I’m enjoying a perfect New Year’s Eve. Earlier we took the girls to the Pantomime at the Liverpool Empire, had a lovely Italian meal at Il Forno, then spent a few hours with friends before returning home. The children are tucked up in bed and, while I’m not spending the whole evening online, I wanted to share one of my favourite recipes: Celebration Popcorn. I call it that because I make it almost every time there’s a celebration.
If you have some popping corn in the cupboard, you can make this before midnight. It’s simple, quick and fun to eat. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients:
- Around 75g unpopped popcorn kernels
- 50g mini marshmallows, plus extra for sprinkling
- 50g white chocolate
- 50g pecan nuts (or your favourite nuts)
- Vegetable oil for coating the pan
- Popping candy for extra sparkle (optional)
Method:
- Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil into a large pan and brush it around the base and sides.
- Add the popcorn kernels and cover the pan with a lid.
- Heat the pan until the kernels begin to pop. Keep the lid on and shake the pan occasionally. When popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove from the heat.
- While the popcorn is popping, place the marshmallows and chopped white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the mixture reaches a thick, gooey consistency. This usually takes 3–6 intervals depending on your microwave.
- Pour the melted chocolate and marshmallow mix into a large bowl, add the popped corn and stir until the pieces are evenly coated. Some pieces will break up and the mixture may turn crumbly—that’s fine and tastes great.
- Roughly chop the pecans and fold them into the popcorn mixture.
- Just before serving, sprinkle over popping candy if using, and scatter extra mini marshmallows for extra chewiness.
- Serve with your favourite celebratory drink and enjoy.
As the new year begins, I’ve set a few foodie goals I’m planning to follow:
- Aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day or more.
- Increase daily water intake—experiment with flavoured cordials and alcohol-free mocktails.
- Keep experimenting with new recipes and use more of the ingredients already in the pantry.
- Build a supply of homemade frozen meals for busy days when we’re eating on the go between activities.
- Avoid buying any alcohol in January to use up the stash we already have and save money.
- Be more frugal with food spending and look for sensible bargains without excessive waste.
- Try different cuts of meat and various types of fish to expand our cooking repertoire.
- Buy fewer shop-made cakes and biscuits and bake more at home.
- Get back into sugarcraft as a hobby and start experimenting again after a break.
- Engage more with other food bloggers and join online recipe link-ups to discover new ideas.
- A major aim: publish at least 200 food blog posts this year.
Alongside those food goals, I’ve set a few personal resolutions:
- Continue my reading challenge—aiming to read a total of 500 books by the time I turn 50, so I need to pick up the pace.
- Focus on crafts this year: finish works in progress, contribute to a Granny Square Crochet Blanket and make crochet bunting for a charity event in March.
- Clear and better manage my inbox.
- Walk to school more often and make the most of the last year I’ll be using a pram.
Have you set any resolutions, goals or plans for the year? I’d love to hear them. In the meantime, enjoy a bowl of Celebration Popcorn and have a happy New Year!