Holiday Flavors Vol. 1

© FOTOLIA

H O L I D A Y

FLAVORS

Epicure, gourmet, gastronome,foodie. Whatever you choose to callit, food and all its accoutrements

make perfect presents during the holidayseason. What’s more, there’s a varietyof ways to give the gift of food and allits trappings that will please just abouteveryone on your Christmas list.Gourmet GalleryFor example, consider a cooking

class.“We love our cooking classes,”

said Karyn Miller, owner of GourmetGallery, located at 2056 North Val-ley Mills Dr. “It provides a reallydifferent experience.”Miller said the Gourmet Gallery

offers a variety of classes, from breadmaking to Chinese cooking and holidayclasses. There’s also kids classes forages 8 and up. Prices are very reason-able, ranging from $25 on the low end,to about $60 for a visiting chef or out-of-town guest.Kid’s classes are also affordable at

$25 or $30 per person for young peopleeight and up.“Food brings people together,”

Miller said. “The kitchen is whereeverybody gathers.”Miller, who opened Gourmet Gallery

in 2008, keeps it all in the family. Hermother works frequently and even her12-year-old daughter helps out, espe-cially with the kids cooking classes.Of course, Gourmet Gallery is a lot

more than just cooking classes. You canget the latest gadgets and spend as littleor as much as you want on everythingfrom stocking stuffers to high-end itemssuch as Le Creuset French cookware.Consider purchasing something like

the American-made Nordicware bundt

pan and fill it with some colorful spatu-las and spoons or specialty food itemssuch as seasonings or gourmet olive oils.If you want to find something different,you’ll find it here.“December is our biggest month,”

she said.There’s an additional idea for a

present that’s sure to please — a line ofhealthy take out food called Cràv madeby Chef Juanita Barrientos, a Le CordonBleu graduate with a degree in nutrition.Bring a side dish for Thanksgiving din-ner or get a busy family a dinner in a bagwith homemade bread. Free samples areavailable on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m.The idea of bringing someone a meal

during the holidays is definitely a specialgift that can’t go wrong, as everyonelikes to eat. It’s also a great gift for anew mother, for shut-ins or even forthose who are planning a holiday party.With the busy holiday season, buyingsomeone a scrumptious, home-cookedmeal they just pop in the oven willmost likely earn you a heaping helpingof gratitude.Secret ChefBilly Garrett, owner of Secret Chef,

said he’s been catering since 1997. Heuses family recipes to make delicioushome-cooked meals. The business fur-ther evolved when he had an opportunityto open a retail facility, which offers pre-cooked items Monday through Thursdaythat people can buy without ordering inadvance. But, once it’s gone, it’s gone,unless you special order something.Garrett is at a new location now,

7723 Center Park, which he moved tolast April.Secret Chef makes full, home-cooked

meals such as King Ranch chicken,chicken spaghetti, pot roast and muchmore. Along with sides such as roasted

potatoes, roasted vegetables or corncasserole, there’s an extensive variety ofdesserts, including buttermilk chess pie,chocolate or coconut cream pie, gooeybutter bars or cookies and brownies,and the cost is quite reasonable.“I have people tell me, ‘I can’t go to

the store and buy all these ingredients.It would cost too much,’” Garrett said.Not only that, but it also cuts down oncleanup and all but eliminates leftovers,he added.Just before Thanksgiving and Christ-

mas, business takes on a quicker pace,as people order side dishes to comple-ment a meal or pick up a dessert to bringto a dinner party. Sometimes, peoplejust order gravy; other times, it’s a panof stuffing.

Corporate catering is also big at anytime of the year, as the business of-fers full-service catering for up to 750people, as well as buffet service or drop-off. Whatever you need, Garrett said hewould do his best to accommodate anyspecial orders.Whether you want to order a meal

for dinner, take a cooking class or pickup something unique and interesting,Gourmet Gallery and Secret Chef offeroptions that can’t go wrong for yourfoodie — and your family and friends.To find out more about Gourmet

Gallery, visit gourmetgallerywaco.comor call 254.399.0429.For Secret Chef’s menus and more,

go to secretchefofwaco.com or call254.772.2433.

Food makes the perfect giftBy Mary DrennonSpecial to the Trib

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Waco Ear Nose & Throat and PhysiciansHearing Center would like to honor ourcommunity for the third straight year thisholiday season by providing 2 state-of-the-art hearing devices for someone in need.

If you know of a deserving person whose lifecould be changed with a hearing aid, weneed your help. Please submit a letter to ouroffice telling their special story.

Participants must be 18 or older and submit asimple letter of up to 300 words explainingwhy they or someone they know would benefitfrom a hearing device. Our two winners willbe selected based on their compelling story,financial need, and degree of hearing loss.

Look for the mailbox at Physicians HearingCenter or submit via email at: [email protected]. Letters will be accepted from December1st - January 9th 2015. The winner will beannounced January 16th.

We all want to be known as agreat host. We take pride inour decorations, presenta-

tions and the overall experience we cancreate for our guests. But doing so is noeasy task.It takes careful planning and the

ability to execute accordingly.Maybe your idea of an elegant get-

together is a cocktail party. Or maybeit's a simple sit-down dinner. Eitherway, you can pull it off without break-ing the budget or sending yourself overthe stress cliff.The first step to a successful party is

determining whether you want a formaldinner or something more casual. Oncethat decision has been made, you candetermine the party details, such as whoyou’re inviting, how you’re invitingthem and the date of the party.Make it Easy on YourselfThough your guests will surely be

at the forefront of your attention, don’t

forget to spend some time thinking ofyourself. Plan a buffet dinner for easyserving and cleanup. Doing so will helpyou get dishes to the table quickly andwarm with guests serving themselves.Also, make as much of the food and

drinks ahead of time as possible. Somethings will obviously have to wait, butthe more you do before your party,the less stress you will feel the day ofand the more attention you can payyour guests.DecorationsWhen it comes to decorations, it’s

OK to think small. The less table spacedecorations take up, the more room fordishes and drinks. Simple doesn’t haveto mean bare, however: You can addnumerous smaller flower arrangementsinstead of one large, bulky centerpieceto your dining room table, for example.The vessels you serve your food in

can help give you the pretty presenta-tion you’re going for, too. Instead ofopting for metal or glass baking dishes,transfer your food into colorfulserving-ware to stylishly keep yourfood warm and accessible.

Party Planning:The Perfect Host

© FOTOLIA


The Warm Up:Appetizing Appetizers

No party is complete without anassortment of appetizers spreadthroughout the kitchen and

dining room. Convenient and bite-sized, appetizers are the perfect wayto keep your guests happy – and full– while you put together your stunningfinal course.So whether you’re looking for party

ideas weeks ahead of time or seekingsome last-minute guidance, here are afew simple appetizers sure to please thepalates of your guests.Quick and Easy ShrimpShrimp can be your best friend

when trying to pull off a quick holidayappetizer, as long as it comes readyto be cooked. After steaming, saute-ing or boiling your own fresh shrimp,add a squeeze of lemon zest for anextra punch.Some dipping sauce options can in-

clude tartar, cocktail, honey mustard or

even homemade hot sauce (cook, pureeand then strain the juices from about10 sliced jalapenos, two tablespoons ofminced garlic, one tablespoon of oliveoil and one cup of white vinegar).Relish TraySpice up your traditional vegetable

tray by going with a platter of roastedred peppers, green and/or black olives,cheese cubes, sliced pastrami, marinat-ed artichoke hearts and pickled peppers.You can also add hard breadsticks orpretzel rods for some crunch.Homemade SalsaIf you’re in a pinch, there is nothing

wrong with serving store-bought salsa.But you can do better than that. Graba few handfuls of fresh produce fromyour local grocer and get to chopping.Toss a combination of chopped

Roma tomatoes, green onions, cilantro,green pepper and avocado into a mix-ture of lime juice, salt and pepper for azesty take on the traditional salsa.Bite-Sized Tortilla Roll-UpsStart this sure-hit appetizer by

spreading a thin layer of cream cheeseon a large flour tortilla. Many creamcheese flavors are on the market, so getcreative. Then top the cream cheesewith layers of the following ingredients:• Turkey• Ham• Chicken• Sliced tomato• Baby spinach leaves or lettuceRoll your tortilla tightly and chill

them for up to an hour. Then cut yourrolls into slices for easy eating.

© FOTOLIA

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Sweet StuffRussell’s Pecans and Fine Candies10 miles outside of Waco on F.M. 933 (Gholson Road)Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during pecan season(254) 829-1489; www.russellspecans.com

Dann Russell knows the pecan business like the back of his hand, and he should,as he’s been in it since he was a young boy.“Our family is a four-generation farm business,” Russell said, adding that it’s

been around since 1900. His grandfather started it, his dad continued it, and now,his son is helping as well.It was in the ‘60s that the family planted a new pecan orchard in McLennan

County, starting with about 50 acres. Today, they have over 100 acres and continueto add young trees periodically.“We’ve been in business so long, we have a lot of established customers,” said

Russell. “We’ve got a lot of people that bring their relatives out here on holidaysfrom all over the world.”The selections customers can buy make great Christmas presents, as well as the

perfect addition to any gathering. Patrons can choose everything from custom giftbaskets in a variety of price ranges to fine chocolate candies, roasted holiday nuttreats, custom pecan shelling and sugar-free treats. Throw in a cookbook or add anutcracker, and you have the perfect present.

Online shopping is available, or visit Russell’s retail loca-tion on Gholson Road to see for

yourself the extensiveselection avail-

able.

What About Cupcakes?108 N 25th St.Hours: Monday Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.(unless sold out)(254) 224-6610; www.whataboutcupcakes.com

Who can resist a delicious cupcake? Not only are they inexpensive, but theycome in a variety of flavors to please any palate, and they go great with of-

fice parties, gatherings and much more.In 2008, owner Laura Hill opened What About Cupcakes? when she decided

(with her mom’s help) to bake. In fact, it was her mother who asked her, “Whatabout cupcakes?” The rest, as they say, is history.The recipe she uses today to create her tasty cupcakes comes from her mother

long ago. Flavors like Oreo, peanut butter, chocolate ganache and more are madefrom scratch every day. When all the cupcakes are gone, the shopcloses early.Outside Valentine’s Day, the Christmas holiday season is one

of her best selling times. Famous for her buttercream frost-ing, she makes a variety of flavors available every day,combined with a couple of unknown flavors deemed abaker’s choice.The holiday season means popular seasonal

cupcakes such as eggnog and peppermint. Hilladds festive toppers and people buy them forgifts. She also can customize any order andhas jumbo cupcakes to write on or placein a gift box.

“I just think cupcakes wouldmake a great gift for anyone,your boss, etc. It would be agreat dessert for your holidaygathering or someonespecial,” she said.

By Mary DrennonSpecial to the Trib


Lula Jane’s406 Elm Ave.Hours: Monday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.;and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.(254) 366-0862; lulajanes.com

When family or friends come to town, a must-visit is Lula Jane’s for a reallyspecial treat. Part café and part bakery, this official garden-to-table spot is

located in East Waco on Elm Street and attracts enough customers to regularly sellout of the one-item lunch, which changes every day.“I worked about five months on recipes and amended them based on feedback,”

said Dr. Nancy Grayson, owner of Lula Jane’s.Named after her grandmother, Lula Jane’s has evolved over the two years

it has been open, becoming increasingly popular as a gathering place for students,business people and others who come to enjoy both the atmosphere and thedelicious desserts.With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, special orders are rolling in. Pies,

cakes and even breakfast items are some of the popular choices, as is the pumpkinstreusel pie and a pecan pie called “wicked pie.” It’s made with pecans, apples,dried cherries, chocolate chunks and a buttermilk base.

Her top sellers are the chocolate chip cookies and buttermilk pie,which makes a great addition to any festive holiday table.

Seasonal favorites include Southern Comfort apple pie andlemon ginger molasses with bourbon cream. Sweet rolls are also

in big demand, and Grayson said customers could evenorder side dishes for their Thanksgiving dinner.

But you’d better hurry, as LulaJane’s sells so many cakes and

pies, it’s best to get yourorder in sooner,rather than later.

The Village Bakery113 E. Oak St., West, TXHours: Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.(254) 826-5151

Aholiday such as Thanksgiving or Christmas just wouldn’t be complete withouta trip to The Village Bakery. Sure, there are plenty of Czech stops in West, but

only The Village Bakery has been designated “Home of the Official Kolache ofthe Texas Legislature.” (The town itself was dubbed the”Czech Heritage Capital ofTexas” in 1997.)Mimi Montgomery Irwin, owner, gets very busy this time of year. For one

thing, they ship all over the U.S. and even to the Czech Republic. For another,people are looking for items they can only find this time of year, such as the St.Nicholas Spice Cookie, a large cookie in the shape of St. Nicholas that tastes simi-lar to ginger bread. Also, Vanocka is another must-have, as traditionally it’s servedwith warm, sweet wine on Christmas Eve night after the presents have been open.Pumpkins, too, fill out the menu this time of year. In addition to traditional

pumpkin pie, there’s pumpkin and cream cheese kolache, pumpkin cinnamon roll,pumpkin coffee cake and pumpkin bread.“We are all about pumpkins at Thanksgiving,” said Irwin. “People wait all year

for the pumpkin. We start in early October and continue into Christmas.”And don’t forget the Kolache, which comes in a variety of flavors, as well as

the Klobasniki sausage roll, either a link or ground sausage surrounded by Kolachedough that Irwin’s father developed in 1953.

(Be sure and look for a specialfeature about The Village Bakery

in the spring 2015 editionof the Southern Living®cookbook.)

With the holidays just around the corner, people are stocking up on delectable treats for enter-taining, for gift giving and for family gatherings. And we’re not just talking fruitcake here.

Sweet treats such as cakes, cookies, pies and much more are the basics of nearly every dinnerparty, as well as the perfect gift for when you don’t know what to buy for that certain someone.Fortunately, you don’t have to slave over a hot stove to get a scrumptious dessert that people

will talk about long after the party ends. Waco and McLennan County offer plenty of optionsfor just about anything you might want. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.


Submit the recipe for your family’ssignature side dish and you could win agift card for $100 and bragging rights.

Encourage your friends and family membersto enter. Your recipe could earn youa spot in the Waco Tribune-Heraldand title of Waco Trib’s Top Chef.Visit www.wacotrib.com/recipes

for rules and guidelines.

What is your family’sfavorite side dish?

It wouldn’t be Thanksgivingwithout ___________?

Big Meals:The Main Course

©FOTOLIA

Duck, ham or turkey? What is youridea of the traditional holidaymain course? No matter your an-

swer, we all know that simply throwingyour meat into the oven is not the wayto wow your guests. It takes the detailwork to really make your meal pop.From the perfect ham glaze to the

rich homemade turkey stuffing, putin a little time this year on the extrasand your main course will be the talkof the day.Duck a l’OrangeThe key to serving the perfect duck

is cooking it on low heat – and havingthe perfect glaze for afterward. Add amixture of one stick of butter, ½ cup oforange juice and a tablespoon of vin-egar into your cooking dish once yourduck is browned.Continue cooking until the meat is

done and remove the duck fat sitting ontop of the juices. Strain the remainingjuices, whisk in a cup of your favoritejam and cook it on low heat on thestovetop. Once this mixture thickens,remove it from the heat and pour it overyour duck.Glazing the HamIf you’re throwing in a ham on

Christmas morning, try a combination

of two cups of marmalade, two cupsof brown sugar and one cup of Dijonmustard for a mouth-watering glazesure to please.A unique salsa of pineapple, spring

onion and the juice from two limes willserve as the perfect complement for thisspectacularly glazed ham.Stuffing the TurkeyWhy not go unique with your turkey

this year? Ditch the store-bought stuff-ing for a homemade concoction likethis:• 1 stick of melted butter• 1 stalk of diced celery• ½ cup diced red onion• ¼ cup of chopped pistachiosSaute the ingredients together

and stir in four cups of breadcrumbsand ½ cup of the jelly of your choicefor a delicious take on the traditionalholiday stuffing.When it comes to stuffing the

turkey, press the mixture into thecavity and secure it with a skewer.Then tie the legs together and tuck thewings underneath. This will keep yourstuffing secure during the cooking andbasting process.


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Don’t fall into the trap of over-preparing your food list withoutgiving proper attention to your

drink selection. Having a great varietyof alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinkchoices can be the finishing touch for afestive holiday party.Depending on the crew coming to

your home, it may be the focal point ofthe party.Along with offering the traditional

choices – wine, beer, soda and punch –keep everyone on their toes by servingsome unique twists to the traditionalholiday drinks. You can achieve thiswith a little creativity and research –and these recipes:

Apple Cider PunchLooking for a fruity, tart drink for

sipping? Stir up about two cups oforange juice and a half-cup of lemonjuice with six cups of apple cider. Thenslowly pour in a bottle of sparklingwhite grape juice for the final add-in.For an alcoholic option, use chilled

champagne instead of the sparklinggrape juice. Taste test your drink todetermine the need for extra ingredientsas you see fit and serve it in a largepunch bowl.MargaritasYou may associate margaritas with

the summertime, but they can be anabsolute hit at your holiday party. Bysimply adding a cup of frozen cranber-ry-raspberry juice concentrate, you cangive your traditional or iced margaritaa hint of red holiday hue that will leaveyour guests feeling the spirit.Hot Chocolate FloatThe float is another summertime

favorite that can be translated into awinter wonderland.Heat up a half-cup of fudge sauce

and another half-cup of your favoritestout beer or root beer. Add two scoopsof vanilla ice cream to a glass and pouryour warm fudge-beer mixture over theice cream. Top it with whipped creamto blow this float out of the water.

The Extras:Consider Your Drinks

© FOTOLIA


It was just three weeks before Christ-mas and it caught Waco native MichaelDeleon, 60, completely by surprise.

The company he worked for laid him off.That was in 2008.“It was pretty shocking to me because

I had never been laid off from a job. I justfound myself in a world that was crash-ing. Little by little, I lost everything,”he said.Deleon had always worked, but he

never gave any thought to the future. Liv-ing from paycheck to paycheck, he nevertook into account where he might be inthe next 10 years, and he did not save hismoney. “I always had a job, so the moneywas always there. I never bothered tobudget money,” he said. This went on foryears and years.In addition to a lack of planning,

Deleon had a major problem that furthercompounded his troubles: he was a seri-ous buying addict. His thing was purchas-ing electronics. He had to have the latestand greatest gadgets, sometimes dropping$200 or $300 on something he couldnot afford.“Then I would be sitting at home with

an emotional hangover and wonder how Iwould pay rent,” he said.His job prospects were slim, some-

thing he never imagined would happen.People looked at what he was making andturned him away, indicating they couldn’tmatch it. He would have gladly takenthe job anyway. It was a confusing andpainful time for him — and it was aboutto get worse.“When you find yourself in a tough

situation you’ve never been in before,you tend to panic and then you can’tthink straight,” he said. “These types ofthings happen to other people.”His descent was slow. The toys and

gadgets went to pay for food. Deleon

eventually lost his car and his apartmentand found himself without a home forthe first time in his life. He ended up ina homeless shelter sponsored byMission Waco.“Most people think either home-

less people have something to do withdrug addiction or that you just got out ofprison,” said Deleon. “That wasn’t thecase. It was simply being irresponsibleand not taking my financial responsibili-ties seriously. When I found myself at theshelter, it was really a harsh reality. It wasa wake up call.”Although it took him almost two

years, Deleon had finally hit rock bottom.He ended up staying at the shelter forabout six months.But from that painful reality, bless-

ings began to emerge, and, with the helpof Mission Waco, Deleon was ready tochange his life.Highly motivated, he took advantage

of a special housing program to get hislife on track. He declared to the staffthat he would finish the program in threemonths instead of the usual six,and he did.The program provided every basic

essential he needed. He took a part-timejob as a dishwasher at Mission Waco’sWorld Cup Café. Staff collected hispaycheck to save it for a down paymentfor a new place. Even though previouslyhe worked for a news station as a reporterand photographer, it didn’t take him longto figure out why he was at the shelter orhow he got there.“You can have a degree and still be

homeless,” he said. “It wouldn’t do meany good to have a better job if I hadn’tworked through this. I think I would havewound up back at square one.”Today, Deleon has a totally new

attitude. “I have a new buddy named bud-get,” he said. “We get along great.”He also learned some lessons along

the way. “One key word to financial suc-

cess is the word, ‘No,’” he said. “I havelearned to tell myself ‘no’many times.”He also learned that when he shirked

a responsibility, he forfeited somethingalong the way. “If I fail to be responsiblewith my electric bill, I will lose the privi-lege of flipping a switch.”Deleon had a couple of Christmas

wishes for that year in 2011. One was tohave a second chance. “The shelter andthe program gave me a second chance.I don’t know how much longer I wouldhave been on the streets,” he said.Another wish for Deleon was to get a

place by Christmas. He did, in fact, leavethe shelter and got his own place severalmonths before Christmas. He moved intoa full-time job at the World Cup Café andhas been there three years now. He enjoysthe job and the people he works with.As another Christmas closes in,

Deleon is grateful. He hasn’t forgottenhis experience with Mission Waco andhe doesn’t stress out about finances anymore. “I take care of my financial respon-sibilities first,” he said. “Surprisingly,there’s enough money left over to enjoy.”With his wishes fulfilled, Deleon

doesn’t take it for granted. “Today, I soappreciate having my own place. It’sreally nice to…know you are doing whatyou’re supposed to do. You just sleepbetter,” he concluded. “It was a gift fromGod, and it was a gift from me.”

At a Glance:Mission WacoMission World“Changing lives throughhands-on compassion.”Co-founder: Jimmy Dorrell,Executive Director and President

Co-Founder: Janet Dorrell, Mission World(Global Missions) and PovertySimulation Director

Mission Waco stands firmly in the bibli-cal affirmation that “faith without works isdead” and the widow, orphan, poor, naked,hungry, homeless, stranger, and voicelesspeople are the “least of these” we are allcalled to serve.There are many ways to get involved and

help. Some are simple, such as eating at theWorld Cup Café, shopping at the Fair TradeMarket, or donating a toy at the Christ-mas Toy Store. Others encourage personalinvolvement, such as a poverty stimulationexperience or volunteering for one of anynumber of programs.

Family and Adult ProgramsChristmas Toy Store • Clothing VouchersFriday Morning BreakfastHealth Clinic • Legal ServicesManna House • MpowermentMy Brothers Keeper Homeless ShelterRenewal Recovery GroupSchool Supply Store • Social ServicesThe ARK • Transitional Housing

Youth ProgramsCommunity Service • Summer ProgramsUrban Expressions • Youth ProgramYouth Job Training • High Risk Youth

Children’s ProgramAfter School Program • Day CampKids Café • King’s Club • Street CampMentorship Program • Urban Expressions

Facilities & RetailChristmas Toy Store • Climbing WallFair Trade Market • Jubilee ParkJubilee Theatre • World Cup CaféThe Chapel at Meyer’s CenterThe Clothesline and Voucher Center

To find out more, go to missionwaco.orgor call 254.753.4900.

Wishes fulfilled

Micheal Deleon enjoys his job at the WorldCup Café. Photo by Mary Drennon.

By Mary DrennonSpecial to the Trib


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2014 1500 sLT 4X2

2014 ChRysLeR Town &CounTRy TouRIng

2014 wRangLeRsahaRa unLImITed

14T50101

14C10009

14J60036

Power Windows, Power Pocks,Pack Up Camera, Uconnect

Touch Screen, Nav,Stow and Go Seating

51980 MSRP3000 REBATE5500 A.S.D.


5500 A.S.D.

2400 A.S.D.

8500off

8500off5400

off

41590 MSRP4000 A.S.D.SAlEPRicE

SAlEPRicE

E $37,500

E $28,500

14t50019


2014 2500 CRew CabLaRamIe 4X4 CummIns

14T50590Leather, Nav, 20’ Wheels,


2014 ChaRgeR sXT3.6l penestar, ralley appearance,

nav, backup camera

14D40014


nav, backup camera

2677 A.S.D.

7000dIsCounT

12E Friday, November 21, 2014WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD 254-757-3000 wacotrib.com

Documents

Holiday Flavors Vol. 1