Maple-Glazed Popcorn With Pecans For National Maple Syrup Day
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December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day, one of the year’s two maple syrup holidays—not to overlook the dozens of holidays for pancakes, waffles, and other foods that wouldn’t be the same without maple syrup. To celebrate, we made maple-glazed popcorn, with this delicious recipe from Runamok, one of the finest maple syrups (and great for gift-giving to a foodie who will appreciate the difference. You can also make caramel corn with maple syrup instead of the honey in this caramel corn recipe. > The year’s 13 popcorn holidays. > The year’s 2+ maple holidays are below. > The year’s 10+ pecan holidays are also below. While this is as sweet snack, it’s somewhat better for you because popcorn is a whole grain/fiber food, pecans have protein, and maple syrup is not refined sugar! Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 5-10 minutes. You can save time by purchasing already-popped popcorn, but the flavor and texture won’t be as fresh and crisp. 1. PREHEAT the oven to 300°F. 2. USE an air popper to pop the kernels, or follow the instructions on the packaging. Place the popped corn in a bowl and set aside while you make the topping. If you are using plain pecans, add them to the bowl. 3. MELT the maple syrup and butter in a small pan. Pour over the popcorn and toss. Sprinkle salt to taste. 4. SPREAD the popcorn on a tray lined with parchment paper, avoiding overlap. Bake until the maple is glazed onto the popcorn, about 5-10 minutes. 5. LET the popcorn cool. The easiest method is to toss the pecans with maple syrup (about 2 tablespoons per cup of pecans) and optional spices, and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, stirring once halfway through. See the tips below before proceeding. Ingredients For 2 Cups Of Pecans Preparation 1. PLACE the pecan halves in a mixing bowl. 2. MELT the butter with the sugar in a skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 3-5 minutes until the sugar melts. Stir in the optional spices and mix well. 3. Pour over the pecans toss to coat. Spread on parchment paper immediately and separate the nuts while still warm so they don’t clump together. 4. COOL completely. The nuts will crisp up as they cool. 5. STORAGE in an airtight jar: The nuts will keep for 2-3 weeks at room temperature (in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight), 1-2 months in the fridge, and 3-6 months in the freezer. Here are some excellent spice options for maple-glazed pecans: Start with sweet spices: apple pie spice, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla powder. For a sweet-and-savory combination, pair any of the sweet spices with black pepper, cayenne, chipotle powder, or smoked paprika. For an herbal touch, add dried rosemary or thyme. For a salty touch, add crunchy sea salt (coarse grind). Some popular combinations to accent the maple: |
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________________ *Pecan Day on March 25th commemorates the specific date in 1775 when George Washington planted pecan trees at his Mount Vernon estate, which were a gift from Thomas Jefferson. (Interestingly, there’s some debate about whether Washington was actually home on that date, as his diary shows he was away from March 15-30.) National Pecan Day on April 14th was officially established in 1996 by the National designated as National Pecan Month at the same time.
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