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Page 2C,The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Festive Holiday Brunch Starring Coffee Cake
Special to the Ledger
What is it about brunch
at home that makes it so
enticing? Is it our love
of breakfast foods from
simple scrambled eggs
to luscious coffee cakes?
Or is it because brunch
is social and substantial
without waiting in restau
rant lines? Whatever the
reason, brunch is a wonder
ful way to celebrate the
holidays with family and
friends. Like any success
ful party, a holiday brunch
will require some planning,
but when the time comes
it will pay off. With a little
organization, the host can
sit back, relax and enjoy
the party, too.
Brunch lends itself to
many styles of entertain
ing. If you prefer a small
casual group, you can
easily gather around the
kitchen table where every
one can chat and even pitch
in to prepare and serve the
food. If you prefer a little
more formal setting, set
your dining table with your
fresh linens and china or
for a large group, a buffet
is always a good choice.
Planning the Menu
After determining the
guest list and the seating
arrangement, the menu is
usually the next decision
and one that takes the most
thought because there are
so many good choices.
“The menu is important,
but it does not have to be
difficult, elaborate or ex
otic, observed the Martha
White baking expert, Linda
Carman. “Take advantage
of convenience products
like coffee cake or muf
fin mixes. There are many
wonderful recipes that start
with a mix and act as a
great time saver time dur
ing this busy season. And
don’t discount your own
personal favorite or spe
cialties. Your guests would
love a country breakfast
featuring homemade
biscuits.
One important thing to
keep in mind is that you
don’t have to serve a lot of
different dishes. LTnless you
are having a huge buffet
and just want to provide
several choices, a few
well chosen and lovingly
prepared dishes are really
the best.
Planning Ahead is the
Secret
The real secret to a deli
cious meal is preparation.
Prepare as many recipes
in advance saving only a
few to be made at the last
minute. Select sweet and
savory items and vary
textures, too. Some corner
stones to build a brunch
menu around: something
fresh, like a fruit salad;
something rich and eggy;
a few sweet things like
coffeecakes, muffins,
pancakes or waffles; some
thing bready like biscuits
or scones; and some savory
meats like bacon and
sausage.
Fast and Festive Breads
and Coffee Cakes
Bread is one category of
brunch food that is con
sidered essential to most
gatherings. There are many
wonderful recipes that
start with a mix and they
are so easy to stir up, you
may want to serve several.
The new Martha White
Blueberry Streusel and
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee
Cake Mixes are a great
way to round out a meal
and satisfy sweet tooths.
Made by the directions
on the box or as the start
of one of these delicious
recipes, your guests will
never guess that they were
not made completely from
scratch.
Blueberry Oatmeal
Waffles made with the
Martha White Blueberry
Streusel Coffee Cake Mix
are manageable to cook
for a small group gathered
in the kitchen. Simply com
bine the streusel and mix
packets found in the box
with some oats, cinnamon,
milk, eggs and oil. Heat up
the waffle iron and you are
ready to go. Offer a variety
of toppings for guests
to add at their pleasure.
Martha White Blueberry
Streusel Coffee Cake Mix
is also easily converted
into Chocolate Chip Cinna
mon Streusel Muffins - the
perfect complement to a
basket of festive breads.
The addition of fresh
cranberries, walnuts and
a little grated orange peel
transforms Martha White
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee
Cake Mix into Cranberry
Orange Streusel Coffee
Cake. This classic sweet/
tart combination is sure to
become a holiday brunch
favorite.
With a group of good
friends and family gath
ered ‘round your table and
a delicious, easy-to-prepare
menu, your holiday brunch
will be the highlight of the
holiday season for you and
your guests alike.
For more holiday brunch
recipes, visit www.mar-
thawhite.com.
Blueberry
Oatmeal Waffles
1 (18.5 oz.) pkg. Martha
White Blueberry Streusel
Coffee Cake Mix
1 cup quick rolled oats
1/2 cup ground pecans or
almonds (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cin
namon
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons Crisco Pure
Vegetable Oil
Crisco Original No-Stick
Cooking Spray
Hungry Jack Original
Syrup (optional)
Mixed berries and whipped
cream (optional)
1. Stir together coffee
cake mix, streusel packet,
oats, pecans and cinnamon
in medium bowl. Add milk,
eggs and oil. Stir 30 strokes
or until combined. Let
stand 5 minutes.
2. Coat cool waffle iron
with no-stick cooking
spray. Then heat waffle iron
according to manufactur
er’s instructions. Pour about
1/2 cup batter into center of
waffle iron. Close lid and
cook as directed.
3. Serve warm with
syrup or mixed berries and
whipped cream as desired.
Makes 10 (6-inch) waffles
Chocolate Chip
Cinnamon Streusel
Muffins
1 (21 oz.) pkg. Martha
White Cinnamon Streusel
Coffee Cake Mix
2/3 cup water
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon Crisco Pure
Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup mini chocolate
chips
1. Heat oven to 375° F.
Line muffin pan with paper
baking cups.
2. Reserve 3/4 cup streu
sel for topping. Combine
remaining streusel, coffee
cake mix, water, egg, oil
and chocolate chips in
medium bowl. Stir 30
strokes or until combined.
Divide evenly into muf
fin cups. Top each muffin
with 1 tablespoon reserved
streusel.
3. Bake 18 to 22 minutes
or until toothpick inserted
in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 5 minutes.
Remove from pan. Serve
warm.
Makes 12 muffins
Cranberry Orange
Streusel Coffee Cake
Crisco No-Stick Cooking
Spray
1 (21 oz.) pkg. Martha
White Cinnamon Streusel
Coffee Cake Mix
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon grated orange
peel
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries,
coarsely chopped
1. Heat oven to 350° F.
Lightly coat 8x8-inch bak
ing pan with no-stick cook
ing spray. Knead streusel
pouch to break up chunks.
Empty into small bowl, add
walnuts and set aside.
Special to the Ledger
To facilitate Thanksgiv
ing holiday travel, the
Georgia Department of
Transportation is suspend
ing all construction-related
lane closures on interstate
highways and primary state
roads from 5 a.m., Wednes
day, through midnight,
Sunday.
“Georgians are exceed-
ingly patient with our
construction throughout
the year,’’ DOT Commis
sioner Vance C. Smith, Jr.,
says. “We appreciate it very
much and enjoy giving them
these well-deserved breaks
from lane closures. We
Specicd to the Ledger
By Brad Haire
University of Georgia
Summertime drought
hurt Georgia’s pecan crop,
and now harvest is behind
schedule. But there is one
big bright spot: Pecan
prices are currently the
highest they have ever been,
according to a University of
Georgia pecan specialist.
“I’m hesitant to use the
word ‘outlandish’ to de
scribe the prices, but they
are certainly the highest in
history,’’ said Lenny Wells,
a pecan horticulturist with
LTGA Cooperative Exten
sion.
Prices for most varieties
are $1 to $1.50 per pound
higher than they normal for
a crop like this year’s. The
Stuart variety accounts for
roughly half of Georgia’s
crop. Stuarts sell now for
$2.30 per pound. Such a
nut would typically sell for
only $1 to $1.25 per pound.
Wells said.
Good off year
Pecan trees are alternate
bearing, meaning they
produce a heavy crop only
every other year. This year
is an “off’’ year. It was on
its way to being a very
good off year, though, he
said.
In the summer, the crop
was expected to reach 80
million pounds, twice the
production of the state’s
worst off year.
“We were thinking a
few months ago it would
be the best off year in
2. Combine mix, water,
egg, oil and orange peel in
large bowl. Stir just until
mix is moistened. Bat
ter will be lumpy. Stir in
cranberries.
3. Spread about half the
batter evenly into prepared
pan. Top with 1/2 cup
hope everyone has a safe
and wonderful Thanksgiv
ing.’’
The Department reminds
travelers to exercise cau
tion nonetheless as heavy
holiday traffic is expected
throughout the state. In
addition, crews may be
working and equipment
may be staged in proxim
ity to roadways; and safety
concerns may require some
long-term lane closures
remain in place. Also, inci
dent management or emer
gency maintenance-related
lane closures could become
necessary on any route.
Georgia DOT urges trav-
years,” Wells said. “But
the drought in August and
September, a critical time
for water need, reduced the
crop significantly leaving
us with fewer nuts and
lower quality.’’
In many locations, the
Stuart variety is refus
ing to release from the
shuck in trees, something
likely caused by the dry
conditions, he said, but
the reason is still a bit of
a mystery. A cold winter
matched with a cool spring
has pushed overall harvest
behind by at least three
weeks.
Market demand
Demand for pecans
has increased in recent
years, driven by China’s
newfound taste for the
nut. China purchased 88
streusel. Drop remaining
batter by spoonfuls over
top of streusel layer. (Batter
surface will look uneven.)
Sprinkle another 1/2 cup
streusel evenly over batter.
Gently pull butter knife
through batter to swirl
throughout pan. Sprinkle
elers to dial 511 for updated
information about this or
any other construction proj
ect on interstates and state
routes. Georgia 511 is a free
phone service that provides
real-time traffic and travel
information statewide,
such as traffic conditions,
incidents, lane closures,
and delays due to inclem
ent weather. Callers also
can transfer to operators to
request assistance or report
incidents 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. More
information is available at
www.511ga.org.
The Georgia Depart
ment of Transportation is
million pounds of pecans
last year, equal to all of
Georgia’s production last
year. With 140,000 acres,
Georgia is the No. 1 pecan
producing state in the
country. The U.S. produced
290 million pounds last
year.
“China is expected to
purchase this year at least
as much as they purchased
last year,’’ Wells said.
“Considering this and
the reduction in the crop,
I don’t expect prices to
decrease much as harvest
continues.’’
Georgia’s pecan harvest
typically ends near Christ
mas.
With farm-level prices
high, U.S. consumers can
expect, eventually, to pay
more for pecans, said
with remaining streusel.
4. Bake 37 to 40 minutes
or until tooth pick inserted
in center of cake comes out
clean.
Makes 12 servings
Crisco and Hungry Jack
are trademarks of The J.M.
Smucker Company.
committed to providing a
safe, seamless and sustain
able transportation system
that supports Georgia’s
economy and is sensitive
to both its citizens and its
environment. Georgia is
the 3rd fastest-growing
state in the nation, yet 49th
in per capita spending on
transportation. Additional
transportation revenues
are imperative to grow and
sustain Georgia’s economic
vitality and quality of life
through the 21st Century.
For general information on
the Georgia DOT, please
visit our Web site (www.dot.
ga.gov)
Wojciech Florkowski, an
economist with the UGA
College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences,
but not too much more
than they have historically
because the American con
sumer has many tree nuts
to choose from and all are
in plentiful supply.
“This keeps a lid on how
high pecan prices can go,’’
Florkowski said. “So, the
retail prices may go up a
bit, but retailers tend to
price substitutes at similar
price levels, so pecans can
not be much more expen
sive than almonds, walnuts
or imported cashews.’’
(Brad Haire is a news
editor with the University
of Georgia College of Ag
ricultural and Environmen
tal Sciences.)
No Lane Closures Planned
For Thanksgiving Weekend
China’s demand pushes pecan
prices to historic highs
Photo by Sharon Dowdy
Pecan prices are high this year due to slow harvest and high demand.