Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air- popped popcorn has only 30 calories per cup. If you oil-pop it the calorie count is 55/cup. Even lightly drizzled with butter, it's only 90-120 calories per cup. Popcorn is also a source of high- quality carbohydrates and high in fiber (or, put simply, it takes longer to chew and makes you feel full longer!). So - go ahead - treat yourself (guilt free) to a bowl of popcorn.

And when you're looking for a special treat - make popcorn balls! There's a few more calories but, oh my, they do taste good!

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add corn syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir & bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add popcorn & mix in. Put waxed paper on your countertop. Form popcorn balls and lay on wax paper to harden. Makes about a dozen balls.

These stay fairly soft (a little easier on the teeth!).

Put sugar, water, molasses, vinegar and salt into a pot. Heat & stir until it starts to boil. Boil gently, without stirring, until it reaches the hard ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter/margarine. Pour over popcorn in a large bowl. Mix until popcorn is coated with syrup. Form into balls. Makes 12 - 15 popcorn balls.

Hard ball stage is 270F or when you drop a bit in cold water and it forms a hard ball.

Use whatever color suits the occasion. For Halloween use orange jello. You can put `faces' on your popcorn balls with candy. For Christmas make a bowl full of red & green balls. For Easter use pastel colors.

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