Kettle corn is the perfect snack for any time of day, for kids and grown-ups alike. Plus, I hear the Super Bowl is coming up, and this would be a great make-ahead snack for your upcoming Super Bowl party – a perfect combination of salty, sweet, and crunchy all in one bite!

I compiled a short list of other great super bowl menu items with only two criteria:

   1. You must be able to make it ahead of time

   2. It must be easy to make

That sounds like two pretty good qualifications, right?

So, feast your eyes on these:

Soft pretzel bites – great served with honey mustard or a store-bought queso
Home-made Cheez ItsRestaurant style salsa– serve with store-bought chips
Beef dip sandwiches – make up to 2 days ahead in your slow cooker and serve slider rolls for bite-size treats
This Caprese Salad is a great alternative to a pasta salad, and a more healthful option (but you don’t have to tell anyone else that)
You’ve still got a few days, go ahead and infuse some vodka with berries while you’re at it Don’t forget dessert! How bout some rice krispy treats or blondies (using m&ms with your favorite team’s colors

Oh yeah, let’s not forget the kettle corn recipe! It’s more or less like this – equal parts oil and sugar, pop your corn in it, sprinkle with salt. Done!

I did 3 Tbsp oil + 1/3 cup kernels just because that’s what was on the back of my popcorn container. You can adjust for more or less, just make sure the oil coats the bottom of your pan and that you have equal parts (or close to) sugar and oil.

Kettle Corn – makes about 4 cups popped popcorn

[ Printable Recipe ]

• 3 Tbsp oil
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 c popcorn kernels
• salt, to taste

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add a few kernels to the pan and cover.

2. Once those kernels pop, add the rest of the popcorn kernels along with the sugar. Replace lid and shake like crazy while they continue to pop. Be careful not to let the sugar burn (I usually swirl mine so that only part of the pan is over the burner at any given point in time). If you’re lucky, you might have one of these guys to stir for you.

3. When popping slows to a few seconds between kernels, you’re done! Go ahead and dump into a large bowl, sprinkle with desired amount of salt and toss. I usually pour half in, salt and toss that half, then pour the rest in and salt and toss again (for better coverage).

*If at any point you think your sugar is starting to burn, just go ahead and pour your popcorn into the bowl. No point in sacrificing all that popcorn just waiting for those last few kernels to pop!

*You can also add the salt at the same time as the sugar – but I like being able to taste and adjust