BAKED POTATOES MADE BETTER WITH KERNEL SEASON'S!

Like I mentioned yesterday, we hosted a Baked Potato Bar dinner at our house this weekend and it was a HUGE hit. I think any time your guests can build-their-own meal, it is going to guarantee satisfaction!

In addition to a ton of toppings available, I had a few of my favorite Kernel Season's available - just to give each combination a little extra flavor! (Yes, KS is technically marketed as popcorn seasoning- but it goes great on any type of food!)

Here are a few combinations I'd highly recommend you try:

TEX MEX: Potato, Bacon, Jalapenos, Co-jack cheese, Kernel Season's Nacho Cheddar (+sour cream if you so choose!)

ONION + GARLIC: Potato, Diced Yellow Onion, Diced Scallion, Parmesan Cheese, Kernel Season's Parmesan Garlic

CHEESE LOVERS: Potato, Parmesan Cheese, Chives or Scallions, Monteray-Jack Cheese, Kernel Season's White Cheddar

What do you throw on top of your baked potato?

I'm a cheese lover for sure...and Michael just puts a copious amount of butter on his. Can you tell we live in the Dairy State?

xo, lp

*this post was NOT sponsored by Kernel Season's- I was not paid to write this, I'm just Midwestern enough to love me a good baked potato, and Kernel Season's are something I actually use to top mine!

WHITE CHEDDAR CAYENNE POPCORN ("gourmet" popcorn files, part 2)

Today I bring you installment #2 of the Gourmet Popcorn Files.

If you're new around here, this isn't really gourmet popcorn, but it's something a little elevated from your average microwave popcorn! You can see the whole background here.

Today's popcorn recipe: 

What you'll need to make it happen:

- Popcorn Popper (I use a stir crazy)

- 3/4 cups unpopped White Popcorn Kernels

- 2 Tbsps Vegetable Oil

- 2 Tbsps Kernel Season's White Cheddar Seasoning

- 1 tsp Cayenne

- 2 Tbsps Butter

- 2 tsps dried parsley

- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

How to make it happen:

Step 1: Pop your popcorn as directed 

Step 2: Melt your butter and drizzle evenly over the popcorn

Step 3: Immediately after, sprinkle your White Cheddar seasoning, cayenne, parsley, and garlic powder over your popcorn.

Step 4: Enjoy! 

If you're not a big spice fan, skip the cayenne- the popcorn will still taste great without it!

What snack have you been making lately?

If you need a new recipe to try, pin this and give it a go!

xo, lp

For more Kernel Season's Recipes, try my Garlic Parmesan Popcorn, and my Ranch Pumpkin Seeds!

*I was not paid to write this post, nor is it a sponsored post by Kernel Season's. Once again, I buy this seasoning all the time on my own, even though they have sent me flavors to try at times! Either way, this is truly a recipe I make multiple times a month and I wanted to share it with you, and give Kernel Season's some credit for making a great product. xo, lp*

RANCH PUMPKIN SEEDS!

So last year, actually almost exactly 1 year ago to the date, I posted my favorite pumpkin seed recipe. 

It's my go to, kind of spicy, perfectly salty recipe. 

This year I wanted to try something a little different, so I whipped out my Kernel Season's Ranch. I know you remember them from my Parmesan Garlic Popcorn post, right? Such a groupie, I know.

Anyways, not only is their stuff yummy on popcorn, it is DELICIOUS on pumpkin seeds!

What you'll need:

- 1 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds 

- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

-  1 Tablespoon Kernel Season's Ranch Seasoning

- Parchment Paper

How to make it happen:

 Step 1: Preheat your oven 350 while you're gutting your pumpkin

Step 2: Clean your seeds off! No one likes pumpkin goop.

Step 3: Toss your seeds in olive oil and spread out your seeds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Sprinkle with Ranch seasoning and bake for 10 minutes.

Step 5: Flip your seeds over, and bake for another 15 minutes, until golden brown!

 There is nothing better than pumpkin seeds in the fall. I don't like pumpkin flavored things...except these seeds!

What's one of your favorite fall snacks?

If you like pumpkin seeds, you MUST try this recipe!

xo, lp

PARMESAN GARLIC POPCORN ("gourmet" popcorn files, part 1):

I know I've mentioned this multiple times, but in case you're new to the party: I am a popcorn addict.

No no, really. Like probably an unhealthy amount? Not quite sure. If I keel over soon, you all know it's most likely from excess popcorn consumption. Ehhhh there are worse ways to go, right?

So now that we're on the same page, let me explain this post:

When I was a sophomore in college my friend's dad owned a grocery store. He got samples of new food products to try to see if he'd want to sell them, so when Kernel Season's came about- they sent him a ton of popcorn seasoning to try. Being the cool guy he was, he gave them to us to try out- which we promptly had a popcorn party with. Since that day, I've been buying this, and only this brand of popcorn seasoning- for the copious amount of popcorn I eat. To keep it from being the same old, same old, I started adding other spices and such - and realized it was time to send some fanmail.

Yep, fanmail. People spend so much time these days just sending negative feedback when they aren't happy with a product or service, but rarely take the time to send fanmail. So like a proper groupie- I sent fanmail to Kernel Season's. I told them I've been buying their stuff since the beginning and was hoping to post about their seasonings. What did they do? They sent me a gift box of their current flavors. If they weren't in another state I would hug them. Hard. And then make them popcorn.

I realize this is the longest intro EVER to a recipe post, but I wanted to give you background before you thought this was just a sponsored post and this was all just fake. Other than the seasoning they so kindly sent me, I'm not getting paid or forced to do this post or anything. This is the first in a "gourmet" popcorn series, using one of their seasonings & other flavors to enhance them!

So here goes:

Popcorn is a huge crowd pleaser (especially if the crowd is me), but I never feel like bringing plain popcorn to a party is really special...seems kind of like a copout to making something better. So I decided to start using seasoning to make popcorn that seemed "fancy" - but was easier to make than anything else!

What you'll need:  *recipe is for 5 cups popped popcorn

- Popcorn popper & White Corn kernels

- Veggie or canola oil (amt depends on your popper)

- 3 Tbsps butter

- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

- 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil

- 2 teaspoons Kernel Season's Garlic Parmesan seasoning 

** you COULD use bag popcorn- just make sure to get white corn, like Jiffy Pop Tender White**

How to make it happen:

Step 1: Pop your popcorn!

Step 2: Melt your butter and drizzle lightly over your popped corn.

Step 3: Shake in your Kernel Season's and dried basil.

Step 4: Top with shredded Parmesan, and enjoy!!

Easy, right?

So of course now you see why I said it's "gourmet"...in quotations. It's actually just a cheap, easy treat to bring to a party  or work (or eat all by yourself)...but it sounds so much nicer to say "I'm bringing Garlic Parmesan Popcorn to the party!" than "I'll bring popcorn", now doesn't it?

Alright, that's all for now.No more popcorn babbling!

Anyone else have a good idea for mixing with Garlic Parmesan seasoning?

Pass it my way, I'll probably be making more tonight :) 

xo, lp 

thanks again to Kernel Season's. your stuff is seriously the best. and so are you. xo.