Food

It can be an easy snack, a fragrant mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It can also be an exotic blend of spices from lands near and far.

There's nothing corny about popcorn.

While the movie theater variety is loaded with something that passes for "butter," homemade, air-popped corn kernels are a fabulous canvas on which to ply your culinary art.

The basic ingredient list can get as funky as you want it to be.

Want to fire up your sweet tooth?

Then marshmallow crème and peanut butter make a snack sweet, indeed. Need some fire of another kind? A sprinkling of ground cayenne pepper or ground,

powdered wasabi packs a punch.

Now, get poppin'.

Halloween Heaven

8 cups air-popped popcorn
7 ounces marshmallow cream
1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 cup candy corn

Combine marshmallow cream and peanut butter in a large bowl; mix until smooth.

Stir in popcorn and candy corn and mix until coated evenly. Drop by heaping spoonfuls on wax paper or non-stick surface and allow to cool. Store in airtight container.

Super Spicy Popcorn Snack
Serves 4

8 cups air-popped popcorn
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine mustard, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; mix well.

Spray popcorn lightly with butter-flavored cooking spray; immediately sprinkle with seasonings and toss to coat and mix. If desired, place popcorn and seasonings in zip-style bag and shake to coat.

Cinnamon-Spice Berry Popcorn
Serves 4

6 cups air-popped popcorn
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 tbsp. light margarine
1/2 cup Craisins

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, spices and margarine in microwave-safe bowl; cook on HIGH heat for 2 1/2 minutes until bubbly hot.

Add Craisins to popcorn; toss with hot sugar mixture until well coated. Cool mixture before serving or store in airtight container.