Christmas (or whenever) Nuggees!

 

They're not Buc-ee's, but they're
bucking for home favorite status

Those famous nuggets are, of course, what some people will drive hours out of their way to purchase at Buc-ee's. But those of us who live more than a day trip from one must either do without or make our own variations on a theme.

While this recipe is far from the precise crack-like treat from the famous truck stop, they're more than enough to tempt the otherwise abstemious Bat (she warned me that, if I wanted to give them out to anybody else at Christmas, I needed to hide them). They are, quite honestly, addictive.

And the list of ingredients is pretty simple: puffed corn (I used 2 bags of Clancy's butter-flavored, from Aldi, less about 4 puffs that didn't make it into the bowl – oopsy-daisy!), brown sugar, light corn syrup, butter, vanilla, maple flavor, and baking soda.

You will, though, need a few supplies:
2 large mixing bowls (or 1 very large – 10 quart or so – mixing bowl, if you have one)
A 3-quart saucepan
measuring cups and spoons
1 small mixing bowl or cup
1silicone spatula or wooden spoon
1 set salad tongs, "salad hands", or other long-handled tongs
At least 3 meters (almost 10 feet) of non-stick parchment, or parchment and lots of waxed paper
2 rimmed cookie sheets
oven mitt

                  Christmas Nuggees!
Ingredients:

10 ounces butter-flavored puffed corn
1 cup unsalted butter
1 well-packed cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Prepare baking sheets by covering with non-stick parchment.

Prepare counter or table surface by covering with at least 6 feet (just under 2 meters) of parchment (waxed paper will work here, if you'd prefer).

Preheat oven to 250º F (or about 120º C)

Divide puffed corn into 2 mixing bowls (or dump it all into your giant bowl). Set aside.

Combine vanilla, maple flavor, and baking soda in a small mixing bowl or cup, and set this aside, also.

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup, and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring frequently.

When sugar mixture is at a rolling boil (it continues to bubble vigorously no matter how much you stir), set timer and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla/maple/soda mixture. It will foam like crazy. 

Pour foaming liquid over the puffed corn in equal amounts per bowl. Quickly toss with tongs or fold with silicone spatula, covering every piece of puffed corn as completely as you can. Spread out on prepared baking sheets. 

Bake at 250º F for 45 minutes, tossing with tongs every 15 minutes to make sure every piece gets equally coated & cooked.

Remove from oven, spread out nuggets across the parchment (or waxed paper) you've laid out, doing your best to separate all the nuggees from each other before they cool and harden into big clumps.

Allow to fully cool before packing them into airtight containers (Mom's stomach does count as one!).

Note: If you make these too far ahead of time, you'll need to make more when the special day arrives. They have a way of vanishing…

Variation: this same candy coating can be used on regular popcorn, but then you have to contend with the popcorn hulls between your teeth. If you do this, you need 10-12 cups of popped popcorn instead of the corn puffs. You can stir a cup or two of your favorite nuts into the mix, as well, before it goes into the oven.

Pecan and Cranberry (Pecranberry) Pies for the Holidays

 

I cheated a little: store-bought gluten-free crust worked nicely

 

Every Thanksgiving, we must have pie. First, there is the family pumpkin pie, followed, usually, by an apple pie or two, and then at last, there is room on the table for at least one more, filling being baker's choice. 

This year, the baker (moi) decided there were enough toasted pecans in the kitchen to make into pie, but not everybody likes how rich and sweet a straight pecan pie is, so a proper variation was in order.

This variation was simple to prepare and difficult to resist.

 

 

 

Pecranberry Pies

 

Ingredients:

2  (9-inch) pie crusts*

2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, washed and sorted

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 large eggs

2 cups toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Line two 9-inch pie pans with your prepared crust (parbaking is optional, not essential).

Preheat oven to 400º F.

 

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, syrup, and water. Over medium high heat stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to simmer, stirring frequently until the cranberries have all popped and the sauce has thickened (about 10-12 minutes). Stir in butter.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir eggs until well-mixed but not frothy. When cranberry sauce is thickened, add about 1/4 cup of the cranberries to the eggs and stir quickly to temper them, then add the eggs to the rest of the cranberry sauce, whisking briskly until well-combined. Stir in pecans and vanilla.

Divide filling between two crusts, bake on center rack of oven for 20-25 minutes, until filling is firm.

Allow to cool completely (overnight in the refrigerator is good) before serving with whipped cream.

*You can make this into a single, deeper 9 1/2-inch pie if you like, with a pretty, uplifted scalloped edge for the crust. If you do so, baking time should be increased to 30 minutes.

Another useful tip: if you're taking pies to someone else's house, use disposable foil pans, and bake them inside your sturdier pie dishes (see above photos). After slicing and distributing dessert, lift the foil liners out of your heavier dishes. That way, you can be comfortable not worrying about flimsy foil pans collapsing and making a mess, at the same time you'll be able to leave pie behind for your hosts to enjoy later, without their having to wash & return your dishes.