Fabulous Centerpieces on a dime! Popcorn Ball Topiary Segment!

Good Morning Arizona! Was amazing yesterday! If you missed it or are out of state, this is a fabulous way to get ready for weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, Summer and Spring parties. Kids love them for birthdays! Sky is the limit!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Popcorn Ball Topiary for Mom's Day

Tomorrow morning I get to spend some time at ABC 15 Phoenix showing a fast and easy last minute craft for kids to do for Mom's Day. If Dad waited until last minute and wants to still do something fun and easy, this is a great idea!  Enjoy darlings!

Honey-Fruity-Cutie-Gelatin Popcorn Balls

1 microwave bag popcorn, popped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup honey or corn syrup
1 box Jello (3 oz box, any flavor)

Equipment:
Large bowl (gallon sized or larger)
saucepan
Oil for coating hands/popping

Directions:
1. Gather all ingredients and supplies together.
2. Pop the popcorn. Pour into the large bowl.
3. Combine granulated sugar, honey (or corn syrup) and gelatin in a heavy saucepan. Stir slightly and bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat.
4. Remove gelatin mixture from stove top and pour over popped corn. Blend well, until all of the popcorn is coated. Allow to cool a few minutes before shaping into popcorn balls. {Note: you can add up to 1 cup of nuts, candy corns, jelly beans, Boston Baked Bean candies, red hots...etc. at this point.}

5. Shape popcorn into balls using lightly oiled hands, or leave as fruity popcorn as is. You will need to press them together rather firmly.   To make a topiary, I wrap each popcorn ball with plastic wrap first, then pierce with a bamboo skewer and tie a ribbon at the base of the ball. You may insert them into other popcorn balls or brownie-cupcakes for a stand alone topiary or just enjoy a popcorn ball on a stick!

You may also like:

Salted Caramel topiary Cupcake Toppers

There you go darlings! Happy Mother's Day!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Fox 10 Fall Popcorn Ball Sculptures and Topiary Segment Video!! Hooray for Kitchen Crafts!

Can I just say how much I love Fox 10?! Every time I walk in the studio I'm reminded, by the warm hugs and smiles, how blessed I really am to be working with this remarkable station. Thank you my Fox friends. It really does feel like I'm part of the family.  Extra special thanks to Andrea Robinson and Rick D'Amico for the friendship. You are amazing people! 

The popcorn ball segment aired yesterday. I had to post pictures from the studio and the actual segment video for everyone to see...since a lot of you don't live here in Phoenix! I'm virtually smooching you right now (there's less slobber that way). At any rate, popcorn balls aren't just for the bake sale...here's some of the things I do with them:
These can be used for Fall or the holiday season for things like:

•  dinner table centerpieces for company parties and family gatherings and church gatherings. 
•   Wedding receptions! Perfect for a December wedding reception centerpiece especially if you embellish with mesh fabrics and silk flowers!
•  giveaway bouquets for loved ones or customers and clients.
•  new moms (pink popcorn ball boquet for a baby shower too!)
•  holiday treats
• Christmas tree ornaments (tied with a bow or ribbon and make a loop out of ribbon to hang from the tree).
• bake sales (who doesn't have those coming up?)
• Fairy princess wands (popcorn ball on a stick with long ribbon tied at the base of the popcorn ball and some floral or sticky rhinestones if desired). PARTY favors!
• Sculpting  medium for other projects. Popcorn ball "matter" can be used to sculpt a wreath using a well oiled or silicone bundt pan. Firmly packed you can also make Popcorn ball cakes that slice and are a crazy-fun novelty! Talk about a show stopper at the dessert table! Who doesn't like popcorn balls?
• Popcorn ball kit giftbasket (mason jar of gelatin, mason jar of sugar, honey bears and a small coconut oil for getting hands nice and non-stick!) 

Here's what I did with them!

 Oh...and of course I added a little of my spice! You can mix up the flavors

Flavor ideas:

• Add the Mix-a-Meal powdered flavoring (1T--except almond, use 1 1 1/2 tsp) to the popcorn goo mixture and you can add fun names to the popcorn balls: orange amaretto, lime-coconut, raspberry-chocolate!  
• Oh...and the cherry gelatin...with some vanilla & chocolate powdered flavor...cherry cordial on a stick!
• Add 1/4 cup of the powdered peanut butter to the raspberry or strawberry and you have pb&j on a stick!
• Add freeze dried fruit! blackberries to the balls with the popcorn (about 2/3 cup)...Raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, bananas as a way to add color, nutrition and flavor!

Popcorn Ball Topiary: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Honeyville popcorn (Popped it will equal 9 cups)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup Honeyville Fruit Gelatin (any flavor) 0r Jello (1 3 oz box, any flavor)
• ½ tsp real salt
• 3 qt. cooking pot
• Large bowl

Directions:

Gather all ingredients and supplies together. Pop the unpopped kernels. Over high heat, pour enough oil into the saucepot to cover the bottom of the pan and be about 1/4 inches deep. Place three kernels into the pan and then cover. Once the three kernels have popped, add the remaining kernels. Listen closely to the pan. Once you hear the popping slow substantially, the popcorn is done. Remove from the burner and pour the popped corn into your bowl.

Season the popcorn with real salt.

Combine granulated sugar, honey and gelatin in a heavy saucepan. Stir slightly and bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat.

Remove gelatine mixture from stove top and pour over popped corn. Blend well, until all of the popcorn is coated. Allow to cool a few minutes before shaping into popcorn balls.

Shape popcorn into balls using lightly oiled hands, or leave as fruity popcorn as is.

To make a topiary, pierce with a bamboo skewer and tie a ribbon at the base of the ball. You may insert them into other popcorn balls or brownie-cupcakes for a stand-alone topiary -- or just enjoy a popcorn ball on a stick!

There you go folks! Have some fun for Halloween, Fall and yes...Christmas! These are my favorite!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Honey-Fruity-Cutie Gelatin Popcorn Balls! {with Printable PDF}

 What is it about popcorn balls?! I know it's a Fall-Winter-Spring-Summer national phenomena to have a sugar coated love ball-o-corn-glory...but today I'm telling ya...I'm in love with how easy it is to make them with gelatin instead of waiting for the sugar to boil to right temperature and all that stuff I've done in the past for popcorn balls...I've found a great new way to get it done! Enter...the simpler way. I'm good with that, if it means I don't have to make 12 batches of the long way on any given day with popcorn ball orders during the "season". Plus...I'm doing a popcorn ball topiary Craft Night tonight...and a segment on Fox 10 with popcorn balls on Thursday. A girl has to be practical...or practically insane (no comments from the peanut gallery...you know who you are...).  Well...I had some bulk gelatin in my food storage and some popcorn. I came up with a great recipe.   I used some of my favorite Flavor Infused Lucero Olive Oil .

Chef Tess Bakeresse'
Honey-Fruity-Cutie-Gelatin Popcorn Balls

1/2 cups popcorn
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup honey
½ cup gelatin (any flavor) 0r Jello (1 3 oz box, any flavor)
½ tsp Real Salt
Equipment:
3 qt. cooking pot or hot air popper
Large bowl
Lucero Chocolate Infused EVOO   for popping and coating your hands


Directions:
1. Gather all ingredients and supplies together.
2. Pop the unpopped kernels. Over high heat, pour enough oil into the sauce pot to cover the bottom of the pan and be about 1/4 inches deep. Place three kernels into the pan and then cover. Once the three kernels have popped, add the remaining kernels. Listen closely to the pan. Once you hear the popping slow substantially, the popcorn is done. Remove from the burner and pour the popped corn into your bowl. Season the popcorn with Real Salt.
3. Combine granulated sugar, honey and gelatin in a heavy saucepan. Stir slightly and bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat.
4. Remove gelatin mixture from stove top and pour over popped corn. Blend well, until all of the popcorn is coated. Allow to cool a few minutes before shaping into popcorn balls. {Note: you can add up to 1 cup of nuts, candy corns, jelly beans, Boston Baked Bean candies, red hots...etc. at this point.}

5. Shape popcorn into balls using lightly oiled hands, or leave as fruity popcorn as is. To make a topiary, pierce with a bamboo skewer and tie a ribbon at the base of the ball. You may insert them into other popcorn balls or brownie-cupcakes for a stand alone topiary or just enjoy a popcorn ball on a stick!

There you go! Make some popcorn balls and make some memories! Thanks again Honeyville for the great ingredients for today's post! Xoxo!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Fall Popcorn Balls Topiary!

 It must be Fall...because it wouldn't be without our Fall Popcorn Balls! Yes, they are back by popular demand! Last night while I was typing away on the computer, my son aka "Face" came in and asked me, "Mom, how much is a smile worth?"
I turned around and he had this on his head...

Obviously the boy had too much time on his hands...and too many exposures to scary clowns. Oh...and big brother is terrified of scary clowns. I don't know why. 


So I took the little guy and had him help me pop popcorn on the stove "old school" style. Then we made popcorn balls. I made some of my Fall Classic topiary with lots of peanuts and caramel. Face wanted to just eat them. 

We made a few free standing ones as well. 

By the time it was over, I had some pretty snazzy Fall decorations...and some priceless memories.

Remember how much fun they are in the Spring?

Salted Caramel Amaretto Popcorn Ball Topiary

So...here's the original post:

Popcorn Balls Of Glory

It's Fall...and that means my kids are home for Fall break. Yikes  Hooray! We get to play! 


Hopefully that gives you some ammo to start off with, but I'll keep you posted on all the things we are doing to keep busy...and I hope you'll slip your fun ideas into my comments here too...because we need to stick together! Right moms?! Dads...


Seriously. What are you doing for Fall Break?




Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Having a Popcorn Ball! Topiaries Galore!

Yesterday I started something that I can't seem to stop!  

So when I made the 

Salted Caramel Amaretto Brownies with Almond Toffee Topiary Toppers like this...

I didn't know that it would lead me to making larger scale models like this...

Or funky girlie party models like this...

With red polk-a-dots no less...

 So how did I make them?! Well, they're actually a whole lot easier than you think! June 6th I'll be doing a full segment on popcorn ball topiaries on Valley Dish at 3:30 on NBC 12! I will also be making some funky cool 
recycled cake pan party trays out of free stuff! You can't believe how cool they look either! Here's a sneak peek...

See you Monday on Valley Dish!

Salted Caramel Amaretto Brownies with Almond Toffee Topiary Toppers

 Look...I never claimed to be nice. These are evil. That being said, I don't think there is a woman alive who wouldn't want these at her bridal shower or birthday party...or hiding in her closet. Just saying...mama needs chocolate. Add salted caramel and I'm certain she'll be sweet.  I'm a freak for the salty sweet combination anyway... genius delicious!

 Here's how I made them. I used the brownie recipe of glory and chopped a pound of toasted almonds into the brownie batter. Baked 12-15 minutes 325 degrees if cup is filled half way. When brownies come out of the oven and are still warm, take a ball of Peter's Caramel the size of a quarter and roll it in your hands until it's the size of the top of your brownie. Put it on top of the brownie and let it melt. Sprinkle with a few crystals of French Sea Salt.

 Peter's Caramel is also what I used for the Popcorn ball topiary toppers. Melt 8 oz caramel in a microwave safe bowl with 1 tsp vanilla bean paste for 2 minutes. Add 1 bag of microwave butter popcorn of your choice and 1 cup of toasted almonds...stir to coat. Microwave the bowl with the popcorn coated with caramel for 2 more minutes.

 Form into tight popcorn balls and put  the end of a chop stick.

 Put one end of the chop stick in the brownie...one end is already in the popcorn ball topiary...

Now you're good to go.

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Popcorn Balls of Glory

It really isn't Fall until we make popcorn balls. Why is that? I'm not sure. Probably because there isn't any other indicator here in Arizona that Fall is really here. It's still blinkin' hot out side and the trees don't change color. So, in open rebellion against the evil hot summer staying way past it's welcome...we ushered in the Fall. Somehow it made me feel better, though I doubt it will change the weather. I called Gena and we decided to have a kid popcorn ball extravaganza. Eight children. Eight. I don't have eight on my own. God made my body capable of two. I'd be mental. Okay...no comments.The day finally arrived and so did we. It was nice to visit since we moved so far away and I was in complete Gena withdrawal!
Check this out...
In the leafy tree tops the birds say, " Good morning"...but at my friend Gena's the Nightmare Before Christmas tree was in full glory...
Little Man thought it was gross.
Face wanted to make one at home.
I opted for just taking a picture and giving away a great idea for Halloween...as morbid as it looks.

And now, the popcorn begins.

You will need 12 cups of popcorn. Microwave is fine. We used the natural butter. Honestly...you can use natural air popped love. Whatever.

Popcorn balls:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey or dark corn syrup

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup butter

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp vanilla

Put sugar, syrup, butter, water and salt in a large heavy sauce pan (2 quart). Cook over medium heat...

Hold the vanilla in reserve until the end of cooking. I also use something totally un-natural for the color and flavor. In no way am I even starting to believe that somehow the addition of this stuff made this sugar goo anywhere near the range of "healthy"...let alone helping the immune system. Sorry. I think it added great flavor though.

Cherry pomegranate. Mmmm.

Now the sugar syrup will cook really nicely and bubble. Keep kiddos at bay for this part.
Note: you will need a candy thermometer.

So...my friend Gena had a candy thermometer at her house. Our friend J was there too. Now mind you she doesn't cook...much. Not without a can of cream of mushroom soup in the house anyway. So...she asked, "Is that like a rectal thermometer?" No, my dear friends, it is nothing like a rectal thermometer. Yikes. Which would be wrong on sooooo many levels to have that in the kitchen. So wrong. Sick and wrong. Behold the candy thermometer. It's the one with the clip on it to hold it to the pan...

See...pan holding. Uh-hem.

I love vanilla...but usually after dinner. It seemed a little early to be hitting the bottle. However baby was kicking it back old school. Don't you just want to snuggle this little nugget of cutie pie?

Okay...cooked to 250 Fahrenheit on the candy thermometer scale. Be sure it isn't touching the bottom of the pan or you will get a false reading. Now add the vanilla and the uh-hem...Crystal light...or food coloring...or nothing at all for the natural peeeeps.

Drizzle over the popcorn in a very dramatic way. This may involve some Mamba music and the use of your hips. However, may I also suggest having a little Elvis playing in the background.

Oh go ahead be practical. Just pour it over the popcorn without any fan fair. Boring people. I preferred to go, "boom-ba-ba-boom" and sing a funny song to make my kids laugh.

It cools down enough for little hands to stir the popcorn, however, if you are in any way sceptical, then by all means don't let the kiddos touch the spoon. We had 8 kids wash and sanitize their hands (yes...the two step cleaning method). Then we buttered them up really well and let them make popcorn balls.

It took a little squeezing to get them to stay together. Next time I double the gooey stuff. Though I really loved the lightly sweet popcorn balls. Maybe I won't double it next time.

Since Mamba music and hip dancing wasn't dramatic enough, we decided to make a popcorn ball topiary of glory. Wooden skewer in the middle. Piles of cherry pomegranate popcorn balls. Ahhh. It was pretty for about 4 minutes. Then the kids ate them all. All. Life is good...especially after the sugar buzz wears off.

There you go.