I'm having a Popcorn Ball

There may not be dancing but I'm having a popcorn ball making party on Saturday. Really this post is just to save the recipe though so I can find it easily.

Bessie's Popcorn Balls

2 c sugar
1 c Karo syrup
1/2 c butter
pinch of salt

Cook all together 5 minutes, boiling hard.  (Crackly in cold water)
Enough for 4 batches of popcorn with air popper.  Use large dishpan. 
Store in airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap. Mom thinks they look best wrapped in wax paper (twisted on the sides Jolly Rancher style)  but they don't stay crisp like that. 

I'll try to get some pictures from the party. 

Civilization at last! (or how to vote properly)

I did it. I registered as a permanent absentee voter. 

After a couple of elections dealing with the craziness of DC voting machines and polling places (they tell you you can't take a picture of yourself while standing in the ridiculously long line! Seriously?) I am not going to do it again. I'm getting back to the civilized way I was raise: fill out your paper mail-in at the kitchen table while drinking a cup of cocoa. You can take your time and fill it out gradually over a couple of days while you think about different races. I can either mail it in by November 4 or turn it in to any polling place on election day. So I can still visit a polling place if I want to but I won't have to stand in line. 

Here's my new ballot:

Now that's what an election should look like! Not this (from the Washington Post):

The early voting line was almost 2 blocks long in downtown Silver Spring thirty minutes before the close on November 2, 2012. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

New tuna salad

I made this recipe to take to a potluck at work last week. Except I initially skimmed the ingredients and thought it said black olives instead of black pepper. When I went back to make it I still felt olives sounded really good so I diced up a few oil cured black olives and mixed them in. This was a great variation on the traditional American tuna salad with mayonnaise. (not that there's anything wrong with that, I like tuna with mayo and pickles too) I served it on crispy romaine lettuce leaves rather than bread. With everyone eating low carb these days that's popular and I actually like tuna better on lettuce--nice and crunchy and the flavors come through.

So here's a recipe for tuna with roasted red peppers and black olives:

2 cans of tuna packed in water, well drained (10-12 oz depending on can size)
1/3 cup roasted sweet red peppers, diced
2 T diced oil cured black olives
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or a bit more)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 

Mix it all together and season to taste. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated up to 24 hours. Makes both sandwiches and tuna salad on lettuce.