Holiday Recipe Thread

Anyone have a different "Hopping John" recipe?

I did enjoy the "history" story with this one!

4 Bacon strips
1/4 c Onion, diced
1/2 Bell pepper, diced
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
2 c FRESH Blackeyed peas
-or purple hull peas
-OR-
2 pk (10 oz) frozen blackeyed
-peas
1/2 c Uncooked white rice
2 c Water
Salt & pepper, to taste
Louisiana Hot Sauce

Dice bacon. brown in dutch oven with onion and pepeprs, until bacon is
crisp and vegetables are soft. Add peas and rice. then water. Cover and
simmer over very low heat about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Salt
& pepper to taste. Add a dash of hot sauce (to taste).

This recipe came to America from Africa though the slave trade. It is now
the traditional dish served by most Southerners on New Year's Day. It is
reported to bring good luck.

JAYBIRD !!!!!!!

I FOOUND IT !!!!!!



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Pecan Pralines..

Pralines are a traditional candy I remember from my childhood. My grandmother, Mrs. Effie Keowen Starks,made them during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The following is my grandmother’s recipe with the technique I have learned through trial and error.

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar , separated into one lot of 2 ¼ cups and
another of ¾ cup
2/3 stick of butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 oz can of evaporated milk
water
2 ½ cups pecan halves

Technique:
5 quart cast iron Dutch oven
medium cast iron skillet
two wooden stirring spoons
waxed paper and towel or plastic food wrap
cup of ice water or candy thermometer

1. In preparation for receiving the candies, lay out two strips of either waxed paper or plastic wrap, each about 30 inches long, on a table or counter top. If using waxed paper, put a towel, newspaper, or paper towels underneath. Waxed paper without a barrier underneath will stick to the table top when the hot candies are placed on it. Plastic wrap doesn’t need to be isolated from the table top, but it’s more difficult to handle and wads easily when dropping the candies. I prefer waxed paper.
Place a hot pad near the waxed paper strips. You will need to set the hot pot of candy on the pad while the candies are being dropped.

2. Pour evaporated milk into a measuring cup. Add sufficient water to make one measured cup of liquid; combine with 2 ¼ cup sugar in the Dutch oven. Stir frequently over medium low heat until mixture boils. Turn heat down to low, stirring occasionally.

3. Put remaining ¾ cup sugar into skillet. Caramelize the sugar over high heat. This step determines the flavor of the finished candy.
Be careful as the caramelized sugar is extremely hot and sticky. Avoid being interrupted by the phone or by kids.
As the sugar is heating, stir very frequently. At some point the sugar will begin to melt and form small clumps; stir constantly. Crush large lumps with the edge of the wooden spoon. Expect the sugar to begin smoking and darkening when most of the sugar has melted. The color of the melted sugar indicates the character of the candy: a light color gives a delicate flavor, an orange hue increases the caramel flavor. Work quickly; the melted sugar will be darkening rapidly. Do not let it darken past a bright orange. Pour into the Dutch oven; expect the
combination to boil vigorously.

4. Continue cooking over low heat. Stir constantly until caramelized sugar is completely blended in.

5. Cook until soft ball stage is reached using either thermometer or by testing a couple of drops in ice water.

6. Remove from heat. Add pecans, butter, and vanilla. Expect the vanilla to boil and splatter.

7. Stir vigorously, exposing the candy to as much air as possible. Make sure the butter is completely melted and blended into the candy. The candy will have lightened in color by this point. Continue stirring for approximately 30 seconds.

8. Set the pot on the hot pad near the waxed paper. Drop by spoonfuls onto the waxed paper. Stir the pot occasionally during this process to keep the pecans well distributed.

9. Let the candies cool and carefully remove from the paper or plastic.

Additional comments:
1. Using cast iron pots will lessen the chances of scorching the candy. I like the 5 quart size because the mixture can boil over when the caramelized sugar is added into a smaller pot.
2. Wooden spoons are preferred. They’re strong and are poor conductors of heat. This minimizes the tendency of the caramelized sugar to stick to the spoon.
3. While dropping the candies, expect to dribble some
on the table.
4. Soak pots and spoons in hot water for an hour or so to clean.
5. Kids like to scrape left over candy from the pot once it has cooled. (This was always our favorite part...)
6. If the candies refuse to harden, let them sit for
several hours or overnight. This happens occasionally.
If it just refuses to harden at all - don't despair - makes an *unbelievable* topping on ice cream or bread pudding or apple pie or cheese cake or....
7. Margarine can be substituted for butter and walnuts for pecans. (But butter is better.)
8. Pralines are high in saturated fat and calories. I have found two ways of lessening the negative health impact. The first is to think about how much work they are to make and how expensive pecans are. I can generally talk myself out of making them. The second is to only make them for gatherings of family and friends.

Enjoy !

Christmas Crack

Ingredients:

50 saltine crackers (approx.)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, cubed
1 cup soft light brown sugar, packed
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 to 1 cup M&M's, chopped nuts or sliced almonds

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325°F.

Line a large jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and then line the pan with saltine crackers.

Place the butter and sugar in a medium sized pot over low medium-low heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Once the butter has melted, bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Stir constantly.

Once it's nice and bubbly, remove pan from heat and pour evenly over saltine crackers. Spread mixture with a knife... however it doesn't have to be perfect. Try to move fast during this part so the toffee doesn't harden.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. The mixture will spread evenly over the crackers as it bakes.

Remove pan from oven and then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the toffee while it's still hot. Let the chocolate chips melt for a few minutes and then spread all over the toffee with a spatula. Sprinkle M&M's (or nuts) on top and then place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once chocolate has hardened break pieces off the foil and in an container. It will stay fresh for 1 - 2 weeks.

Can sub graham crackers

Here's to a Happy New Year

Original Champagne Cocktail

This classic drink dates back to the Civil War era and makes even a less expensive bottle of Champagne taste great with the addition of Angostura bitters and a sugar cube.


1 sugar cube
2 dashes Angostura bitters
6 fluid ounces chilled Champagne
1 lemon twist

Directions
Place sugar and bitters in chilled Champagne flute and fill with Champagne. Add a twist of lemon peel.