saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve. Bring to boil. Pour over popcorn. Stir to coat well. 

One of our girls brought raspberry flavored Jello popcorn and one of the leaders brought strawberry flavor and grape flavor. All delicious!!!

Gummy Bear Popcorn  

I took this one. It's my ex-sister-in-law, Anna's recipe. LOVE IT!!!

• 1 cup butter 
• 1 1/3 cups sugar 
• 1/2 cup corn syrup 
• 1 tsp. vanilla 
• 3 cups marshmallows 
• 1 package of gummy bears

Pop 2 or 3 bags of buttered popcorn. Pour onto cookie sheets and gently pick up popcorn and put into large mixing bowl so that the unpopped kernals fall to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle gummy bears over popcorn and gently toss. Melt butter-add sugar and syrup. Bring to boil, stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and stir in marshmallows. Pour over popcorn and gummy bears. It will melt the gummi bears if you it this way otherwise you have chewy gummy bears mixed in and trust me it isn't so yummy! Just stir and stir until gummy bears are nicely melted and eveything is mixed well. Then poor out onto cookie sheets and ENJOY!!! Anna insists that Kraft marshmallows and real butter are necessary for the recipe. I am cheap and use Great Value marshmallows and it works out well but I totally agree on the butter!!!