If you want to taste some amazingly good popcorn, may I HIGHLY recommend this method.
You'll need a bag of popcorn. It should look something like this:
Then you need a pan with a lid. I like to use this:
because you can SEE the popcorn popping!
And you'll need enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pan (but, just so you know, the more oil you put in, the more greasy and therefore YUMMY your popcorn will taste. I usually make sure there is plenty to cover the bottom of the pan. That's more than enough. But you can be skimpy if you're being health conscious).
Turn the burner on to medium high and drop two kernels into the oil. I leave the lid off for this part. When both kernals have popped, it's time to add enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan in one layer. My pan takes about 1/2 cup of kernels.
PUT THE LID ON!
Then let the pan sit for a bit, then shake it above the burner a bit (to keep the kernels moving around so they don't burn). Continue with that procedure. After a few minutes the kernels will start popping. At that point I shake the pan just above the burner fairly constantly to keep things from burning on the bottom. When the popping slows to a crawl, turn off the heat, shake the pan a few more times till the stragglers have popped, then dump the popcorn into a big bowl.
Sprinkle salt, cheese powder, nuts, or whatever toppings you want onto the popcorn. You could add some butter, but usually the oil has left such a nice flavor I don't add any.
This is a cheap, cheap, cheap alternative to the microwave popcorn, and really, it doesn't take THAT much effort. I can get a decent sized bowl of popcorn out of just a 1/2 cup of kernels.
ENJOY!
