A Gift Of (Not) Cooking For Christmas.

T’was the week before Christmas, and all through the kitchen
The cupboards were bare, yet still there was the itching
To fill larder and pantry with holiday food
With the tastes of the season that quite set the mood
No one had the time for to cook or to bake
Instead, they sought dishes to take and to make
Prepared by others, good enough to call your own

Here’s a list of places in Central Arkansas to pick up goods to take home.

We all run into this from time to time -- too much to do, not enough time to take care of everything. What do you do in those situations? If you’re lucky enough to live in Central Arkansas, you’re going to be all right. Here’s a list of where to find everything edible for your holiday table… right down to the pumpkin pie.

Meats.

Get it while it’s hot. Cross Eyed Pig BBQ Company does a mean turkey, smoked for six hours and full of juicy good taste. You can call up Anthony Michael and set a date, and even pick up your bird when it’s still hot from the smoker. He does some pretty hams, too. Turkeys average 12 pounds, they’re $49. Half spiral-cut hams are $44. While you’re thinking about it, ask for some of Miss Mary’s potato salad. Not a tradition for the Christmas table… but it will be. Check out the Cross Eyed Pig website, call (501) 265-0000 or go by the restaurant at 1701 Rebsamen Park Road in Little Rock.

Take it home cold. Burge’s in the Heights not only offers turkeys and hams, it also has chickens and ducks -- perfect for a smaller Christmas celebration. Better still, if you pick up your meat at the R Street location, you’ll save yourself a significant amount on what they charge for shipping. Grab a pint of Hot Pimento Cheese while you’re at it for post-Christmas snacking. Turkeys are $4.89 a pound on pickup. Chck out their website, visit the store at 5620 R Street in the Heights, or call (501) 921-4292.


Vegetables and Sides:

Looking for that particularly Arkansas flavor to add to your holiday fete? Whether it’s corn pudding, eggplant casserole or a mess of candied sweet potatoes, you can order it from Franke’s Cafeteria. The cafeteria’s been around longer than (chances are) any of your guests, and the food is spot-on. Order a few days in advance. Go by the restaurant at 11121 North Rodney Parham (in the Market Street Shopping Center) or give them a call at (501) 225-4487.

Say you’re needing a good dressing to go with your dinner? How about one that contains enough chicken and gravy to seem impossibly homemade? Give Dan’s I-30 Diner in Benton a call. They do chicken dressing, sweet potato casserole, or cobbler for $15.50 a half pan or $27.50 for a whole one. Needs a couple days notice. (501) 778-4116... on the westbound service road in Benton just past the Best Western.

Just want to drop in somewhere and see what's available? Copper Grill has the Copper Grocery right next door, downtown at Third and Cumberland. There's all manners of take-and-make dips, sauces, casseroles and desserts in the cases, along with the essentials of downtown living. Their sugar cookies are delish, and if you're looking for an original stocking stuffer, check out the Little Rock Rocks (decorated candies). They have a website or you can give them a call at (501) 375-3333.

If you're really wanting to put on the dog and have some interesting things you won't find at a major retail chain that will go nameless, drop by Diane's Gourmet Luxuries in the Market Street Shopping Center. This is where you need to go if you're looking for some real "wow" appeal. There's a great selection of gourmet products, both from Arkansas and around the world. You go for take-and-make meals that rival high-priced restaurants. You go for just-like-homemade desserts. My particular recommendations: Diane’s Watermelon Pickles (I swear that’s a stolen family recipe) and those Cheese Pecan Wafers you purchase in a frozen tube and slice and bake at home. Much more you have to see -- go look at the website or just drop by the store at 11121 North Rodney Parham. You can also call (501) 224-2639.


Baked Goods:

Looking for a little dough... in the form of fresh baked bread? Have you tried Ed's Custom Bakery in Conway? You're in a good spot. Their butterflake rolls are a staple at our family gatherings. They do great on pecan rolls, too. Go, do it. Ed's is on Oak Street in Conway, next to O'Reilly's and across from Hancock's. (501) 327-2996.

Want decadence to add to your holiday dessert table splendor? Drop by the River Market and find Brown Sugar Bakeshop. Order up cupcakes, brownies and cookies to take home and share or gift. Holiday flavors include Chocolate Peppermint Chunk Cookies, Cranberry-Orange Mini Muffin Loaves, Eggnog Cupcakes and Sweet Potato Blondies. Or go for anytime favorites like Limoncello, Amaretto or Blueberry. The store's website has a link to their blog with each day's flavors, or call (501) 372-4009.

And of course, there's pie, which means I have to once again nod over at Chip's Barbecue. I can't get enough of the pie, seriously. Cream pies, baked pies and cheesecakes from family recipes; good enough to hide the box and claim you made them yourself. Order early for pre-holiday pickup. They'll be open Christmas Eve morning for pickup. $17.95 for pies, $37.95 for the massive cheesecakes. Check the website or call (501) 225-4346. On Markham next to Kitchen and Bath Concepts.

Time To Cook: Apple Bread

It's that time again, time of year where thoughts turn to sugarplums dancing in heads. Or, around here, it's baking time.

I'm trying a couple of new recipes this time around. I usually knock out a dozen or so loaves of banana nut bread, but decided to add apple bread and carrot bread to the mix.

For the apple bread:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
4 cups (about a pound) diced apples

Heat oven to 350 degrees.











Grease two loaf pans (9"x5" or similar), tops and sides.







Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

Cream butter and sugar together.












Beat eggs and add them to butter sugar mixture.














Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.














The batter will be thick.

Fold apples into batter.











Here's what the batter will look like. It may seem a little dry. If you're having trouble mixing everything, you can use your hands.








Spoon mixture into greased pans. Place in the oven for 50-60 minutes.








I usually check early, just in case. Here you can see how the batter is still wet.

The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It may also come out a little wet because of the apples.







Chances are the crust will crack a little. That's okay. Just letting out a little steam.










After removing pans from the oven, let sit 15 minutes. Then take a rubber spatula and loosen sides. Invert on a wire rack.

Chances are, the bread will be a little moist. It's all the apples. Don't worry about it. Let cool for an hour.

If for some reason your bread didn't cook all the way through, it might tear. It's still good eating.

Serves up awful well with milk. I think I'm going to add some nutmeg next time.

Too Cute - Hunter's First Birthday and Epic Caketime.

Sorry, folks, this was too cute to keep in the family album.  This is the cupcake for Hunter's first birthday cake...

which was just too cute.  Our friend Sara Willis came up with the cake.  The cupcake was Hunter's to consume/destroy/enjoy... and it met its end after a bludgeoning with a spoon.  Ah, kids.

Which, by the way, was homemade strawberry.  And scrumptious.  

Arkansas Foods Make Great Gifts.

The whole Arka-vore movement and an assignment from the Arkansas Times turned me to thinking of the holidays a few months early this year. For weeks, I compiled lists of places to go and items that bring the flavor of Arkansas to the recipient. Lots of places to pick up things and places that sell great things online.

The Arkansas Food Gift Guide can be found here on the Arkansas Times website. Here are some of the other great places I found that had to be cut because of space.

ARGENTA MARKET/CERTIFIED ARKANSAS FARMERS MARKET. Just because the harvest is over, doesn’t mean you have to go without fresh Arkansas-raised vegetables and fruit for the winter. Arkavores rejoice: fresh produce and products are available year-round through the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market online. You can go on the website to find out what’s available and set up for a Saturday morning pickup. Here’s where you’ll find things like pecans, sweet potatoes, Arkansas black apples, dairy products and eggs, all grown here in-state. Better yet, gift your loved one with a Basket-A-Month subscription; each month, the recipient will receive an email to confirm a pickup of a basket containing fresh eggs, milk, produce and more. A gift that lasts three months or more and which helps Arkansas farmers and producers. RANGE: Basket-A-Month is $180 for three months; more months may be purchased. ONLINE: http://www.arkansasfood.net/for Basket-A-Month, cafm.locallygrown.net for shopping. PHONE: email for number. PICKUP: By arrangement & at 6th & Main in North Little Rock on appointment.

BROWN SUGAR BAKESHOP. Want decadence to add to your holiday dessert table splendor? Drop by the River Market and order up cupcakes, brownies and cookies to take home and share or gift. Holiday flavors include Chocolate Peppermint Chunk Cookies, Cranberry-Orange Mini Muffin Loaves, Eggnog Cupcakes and Sweet Potato Blondies. Or go for anytime favorite Limoncello. RANGE: $1.75-$3 for most items. ONLINE: http://www.brownsugarbakeshop.com/. PHONE: (501) 372-4009. STORE: In the Oppenheimer Hall at the River Market.

CAVENDER’S. So popular, no Southern kitchen really should go without it. The Greek seasoning is so pervasive in my family, a steak without had better have a good excuse for existing. Peppery without being spicy, it brings a familiar and robust flavor to beef. Try it with lemon juice on catfish. RANGE: $2.25 for 3.25 ounces retail, or order it to be shipped to the one you love at $15.50 for a four pack. ONLINE: http://www.cavendersseasoning.com/. PHONE: (870) 741-9566. PICKUP: Almost any self-respecting Arkansas grocery store.

COPPER GRILL AND GROCERY. Take-and-make dips, sauces, casseroles and desserts downtown. The sugar cookies have caught my eye as a great stocking stuffer, along with Little Rock Rocks (decorated candies). ONLINE: http://www.coppergrillandgrocery.com/. PHONE: (501) 375-3333. STORE: Third and Cumberland in downtown Little Rock.

COTHAM’S. If you’ve ever had a Hubcap Burger out in Scott at the Mercantile or in-town at Cotham’s in the City, you’ve brushed elbows with the fabulous Cotham’s Hamburger Seasoning. Enjoy the peppery goodness on your burger (or even fries!) in your own home with this simple yet strangely elegant spice blend. RANGE: $4.95 for six and a half ounces… it’ll go pretty far. ONLINE: http://www.cothams.com/. PHONE: (501) 370-9177. STORE: 1401 West Third in Little Rock or right on Highway 161 in Scott. PICKUP: Gifts of Arkansas, River Market Grocery.

DIANE’S GOURMET LUXURIES. You won’t really find any deals there, but that’s not why you go to Diane’s anyway. You go for the great selection of gourmet products, both from Arkansas and around the world. You go for take-and-make meals that rival high-priced restaurants. You go for just-like-homemade desserts. My particular recommendations: Diane’s Watermelon Pickles (I swear that’s a stolen family recipe) and Cheese Pecan Wafers you purchase in a frozen tube and slice and bake at home. ONLINE: http://www.dianes-gourmet.com/. PHONE: (501) 224-2639. STORE: 11121 North Rodney Parham (in the Market Street Shopping Center).

EGGSHELL KITCHEN COMPANY. Carries lots of Arkansas products, both food items and cookery items, along with cookbooks (such as the nifty Junior League of Little Rock’s “Big Taste of Little Rock” cookbook) and just about anything you need in a kitchen. Consider purchasing gift certificates for cooking classes offered by Arkansas chefs for the gourmand in your household. ONLINE: http://www.eggshellkitchencompany.com/. PHONE: (501) 664-6900. STORE: 5705 Kavanaugh in the Heights.

FISCHER. As far as I know, Fischer Honey was the first I ever tried, out of that translucent yellow-topped bottle with the honeycomb on it. It’s still fantastic. You can only pick up Fischer gift baskets at their headquarters in North Little Rock; individual bottles are sold in the store. RANGE: ~$12 for a gift box, $2.36 for a 12 ounce bottle. Retail varies. ONLINE: http://www.fischerhoney.com/. PHONE: (501) 758-1123. STORE: 2001 North Poplar in North Little Rock. PICKUP: Most Arkansas grocery stores.

FLOSSIE’S FUNNEL CAKES & COTTON CANDY. Bring festival season to your holiday stocking with the new pre-packaged (and shelf stable) cotton candy. Funnel cake and corn dog mix, ring and funnel kits for home use. RANGE: Ring & funnel kit $9, funnel cake mix $7, cotton candy varies. ONLINE: Funnel cake mix & gear at http://www.flossiesfunnelcakes.com/, cotton candy at http://www.flosszone.com/. PHONE: (800) 844-3567 PICKUP: River Market Grocery.

PANCAKE SHOP. Ever been to the nearly 70 year old Hot Springs mainstay? No? Where have you been? The plate-sized pancakes come in stacks if you really want a stack, but most folks give up after one or maybe two. While you can’t take home the pancakes, you can bring home the restaurant’s famous apple butter, sausage, ham and drain-your-cup good coffee. RANGE: Apple butter’s $8.95 for a whopping 28 ounce jar, coffee’s $10.95 for 14 ounces and comes ground or whole bean, decaf or leaded. ONLINE: http://www.pancakeshop.com/. PHONE: (501) 624-5720. STORE: 216 Central Avenue in Hot Springs. PICKUP: Savory Pantry.

Arkansas Flavor at Capital Bar and Grill.

That, my friends, is a bowl of fried black-eyed peas... which are complimentary to diners at the Capital Bar & Grill in the Capital Hotel.

I've been asked quite a bit lately... what are fried black-eyed peas?  How are they made?  WHY fried black-eyed peas?  Hey, let me tell you what... it's better than peanuts in a bar.  Those little crunchy morsels are addictive.  And they go great with a little iced tea.

I have been remiss in talking about CBG... though I've sent many Twitter followers that way.   I mean, we're talking a classy establishment, one of those places that lists whole dollar amounts on the menu rather than dickering with cents, a place in the evening where you fully expect to see hep singles mingling in their fancy clothes.  However, get to talking lunch, and you have a spot where you can really entertain an out-of-towner.  After all, what's more intriguing to a non-Arkansaywer than a fried black-eyed pea?

Oh, well, maybe a homemade Moon Pie.You see, CBG's chefs have taken what's quintessentially Arkansas fare and raised it to a high-falutin' level.  But they've done it in a way where most folks can still afford to enjoy it.

Take, for example, pimento cheese.  Yes, I have a soft spot for the delicacy, and I am starting to think it (along with cheese dip, pie, and jelly) is one of those foods Arkansas could be known for.  Alongside all the other epicurean delights on the menu... the simple dish of pimento cheese, served with homemade soda crackers.  It's got a nice smoky flavor to it, more than just a mix of mayo and cheese and pimentos, it has this hint of royalty to it.  Very fine.

CBG does some great dinner options like steak and mahi-mahi and such, but for lunch you're missing out if you don't try the $8 weekly blue plate specials -- think home food with an elegant touch.

However, you'll do fine on the sandwiches, especially that Little Rock classic called the Sloppy Roast Beef ($9).  In New Orleans it might be referred to as debris with gravy; here, it's a very wet fork-worthy sandwich of note, served up on crusty bread with some of those fantastic Parmesan Fries I like so much.  A winner.

But it's in the dessert arena where you really feel the gentle amusement of the chefs.  I mean, seriously, root beer floats and Moon Pies?  But when you're talking about a float made from local brewery Diamond Bear's Diamond Rock root beer and homemade vanilla ice cream... or a Moon Pie confection created from housemade marshmallow.... you're talking about a grand reinterpretation of classics.  Don't worry, if you really want to try something challenging check out the bacon ice cream when they have it.  Desserts, by the way, run you $4.

Capital Bar & Grill, as I mentioned, is in the Capital Hotel downtown.  They have free valet parking, which rocks when you're trying to get in and out and don't want to deal with parking yourself.  For more information, call (501) 374-7474 or check out the website.