Popcorn treats perfect for Valentine’s Day

Celebrating Valentine’s Day can find sweethearts stuck in a chocolate and flower rut. How about, in this most unique of years, doing something a little different? Dressing up popcorn can be both fun and way easy. Try these simply, but colorful recipes to make the upcoming Valentine’s Day a little different and still yummy.

Pink and Perfect Popcorn

Ingredients:

• White Chocolate
• Air-popped popcord
• Food coloring (optional)
• Candies (optional)
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

Melt white chocolate, add a little food coloring (if desired), mix with popcorn and spread out to cool. Drizzle with more melted chocolate and add candies or sprinkles (if desired).

Cheery Cherry Popcorn

Pop up the fun with this eye-catching, sweet sensation!

Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 quarter air-popped popcorn
• 1 package cherry flavored gelatin
• Butter flavored spray

Directions:

Put popcorn into a very large bowl and spray lightly with butter flavored oil. Sprinkle with gelatin. Put in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for five minutes. Gelatin will dissolve slightly and stick to the popcorn.

Triple Chocolate Popcorn

What’s not to love about triple the chocolate?

Ingredients:

• 8 cups popped popcorn
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, at least 70% cocoa, melted
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Arrange popcorn on large parchment paper-lined baking sheet in even layer. Melt dark and milk chocolate chips separately in microwave or in double-boiler. Using spoon, drizzle dark chocolate randomly over popcorn. Using clean spoon, repeat with milk chocolate. Sprinkle with sea salt. In large bowl, toss chocolate-coated popcorn with white chocolate chips.

Tips:

To melt chocolate in double-boiler, place chocolate chips in heatproof bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water for 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate can be stirred. To melt chocolate in microwave, place in microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on medium, stirring every 30 seconds, for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and melted. Alternatively, use finely chopped chocolate instead of chocolate chips.