Jaymes

I am absolutely estatic for you, and that I was able to help! And, thanks for getting back to me so soon. This is instant gratification! Jolly good thing about those wickets remaining clean - you know how a sticky one can slow a girl down.

Well, I do like molasses, but the recipe only calls for 2T so the flavor is not exactly overwhelming. But since you don't like it - why don't you try adding 2T of good-quality 100% maple syrup. That's really good as well.

Jaymes, ma'am: Do you bake the mixture in the stainless mixing bowl, or do you transfer it to a flat baking pan? (I too have the enormous stainless bowl, which makes its annual appearance from the top of the shelf during fruitcake season.) I have lots of stuff I *should* be doing today, but will find time for this and report back! Maggie - I am absolutely tickled that you're trying this, and I can hardly wait to hear the outcome. I DO bake it in that big stainless bowl (it is a rather shallow, quite wide one). The reason is that you have to stir it several times in order to completely distribute the caramel, and I think it would be more difficult in a flat baking pan. If you have one of those really large, flat commercial bakers (with sides), that might be better than the bowl, but I don't have one. The idea is that you want as much surface area as possible exposed to the heat, but stirring 6 qts of popcorn can be a bitch. If you have a large enough baker, then skip the bowl thing. Just pour your popcorn into the baker, pour the hot caramel over, and start off. Also - a note about the stirring - the first time you stir, it's pretty difficult going, so just do the best you can. It gets easier as the caramel heats up. Edit: If you're moved to add the rum or maple syrup or some other such deviation, I'd suggest you make a batch or two with just the basic recipe so you can see how it's supposed to come out before you start "fiddling." Maggs - you're gonna love it.

Often do pralines... Standby is to go to hardware store and buy cheap tin buckets, stencil a few Christmas designs on them, and then fill with my Caramel Corn (see Caramel Corn thread for recipe). Sometimes do homemade salsa.

I am really looking forward to the responses in this thread. I make Caramel Corn all the time, and have for about forty years. I give away buckets of it at Christmastime, and take it to just about every potluck where I know children will be. It is a HUGE hit, and I am famous for it. That said, eGullet has some true culinary stars and I know that my Caramel Corn is about to get a lot better after everyone adds their thoughts and tips. Here's what I do: Caramel Corn 6 qts popped corn (I use an air popper. This stuff is NEVER around long enough for me to worry about it going stale. I can tell no difference in the final result of this recipe between air-popped and regular oil-popped [although I've never done a side-by-side taste test]. Also, in a pinch - like when I'm in a hurry or the popper is broken - I have made it with those big bags of pre-popped corn that you can buy in supermarkets. I don't think it's quite as good, but darn close and is still promptly and enthusiastically all eaten. The only caveat is that the already-popped stuff is also already salted, so if you use it, be sure to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.) In heavy saucepan, over low heat, bring to boil the following: 1 C butter 2 T molasses (or 100% maple syrup, but I like molasses better) 1/2 C light corn syrup 2 C light brown sugar 1/2-1 t salt (see above) Allow to boil for five minutes. Then, remove from heat and add: 1/2 t baking soda 1 1/2 t vanilla 1 large pkg pecan halves (or cashews, or peanuts or any nut you like - sometimes I use mixed nuts and it's wonderful) Stir well to combine. In a LARGE shallow pan (I actually got one of those gargantuan, wide stainless steel mixing bowls specifically in order to make this recipe) pour the hot syrup mixture over the corn and stir to coat as well as you can. Don't worry about covering every bit of corn perfectly because you're going to have lots more opportunities. Bake at 250º for about an hour (more or less), watching to see when the corn is well-covered and is a nice golden color. Stir well every ten minutes for the first half-hour, then every fifteen minutes." Pour out onto large sheet of waxed paper and allow to cool. Break into pieces and store tightly covered. You can add anything to this that suits your fancy, like rum, or cinnamon, or chili powder. I cannot possibly tell you how much I enjoy making this, or how much fun people seem to have eating it!! Good luck, Miss M. Edit: Directions edited by RPerlow, at Jaymes' request.

Our Christmas standbys are Fruitcake Cookies, Rum Balls, Pralines, Turtles, Peppermint Bark, Date Loaf Candy, Fudge. Fruitcake Cookies are what I take to cookie exchanges, so I come home with 10-20 dozen different varieties of cookies. Fruitcake Cookies 2 1/2 C sifted all-purpose flour 1 t baking soda 1 t salt 1/2 t mace 1 t cinnamon 1 C butter, room temp 1 1/2 C sugar 2 eggs 1 T each rum & brandy 1 C pecans, chopped 8-oz pitted dates, coarsely chopped 8-oz cubed candied pineapple, chopped 8-oz candied cherries, quartered 3 1/2-oz toasted slivered almonds, chopped Resift flour with dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture and combine well. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. (You may do the mixing with a beater, but fold in fruits and nuts by hand.) Drop by tablespoons, 2" apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400º for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let stand one minute. Place on wire racks to cool. These are really, really good, and very festive - in keeping with the Christmas nuts & fruits & spices sweet treats traditions. Turtles 1 can Eagle brand milk 1 C white corn syrup pecan halves plain milk chocolate candy bars - Hershey's or other favorite - broken into bite-sized squares On greased cookie sheets, arrange pecan halves, 3 or 4 each, into pinwheels. Boil milk and syrup to 'firm ball' stage (248º), stirring constantly. Top each pecan pinwheel with 1 t hot syrup, then immediately with 1 square chocolate candy. When chocolate melts, spread to cover 'Turtle.' Cool and serve. Makes about 40.

Great report. And the opening flashback was a hoot. Thanks.

SA-70 Where in the Philippines did you live? And, as to the other question, when I was there it seemed to me that Filipino cuisine was the food of choice for entertaining, but that restaurants primarily offered cuisine from other countries - lots of Chinese, a few Continental and the ubiquitous Italian most prominent among them. Haven't been back in quite a few years, but certainly in those days, I'd definitely say it was a "home cooking" type of deal.

I have had sucess with this technique: Smush up a hunk of butter (a tablespoon?) with some sugar--brown is best but white is fine (2 tablespoons?) in the bottom of a big mug. Add in a pinch of cinnamon and a grate of nutmeg. Splash in a jigger of rum, top with boiling water, and stir. Some experimentation is cartainly necessary. Lots of sugar and butter is the secret! This stuff is so good it should be illegal!!! I suspect this version is exactly how the whole thing got started in colonial America's taverns and roadhouses.

Y'all are terrific, and so creative. I just gave the kids each a box of that sugary crap cereal that I never let them have otherwise. It is true that upon our arrival, I'd have to spend some time vacuming up the Count Chocula and Fruit Loops from the back seat, but the kids thought that "travel days" were wonderful.

'Martha' suggests rolling it out between two sheets of plastic wrap, which makes it very easy to lift and press into the pan. Haven't tried it yet, though. I always used the 'roll it over the rolling pin and then unroll it into the pan' approach.

Those look wonderful, as well as the good tip for the purchased product. Thanks for taking the time to post them. Darn nice of you.

With nice guidelines thoughtfully included for even slicing.

Turkey & Dressing (that means Cornbread, of course ) Giblet Gravy Petit Peas & Mushrooms Sweet Potatoes Baked with Bourbon and Orange Creamed Onions with Peanuts Waldorf Salad Homemade Cranberry Relish Laced with Port (or Grand Marnier, depending on my mood) Rolls & Butter Apple Pie Bourbon Pecan Pie Pumpkin Pie with Molasses & Whipped Cream Topping Pretty traditional Southern Stuff, except for Waldorf Salad and Creamed Onions. Most Southerners seem to have Ambrosia, rather than the Waldorf Salad, but as Ambrosia is sweeter, we prefer the tartness of apples with all that other kinda sweet stuff. As for the Creamed Onions... Well, once long ago we had a Yankee over for Thanksgiving Dinner. He requested the Creamed Onions so I prepared them. They were a hit, and have become a staple upon our holiday table.

Hummmm. If you pass it on your way TO La Grange, you must be coming from the South, right? Yes, I think Round Top Cafe is very good. Plus, it's one of those atmospheric little spots that are a hoot to visit anyway. If you're in La Grange often, you must be familiar with that great place for sandwiches, etc., the name escapes me, right on the highway, next door to what used to be the Bon Ton, owned by the same people (I think), etc. What is the name of that place???? Now THERE'S something to recommend to folks just passin' through.

The Woodlands is an upscale planned community north of Houston. For one thing, it is home to a lot of pilots because of its proximity to IAH. It's only a short drive up I45 from The Woodlands to Huntsville, and the New Zion Missionary Baptist Church & Barbecue. Haven't been there in a while, but used to stop frequently when traveling from Dallas to Houston. Great eats.... homemade potato salad....do not miss the Sweet Potato Pie. They used to be open Wednesday-Saturdays for barbeque, and Sundays only for saving your soul! If your hosts are up for it, 409-295-7394. Good call, Jess. As a matter of fact, I suggested that very thing to Tommy during his LAST Texas trip. But he didn't do it for some reason, so thought I'd try something else this go 'round.

Here's another stupid question that, in this case, constitutes a stupid answer: For whom are you preparing this stuffing/dressing? How important is tradition to them? If I were making stuffing/dressing for guests (which I have done many, many times), I start off by trying to figure out if they are homesick and trying to replicate the Thanksgivings of their youth, home, etc. Or not. Stuffing (which in the South we call 'dressing' as in, 'Turkey & Dressing') seems to me to be very regional. Of course, if the people that you are trying to please are adventuresome, rather than traditionalists, they may well not care one whit, and just be hoping for something new and delicious. In fact, that crowd often prefers a different take on the traditional. So, what I'd suggest is that you feel out your guests a little, find out what they're hoping for, narrow down your choices (ie, bread, cornbread, oyster, sausage, apples, crackers, etc.) and then come back to eGullet for specific suggestions on that particular type of stuffing.

Suvir - I've been enviously following the New York Indian dinner descriptions and note frequent mention of the delicious cauliflower dish. Do you have the recipe and would you share it? If not the exact recipe, perhaps an approximation. Is this recipe a traditional Indian one, or a "contemporary Indian" concoction??? Cauliflower is a big favorite in my house, and I would love to learn how to prepare this treat that so enchanted everyone.

Yes, you are probably right. Sometimes being expected to "do one's duty" trumps the enthusiasm one might have if a certain task were one's own idea from the beginning. PS - So, "officer's kid, eh?"

Yeah, Round Top is fun. The Cafe is good, and touring the concert hall is worth a few extra minutes. I'd be interested in that. And, if tommy can make it to Elgin, what say he drives the additional couple miles and makes it on into the Live Music Capital of the World?

To Lockhart. But, if you're only going to be there a "few days" it probably wouldn't be worth it. It'd take several hours each way. If you were going to be in The Woodlands for a week, say, you might look forward to a day-trip excursion.

It's certainly more pleasant down in these parts this time of year. So, where in the Houston area will you be (north, south, etc.)???? And for about how long might you be here (three days, one week)??? Long enough to drive a bit??? Like to the BBQ Temple of the Known World???

Cool. My theory on going to the current "in" place in a city is that it's kinda like seeing the other famous sights in town. Cafe Anne currently does have the name. So for me, I like to go to such places so that, if nothing else, I can at least join into the discourse as to whether or not it's "worth it."

That situation exists in virtually every transactional/commerical situation. As a travel agent friend of mine put it, "I'd love this business if it weren't for those damn customers."

I serve it alongside a big bowl of steaming hot, plain pasta as a side dish, lightly dressed with just a little evoo, S&P (the pasta, I mean). Sometimes, a smear of garlic, or dusting of P.Reg. And occasionally, all the way to Pasta Carbonara.