Brown Butter & Toasted Hazelnut Popcorn

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Greys Anatomy Season 10 Episode 2 – I want you with me

Callie [drunk]: “I’m sorry. I’m drinking all your wine. You should be drinking all your wine”

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Before I talk about my wine and popcorn pairing for this weeks #TGIT, can we pour a glass and talk about Grey’s Anatomy, just for a second?

Callie

I have always loved Callie. She’s not afraid to be herself. She typically says/does exactly what she wants and has no regrets. Plus she’s funny. But, C’mon. Bringing the woman who killed Derek to Meredith’s house for dinner, she has to know this will not go well. Right? I mean, Meredith was finally getting her life back. She was in a good place, Sister Lady Chiefs and all, but if she’s flipping out and hiding Derek’s pictures before she even gets to the door, that dinner will be a disaster. Just saying.

And while we’re on the subject of Derek, Why Shonda? Why did you kill him? I know I had all summer to process it, but there’s not enough wine to get me through the ugly crying of Derek’s departure. McDreamy graced our TGIT screen for 11 years, and now he’s  gone. I don’t want to be the woman who is emotionally attached to a tv character, but he was MCDREAMY for God Sake.

Mc.Freakin.Dreamy.

And he’s GONE! Why Shonda, WHY?!

Gah.

Rant over, let’s drink & eat our feels.

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Popcorn Flavor: Brown Butter and Toasted Hazelnut

The browning of the butter gives it a rich nutty flavor. The toasted hazelnuts pieces add another layer of nuttiness as well as a delightful crunch. Add a sprinkle of sea salt and it’s like really fancy movie theater popcorn.

Wine Suggestion: Chardonnay

Chardonnay is America’s number one selling white wine, and it’s easy to see why. They are well priced (you can buy a good bottle for around $15) and they pair easily with a variety of dishes. Like this popcorn, the nuttiness of the brown butter and toasted hazelnuts really bring out the buttery, oaky, influences in the Chardonnay. 

Brown Butter and Toasted Hazelnut Popcorn

Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients:
6 cups of freshly popped popcorn. (This is about what you’d get in a standard size bag of microwave popcorn, or if you’re making it on the stove use 1tbsp of olive oil and ¼ cup of kernels)

¼ cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

1/2 tbsp freshly ground sea salt 

Directions:

  • Pop your popcorn and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Toast the hazelnuts by placing them in a medium size frying pan over med/low heat.

hazelnuts

  • Gently stir until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Add these to your bowl of popcorn.
  • Place the butter in a small saucepan set over low heat.

butter

  • Over a low heat, melt the butter until it becomes golden brown. Be careful not to burn it.

brown butter

  • Pour the butter over the popcorn and nuts, add your sea salt and toss until evenly coated

popcorn

Enjoy.

brownbutter hazelnut

Brown Butter and Toasted Hazelnut Popcorn
A buttery, nutty popcorn with a hint of sea salt. It's like really fancy movie theater popcorn
Write a review
Save Recipe
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 6 cups of freshly popped popcorn. This is about what you’d get in a standard size bag of microwave popcorn, or if you’re making it on the stove use 1tbsp of olive oil and ¼ cup of kernels
  2. ¼ cup unsalted butter
  3. ½ cup chopped hazelnuts
  4. ½ tbsp. freshly ground sea salt
Instructions
  1. Pop your popcorn and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. Toast the hazelnuts by placing them in a medium size frying pan over med/low heat.
  3. Gently stir until the nuts are golden and fragrant. Add these to your bowl of popcorn.
  4. Place the butter in a small saucepan.
  5. Over a low heat, melt the butter until it becomes golden brown. Be careful not to burn it.
  6. Pour the butter over the popcorn and nuts, add sea salt and toss until evenly coated.
Notes
  1. Pairs well with a buttery, oaky, Chardonnay
Fan Girls Cook http://fangirlscook.com/
 

Apple Pie Popcorn

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Scandal Season 3 Episode 12 – We do not touch the first ladies

“Wine is not beer and popcorn is most definitely not food.” ~Jake

wine and popcorn

Ok Jake, you’re right, wine is not beer, but popcorn IS most definitely food. Especially this one. Its like dinner and dessert rolled into one. 

If your dinner is popcorn, and your dessert is, well, also popcorn.

Whatever. 

The last wine and popcorn pairing I posted was so popular that I decided to make it a regular #TGIT thing! For the love of Scandal, and its thursday night counterparts (Grey’s Anatomy and How to get away with Murder), I’m going to consume generous quantities of wine and create popcorn recipes that compliment them. It’s a difficult job but somebody got to do it!

scandal-3-10-popcorn-and-wine

Now, we all know that Oliva goes for the reds (and typically so do I) but I wanted to include something for those with varying palates. You’ll see some whites and pinks in the mix, and to be fair to the Jake’s of the world, I throw in a few beers for fun. Each popcorn recipe will have easy to follow directions so you can make it with me. 

#TGIT craving? It’s handled!

apple pie popcorn

Popcorn Flavor – Apple Pie

Made with boiled apple cider for a robust apple flavor without being too sweet, and tossed with graham cracker pieces and chunks of dried apple. It gets baked for a few minutes and comes out all warm and crunchy. Perfect for #TGIT in the fall!

Wine Suggestion – Moscato

Moscatos are delicately sweet and low in alcohol, and while they pair well with a myriad of dishes, they are commonly served with fruit plates or dessert. Its lush palate of honey, pear and citrus compliment the apple pie popcorn without overpowering it.

Apple Pie Popcorn

Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup chopped graham crackers

1/2 cup diced dried apples

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp boiled apple cider

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp apple pie spice

1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt (or table salt)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325 and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • To make the popcorn pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pot (with a lid) and add a few un-popped corn kernels. place the lid on the pot and set over a medium high heat.

popcorn

  • When the first kernel pops, pour in the 1/2 cup of kernels and place the lid back on the pot.

popcorn

  • As they start to pop continuously, give the pot a gentle swirl/shake, to make sure the heat is well circulated. When the popping is reduced to 1-2 kernels per minute, remove from heat and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan combine 3 tbsp of coconut oil, boiled cider and spices.

boiled cider

spices

  • Set over a low heat and stir until completely melted.
  • Remove from heat and pour over popcorn. Add graham cracker pieces and gently stir until all the popcorn is covered.

pour

  • Pour popcorn into an even layer on prepared pan and bake for 6-8 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with dried apple.

dried apple

  • Allow to cool slightly before serving.

ApplePiePopcorn

Apple Pie Popcorn
Yields 8
A delicious blend of apple, cinnamon and graham crackers. Perfect for #TGIT in the fall!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
8 min
Total Time
23 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
8 min
Total Time
23 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
  2. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  3. 1 cup chopped graham crackers
  4. 1/2 cup diced dried apples
  5. 3 tbsp coconut oil
  6. 3 tbsp boiled apple cider
  7. 1 tsp cinnamon
  8. 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  9. 1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt (or table salt)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 and line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. To make the popcorn pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pot (with a lid) and add a few un-popped corn kernels. Place the lid on the pot and set over a medium high heat.
  3. When the first kernel pops, pour in the 1/2 cup of kernels and place the lid back on the pot.
  4. As they start to pop continuously, give the pot a gentle swirl/shake, to make sure the heat is well circulated. When the popping is reduced to 1-2 kernels per minute, remove from heat and set aside.
  5. In a small saucepan combine 3 tbsp of coconut oil, boiled cider and spices.
  6. Set over a low heat and stir until completely melted.
  7. Remove from heat and pour over popcorn. Add graham cracker pieces and gently stir until all the popcorn is covered.
  8. Pour popcorn into an even layer on prepared pan and bake for 6-8 minutes.
  9. Sprinkle with dried apple and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Fan Girls Cook http://fangirlscook.com/

 

Helpful Blueberry Muffins

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Grey’s Anatomy Season 3, Episode 2 – I am a Tree

“You should have a muffin. They’re really good and they help you” ~ Izzy Stevens

blueberry muffin

Grey’s Anatomy is the long running medical drama that follows the lives of the surgeons at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle. In particular, the life of the show’s main character, Meredith Grey. I feel like I should highlight the word drama. Maybe put it in big bold shouty caps. I mean, over the course of 11 years Meredith has witnessed the following (and then some): torrid affairs, heated arguments, miscarriages, marriages, almost marriages, bombs, plane crashes, ferry crashes, car crashes, gun shots, failed surgeries, drowning, break ups and make ups. The death toll is WAY up there.  Not only have I been a sobbing mess on more than one occasion, but I am often left wondering why she chooses to stay at Grey Sloan Memorial. Dont get me wrong, I love these doctors and their drama, but there is obviously some bad ju-ju floating around that hospital.

greys-anatomy

In its early years one of those doctors was Izzy Stevens, played by Katherine Heigl. (Her drama included *spoiler alert* losing the love of her life, getting kicked out of the program, getting reinstated, burrying her best friend, getting married, getting cancer, moving, getting divorced.) 

Izzy will always be one of my favorites. I wanted to be Izzy. Minus all the drama, of course. She was sweet, smart, gorgeous and she loved to bake. If she wasn’t at the hospital she was in the kitchen. She’d spend all day in the OR then go home and make cupcakes. And chocolate cake. In the episode I am a Tree, following the death of Denny, she made blueberry muffins. Lots and Lots of blueberry muffins.

izzy

I have to believe, that given the heartbreak Meredith had suffered this year, if Izzy were around she would be making muffins for her. Lots and lots of blueberry muffins. The kind of muffins that are soft and moist and bursting with fresh blueberries. The kind of muffins that help distract you from the pain of losing yet another beloved doctor. The kind of muffins you stuff your face with in an effort to eat your feelings away. 

You know I’m talking about. It’s been a long, gut wrenching, season of Grey’s Anatomy this year. So when you’re done crying over the finale, have a muffin, they’ll help you too.

blueberry muffin

 

Helpful Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 regular size muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp lemon zest

1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 
  • line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium size bowl combine the sugar and the lemon zest. Rub together between your fingers to incorporate all the oil from the zest into the sugar.

lemon zest

  • Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to the sugar and gently mix together with a wire whisk or spoon.
  • In a small bowl toss the fresh blueberries with about a tablespoon of the flour mixture. this will prevent all of the blueberries sinking to the bottom of the batter during baking.

blueberries

  • In a smaller bowl whisk together oil, egg and buttermilk. 
  • Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
  • Gently fold in the blueberries.
  • Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 of the way full. 
  • Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, then rotate your pan and reduce the heat to 350. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. The tops should be full and golden and when you insert a tooth pick inserted into the center it should come out with a few moist crumbs. 

muffins

  • Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins to a wire rack and cool completely.

helpful-blueberry-muffin

Helpful Blueberry Muffins
Yields 12
Moist delicious Blueberry Muffins
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 1 cup granulated sugar
  3. 1 cup buttermilk
  4. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  5. 1 egg
  6. 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
  7. 1 tsp salt
  8. 1 tsp nutmeg
  9. 1 tsp lemon zest
  10. 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
  2. Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
  3. In a medium size bowl combine the sugar and the lemon zest. Using your fingers rub the zest into the sugar until encoprated and fragrant.
  4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to the sugar and mix together with a wire whisk or spoon.
  5. In a seperate bowl gently toss the blueberries with about a tablespoon of the flour mixture. this will help prevent the blueberries from sinking during baking.
  6. In a small bowl whisk together buttermilk, oil and egg. Pour into the flour mixure and stir until fully mixed.
  7. Gently fold in blueberries.
  8. Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full and bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and reduce heat to 350. Bake for an addition 15-20 minutes.
  9. Muffins should have a golden top and when a toothpick is inserted into the center it should come out with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins to a wire rack and cool completely.
Fan Girls Cook http://fangirlscook.com/

 

 

 

 

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