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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
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Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission
Combining two great all-American traditions, this sweet
potato pie is topped with pecans.
Countdown to Christmas
Sweet potatoes for
your holiday table
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
Many foods were imported to this country from England
and Europe as ships sailed to the new world, but the ones
that were native to the New World seem to have a special
place in our hearts. That list includes - among many oth
ers - such stars as chocolate, coffee, corn in all its varieties,
pecans and sweet potatoes.
It’s likely that all of these foods will show up on your
holiday table in one form or another, and the sweet potato
will show up in fancy dress, turned into pies and casseroles
loaded with brown sugar, crushed pineapple, cinnamon,
marshmallows and more.
The humble ‘tater has come a long way over the years.
For generations of Southerners fighting to wrest a living
from the land, it was a staple, grown in backyard patches
and buried in ‘tater hills to keep for the winter. Children
ate them cold for a snack. Soldiers in the civil war roasted
them. They were good. They were filling. And fortunately,
they were also nutritious, and still rate high with food
experts for being packed with fiber, fat free, and a super
source of Vitamin 86, Vitamin A and Vitamin.
They also remain part of our holiday expectations. What
Christmas feast would be complete without at least one
sweet potato casserole and one slice of ‘tater pie.
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Here are some recipes to
try this Christmas.
Combine two great
Southern traditions with a
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie.
1 refrigerated 9-inch pie crust
1 (15 oz.) can sweet potatoes
drained and mashed
2 large eggs, divided
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 large egg whites
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Lay pie crust in a
9 inch pie dish. In a mix
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ing bowl, blend together
the sweet potatoes, 1 egg,
brown sugar, cinnamon, and
nutmeg. Spread evenly on
bottom of pie crust. In a
mixing, bowl, beat togeth
er the remaining egg, egg
whites, corn syrup, sugar,
and vanilla until mixture
is frothy. Stir in pecans.
Carefully spoon over sweet
potato layer. Bake for 50 to
60 minutes or until filling
is set around edges or until
a knife inserted halfway
between the center and edge
comes out clean. Cool and
serve. Makes 8 servings.
Created by Louisiana
Sweet Potato Commission
See SWEETS, Page iB
Stocking stuffer
fop chocolate
lovers
For the chocolate addict on
y9ur shopping list, here’s a
Santa who won’t last long.
Made of dark chocolate
by Godiva, he’s 5 1/4 inches
tall and will make a great
stocking stuffer for kids or
adults!
About $6.
To order, visit Godiva.com
PEPPEHa^NT
PARTY LIKE IT’S CHRISTMAS
Party planning for the
first time? Simplify!
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Yvonne
Sutherland
yvonnes@windstream.
invite the guests. If you are giving
a formal party with written invita
tions, they should go out two weeks
before the party. On the other hand,
I see no problem with just calling or
e-mailing close friends and family to
invite them to an informal gather
ing.
My advice for novice cooks is to
simplify. When I was a young
mother, I sometimes attempted com
plicated recipes with the washer
going and the children demanding
my attention. That is a mistake;
the hostess should not be exhaust
ed before the party begins. Hors
d’oeuvres and punch make a great
afternoon tree-trimming party or
New Year’s Eve celebration. The
following menu is festive but easy:
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By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Journal staff writer
The stores are full of apples of all varieties now, and there’s a lot to be said
for just eating them raw, but they are also one of a cook’s best friends when
it comes to family treats. They are natural partners for cinnamon and brown
sugar, for any kind of pastry or crunchy topping, and a great ingredient for
moist cakes. *
So get our your paring knife and your apple-corer and turn out an old-fash
ioned masterpiece. Here are some recipes to start with.
Microwave Applesauce
You haven’t tasted really good applesauce until you’ve made your own, and
the microwave has made it easy. You can use any combination of apples you
like, but here are the suggestions of the New York Apple Commission:
2 medium Golden Delicious apples
2 medium Empire apples
2 medium Jonagold or Fuji apples
(Total chopped apples = 6 cups)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Thrbinado sugar (if desired)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Core and chop apples into small chunks of uniform size (1/2 inch). Place
apples jn large microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup water to bowl. Cover and
microwave on high 15 minutes. Stir apples. Continue to microwave, uncovered,
until apples are very tender, about 5 minutes longer.
Using potato masher, coarsely mash apples. If skins are too chewy, use a food
processor to promote desired texture and break up apple skin. Mix in cinnamon
and sugar (if desired).
See APPLES, Page zB
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The holi
days are a time
to gather with
friends and fam
ily, but first-time
hosts and host
esses may find
the idea of giving
a party intimi
dating. I have
found that the
key to stress free
entertaining is
planning ahead.
First, you must
Ice Wreath for the Punch Bowl
Obviously, this can be made well
in advance. You will need a ring
mold (the kind you use for gelatin)
and:
Water
Orange slices
Maraschino cherries
Fill a large pitcher with water
and let it sit out overnight to elimi
nate any bubbles. Fill the mold
about 1/3 full with the prepared
water. Set in the freezer until solid.
Arrange the orange slices and mara
schino cherries on top of the ice and
add just enough water to cover but
not enough to make the fruit float.
Freeze again. When it is solid, fill
the mold completely. Freeze until
frozen through. To unmold, dip
the mold quickly in hot water and
invert. The ice wreath should fall
out. If not, repeat until it does.
(I have done this with rosemary
and berries for shrimp cocktail. I
surrounded the wreath with shrimp
and set a bowl of cocktail sauce in
the center.)
Champagne Punch
This is quick and easy and should
be made up right before the party so
it does not go flat.
64 ounces chilled pineapple juice
12 ounces frozen orange juice concen
trate
See Party, Page zB
IS FOR
[APPLESAUCE.
(APPLE CRISP.
APPLE CAKE...
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007
Party Gameplan
•Send out the invitations two weeks in
advance.
• Several days in advance, make the
wreath for the punch bowl and keep it in
the freezer. Make the spiced nuts and
store.
• Two days before the party, clean the
house and set up the buffet table.
• The day before the party, marinate the
wings early in the morning. Make the dip
for the veggies and refrigerate. Cut the
bread circles for the Parmesan puffs and
store in a plastic bag. Late in the afternoon
brown the wings and put them into the bak
ing dish. Cover and refrigerate.
• On the day of the party, do any last
minute tidying of the house. Take a long
bubble bath and do your hair.
• About 45 minutes before the guests
arrive, set out the nuts and arrange the
vegetables and dip on a platter.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Meanwhile prepare the parmesan puffs (do
not broil) and set aside.
• Brush the wings with honey and bake
according to directions.
•While the wings are cooking, unwrap
the cream cheese, spread with the jelly
and surround with crackers.
•Make the punch and pour over the ice
ring.
• Remove the wings from the oven and
cover them with foil to keep them warm.
• Broil the Parmesan puffs.
• Put everything on the table, answer the
door and enjoy your own party!
-Yvonne Sutherland
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Next Week:
Great ideas lor
gifts from the kitchen
Perggy Bledsoe has some won
derful ideas for food gifts, includ
ing a Spicy Pork Rub, season
ing and salad dressing mixes,
all kinds of dessert mixes,Good
Cheeer Holiday Crunch, Snap
Brittle, Zucchini Walnut Bread.
Get all the recipes in next
Wedndesday’s Houston Home
Journal.
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