Popcorn favorites for game day

With basketball in full swing, when there is a game on television, my husband is usually within earshot or viewing distance to be able to keep up with the score and the strategy. His love for basketball is very strong, and I completely understand. I have often said, of all of the things he could be out doing, watching a lot of basketball isn't too bad.

While watching the games, he frequently likes a snack to munch on, so I thought I would pass along a few popcorn snacks for you to try. A couple of savory snacks and a couple of sweet treats are included, and you can choose which is your favorite.

It is almost tipoff time, so I better get to popping!

Nacho Popcorn

• 5 quarts popped popcorn
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 4 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce

Place popcorn in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients, drizzle over popcorn and toss until well coated.

Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn

• 16 cups popped popcorn
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 squares white almond bark

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a saucepan, bring butter, light corn syrup, sugar and salt to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in soda, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly. Place popcorn in a large bowl and pour caramel topping over the popcorn. Mix until combined. Spread out on two large jelly roll pans.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread out on wax paper after baking. Let cool. Melt almond bark according to package directions. Stir in cinnamon. Drizzle over popcorn. Break apart and store tightly covered.

Peanut Butter Cashew Popcorn

• 6 quarts popped popcorn
• 3 cups cashews
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup honey
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine popcorn and cashews; set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and honey. Bring to a rapid boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Pour over popcorn mixture and stir to coat. Pour popcorn mixture out onto wax paper and let cool. Break into clusters and store in an airtight container.

Zesty Chili Lime Popcorn

Spice up your popcorn with this easy seasoning made from lime juice and chili powder.

• 1 quart popped popcorn
• 1 teaspoon brewer's yeast powder or nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread popcorn on a baking sheet. Sprinkle yeast powder, lime juice, chili powder and salt over popcorn. Heat about 7 minutes and toss just before serving. Serve warm.

Basil and Garlic Popcorn Snack Mix

A satisfying snack mix with a sophisticated flavor. Get creative and add nuts, seeds or berries of your choice.

• 10 cups butter-flavored popcorn
• 1 cup corn cereal squares
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups walnut halves, pumpkin seeds and/or whole almonds
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix popcorn, corn cereal and raisins in large bowl. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in basil, garlic powder and red pepper flakes; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in nuts; cook and stir 3 minutes or until nuts are fragrant. Pour into bowl with popcorn mixture; toss until well blended.

Savory Bacon Popcorn Snack Mix

Bring this savory popcorn mix to your next game-day party. The nacho cheese and chips will be leftovers with this savory treat on the table.

• 3 quarts popped popcorn
• 2 cups miniature pretzels
• 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onions and tops
• 1 1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Combine popped popcorn and pretzels in large bowl. Cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in green onions, mustard and seasoned salt. Sprinkle bacon and Parmesan over popcorn mixture. Pour butter mixture over all. Toss well to coat. Serve at once.

Garlic Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn

Buttery popcorn with garlic, rosemary and Parmesan cheese. This popcorn is perfect for movie night, game day or everyday snacking.

• 4 tablespoons sea salt and olive oil butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup popcorn
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt, to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic and fresh rosemary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. To pop the popcorn, heat the canola oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium-high heat. Put a couple popcorn kernels into the oil to see if it is hot enough. If they pop, then it's ready. Add the popcorn kernels in an even layer. Cover the pan with a lid; remove from heat for about 30 seconds. Return the pan to the heat and gently shake the pan by moving it back and forth over the burner. You will hear the popcorn popping. Keep the lid slightly ajar so the steam can escape. If you remove the lid completely, you will have a popcorn mess. When the popcorn is done popping, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Pour the butter, garlic and rosemary mixture over the popcorn and gently toss. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the warm popcorn. Season with salt, to taste.

Note: You can use microwave or air-popped popcorn if you wish.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.