Make this Christmas Popcorn Balls recipe for an easy holiday treat! Kids love these sweet popcorn balls on a stick. They’re a fun addition to holiday movie night snacking, for giving as gifts, or for enjoying anytime throughout the season.
drinking straws (or substitute with candy canes or peppermint sticks)
Directions
Pop popcorn according to the package directions. Place popcorn in a large baking pan; keep warm in a 200°F oven.
In a medium saucepan, bring butter, corn syrup, and sugar to a boil for two minutes. Be sure to stir often.
After two minutes of boiling, stir in vanilla.
Pour mixture over top of popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.
Mix in sprinkles.
Allow popcorn mixture to cool for 15 minutes before forming into balls.
Grease hands with a small amount of butter. Shape popcorn mixture into approximately 3-inch balls, applying just enough pressure so that the popcorn balls hold their shape.
Place popcorn ball on a prepared baking sheet. Immediately insert a paper straw or peppermint stick into the center of the popcorn ball, pushing it all the way down until it reaches the opposite end. Decorate straws with festive labels.
Serve immediately or store each ball wrapped in a piece of wax paper to keep them separated.
For a fun twist, in step 5, add different mix-ins such as chocolate pieces, candy, crushed peppermint, nuts, mini marshmallows, or dried fruit.
Grilled pork chops with a lemon, garlic and basil sauce.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 thick-cut pork loin chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Recommended Pork Cooking Temperatures
Directions
Add olive oil, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix well.
Pour lemon basil mixture into a sealable plastic bag. Add pork chops. Make sure pork chops are coated well with the lemon basil mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Grill chops over direct heat for about 5-6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches at least 145-150°F).
Remove from heat and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
This Tuscan salmon recipe features pan-seared salmon in a creamy garlic sauce with fresh cherry tomatoes and baby spinach. This dish is bursting with delicious flavours and is easy to make. Plus, it’s ready to serve in 20 minutes.
Prep Time: 5 minutes • Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 (6-oz) salmon fillets
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season salmon with salt and pepper and sear in the hot pan, for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When the butter has melted, stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add spinach and cook until spinach is just beginning to wilt.
Reduce heat to low, add the heavy cream, and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Add parmesan cheese. Allow cream sauce to simmer until the cheese melts thoroughly.
Add the grilled salmon fillets back into the pan; sprinkle with the parsley, and spoon the sauce over each fillet.
Garnish with more parsley, if desired. Serve with steamed vegetables and fettuccine or rice.
4 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a bowl, mix the butter with the tarragon, salt, and pepper.
Season the chicken and its cavity generously with salt and pepper.
Gently ease the skin away from the chicken with your fingers and spread some of the butter inside. Spread the rest of the butter on the outside, covering the entire chicken.
Rub a cast iron skillet (or oven-proof baking dish) with butter and place your chicken in it, breast side up. Truss legs with cooking twine and tuck wings under bird.
Add the garlic cloves and two garlic heads around the chicken and add the white wine and chicken broth. Put the skillet in the preheated oven.
Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting with pan juices after 30 minutes. When the chicken is golden brown, crispy-skinned and its juices run clear, remove from the oven and leave in the pan for another 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Cover with foil and rest for another 7-10 minutes before serving. Carve chicken, and serve with garlic cloves and pan juices.
Vegetable fritters are a great way to start your day and for incorporating more veggies into your child’s diet. These fritters are full of flavour, colourful vegetables, and cheese. Plus, they’re quick and easy to make!
Place shredded zucchini and carrot in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture.
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except oil, until combined.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Using a large spoon or scoop, evenly drop batter into the skillet making four pancake-shaped fritters. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until fritters are golden brown and cooked completely.
16 wooden skewers, pre-soaked in water for 20 minutes
1/4 cup onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground lamb
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together onion, garlic, parsley, spices, salt and pepper. Add the ground lamb and mix until just combined.
Divide the meat into 16 sections. Mold each section of meat around a skewer, making it a few inches long and about 1-inch thick so that it is oval-shaped.
Place skewers on a shallow baking pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates lightly. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until brown all over and just cooked through, about 6 minutes.
Serve lamb kofta kebabs with tzatziki, hummus, and flatbreads.
