My friend Sherry is on a mission to bring Brussels sprouts to the world — or at least to our little corner of Alabama. They are her favorite vegetable and she feels they’re underrated and unappreciated. She’s right. Brussels sprouts probably rank low on most folks’ lists of favorite vegetables. But that’s because, Sherry insists, we haven’t had them done right. I have to admit that when she fixes them, Brussels sprouts are tasty and delicious — sort of crunchy and nutty with a nice fresh flavor. Who knew? I have noticed the mini cabbages showing up as sides on restaurant menus lately, so maybe Sherry’s started a trend. A longtime cook, she’s also the director of the Shoals Commercial Culinary Center in Florence, Alabama, http://www.shoalsec.com/facilities/SCC_index.html, that’s part of the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center that nurtures small businesses. Her cooking classes at the culinary center are fun and informative and filling, because those in the audience get to eat the results! Here’s Sherry’s Brussels sprouts recipe:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Cook four strips thick-cut bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels then roughly chop. In same pan with bacon fat, melt two tablespoons butter over high heat. Add one pound Brussels sprouts, halved, and a half large onion, chopped. Cook and stir occasionally until sprouts are golden brown, eight to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss bacon back into pan. Serve immediately.
Welcome to the fifth day of Cathy’s New Year Countdown. It’s been nice to take a couple days off of shopping for/making/eating holiday goodies, but the break is over and it’s back to the kitchen for New Year’s. I know, I know — you were just there a few days ago. But listen. My friend Cheryl has the perfect and most delicious recipe for the remaining festivities, whether you’re going to a party and need to take something or hosting a party and need to feed the multitude. It’s good for football munching and open-house buffets. It’s even perfect to give as New Year’s gifts like you said you’d do instead of giving Christmas gifts. (Remember you said that?) Plus, you’ve probably got all the ingredients on hand already, especially if your friend’s civic club was selling pecans this fall and you mistakenly bought six bags and wondered what you’d ever do with them. Now you know. Here’s the recipe, and check back tomorrow for the sixth day in Cathy’s New Year Countdown.
For the third day in Cathy’s New Year Countdown, I’m going to give you permission to tackle that one holiday chore you never got around to: Sending out cards. Okay, by “you” I actually mean “me.” I’ve pretty much abandoned snail-mail greetings, yet I keep buying them (“Oh, these are so cute! And they’re 75 percent off!”) and I love getting them. All through December, I keep telling myself — and anyone around who will listen — that I’m going to sit down and send out cards and I can’t go to Wal-Mart or the recycling center or to pick up the dry cleaning because I’ve got to do the cards! But then I end up doing things like reading through the back issues of the Sunday New York Times that pile up or watching reruns of “Whose Wedding is It Anyway?” — you know, important stuff like that. But here’s the thing: It’s still the holidays and 
Welcome to Day No. 2 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown. It’s Christmas Eve — time to get those stockings up. And if you still can’t find them (when 
you unpack the Easter decorations in a couple months, they’ll be there as wrappings for your china eggs) but don’t want to brave the crowds to buy replacements, try this incredibly stylish alternative my friend Marlene does at her house. Can you see what she’s used in place of stockings? Look closer. She’s got Santa hats up around her fireplace — turned upside down, they’re the perfect Christmas “stocking.” Fabulous idea! But then, she’s that sort of stylishly fabulous person. I think she just lets me be her friend for comic relief. Check back tomorrow for Day No. 1 in Cathy’s Christmas Countdown.
I wasn’t going to reveal this to everybody but my husband said I had to since 
the blogosphere is all about honesty and sincerity and thruthiness — right? — so the plain simple fact is I only put our tree up yesterday. Yesterday. As in four days before Christmas. I know, I know. Friends were shocked and appalled. Family members kept checking in anxiously on my (non) progress. How did this happen? I’m not quite sure. It’s not that I’m anti-tree. I put my mom’s up for her. I oohed and ahhed over everybody else’s trees. I just never got around to doing my own. I didn’t do it the weekend after Thanksgiving because I was gone and I was gone the next weekend, too, and then I had the Sinus Infection From Hell and then suddenly it seemed too close to time 
to take it down to put it up. And I was sort of approaching it as an experiment: How would I feel if I didn’t put a tree up? As Dec. 25 got closer, I got my answer: Not good. So up it went on Monday and everybody has been properly impressed. I have had the stockings up since Dec. 1, though, so there you are. And here’s the thing: Our Christmas tree is not one of those beautifully color-coordinated and themed trees. I think those are pretty, but I don’t do it myself. Nope. Our tree is like a family scrapbook — one with green stickery things that the cats climb up. We’ve got 20-year-old kindergarten wreaths and baby Jesuses sharing branch time with vacation souvenirs and mementos of favorite things and good times. Now, that’s a Christmas tree.
Our friends Ginna and Charlie in Tupelo, Mississippi, have the loveliest house 
and it practically glows at Christmastime. Their festive holiday mantle makes me happy just looking at it, although Ginna disavows any credit and says a decorating friend of hers put it together. But Ginna’s the one who bought the raw ingredients, so I think she deserves all kudos. We stopped by to see Ginna and Charlie this past Sunday afternoon in our search for dry martinis and good company. Ginna was finishing one last bunch of holiday goodies and congratulating herself on having the tree up, the presents bought, the presents wrapped and even the stocking stuffers successfully hidden away — unusual for her, she said. Of course, Charlie had done his part by spending all afternoon raking and bagging leaves. Let’s see, they had been busy and productive and had their Christmas to-do list all checked off, while my husband and had been driving around talking about all the things we had to do and bumming drinks off of people. Hmm …
It’s Day No. 4 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, and it’s time for the world’s easiest and most appreciated gift ever: Peppermint Bark. Or, as we call it in my family in honor of my brother Mark, who claims this as his favorite holiday candy ever — Mark’s Bark. Sure, you can buy it fancy and already made from gourmet stores like Williams-Sonoma. But I promise you can make it much easier than pie. Here’s what you do: Melt some chocolate — whatever you’ve got around the house is fine. Spread it out sort of thin on a wax- or parchment-paper lined pan. Crush up some 
peppermint candy (very therapeutic this time of year if you put the candy in a securely closed plastic food bag and whack away with a rolling pin) and sprinkle the candy on the chocolate before it’s cool. When cool, break apart into cookie-sized pieces (again, very therapeutic). Stack and wrap for a festive gift or arrange on a plate for instant oohs and ahhs. You can get more complicated by layering white chocolate over the dark (a bit tricky because to make the layers stick you have to add the white-chocolate layer at just the right point in the cooling process) or by adding finely crushed peppermints or other flavorings to the chocolate. Need more help? For a video step-by-step tutorial , visit 
I’ll admit that I usually spend December evenings curled up on the
couch watching Bing Crosby movies in my pajamas and eating the best part of Chex Mix — the burned crunchy bits at the bottom of the pan, but the invitation to a Christmas party in Huntsville, Alabama, for this past Saturday night said dress to impress. Marlene, the hostess, wanted a glam cocktail party, so my husband and I tried our best. How do you think we did? My husband always looks so spiffy in a suit. For the party, he went with classic all black and since he couldn’t find his Christmas tie, he substituted his Beatles one for a festive touch. My dress was a two-year-old (three? four?)
black halter from the sadly now-defunct Parisian’s, with the added feature of not being tight or binding in any way — my only prerequisite for party clothes. All I can say is, 
“Damn. We look good!” Marlene kept the festivities to proper cocktail hours so we could go out to eat or whatever afterwards, but before we did that, John and I stopped by my daughter and son-in-law’s apartment for a quick snuggle with almost 9-months-old grandson. Good company, good food and good baby time to top it off. Could it get any better?
For Day No. 6 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, here’s an idea for a super last-minute gift and stocking stuffer. I love these! One of the best timesaving holiday tips I’ve ever heard is to have a signature gift that you can buy in bulk and have on hand for almost everybody on your list. You may not have thought of travel mugs as a one-size-fits-all gift since not everybody drinks coffee or has commutes, but these mugs are perfect for all sorts of folks. You can use them for coffee, sure, but also hot cocoa for those late-night drives out to see the lights and hot tea for extra energy to make it through that final shopping push. Or make your morning smoothie portable. And you don’t even need a cupholder to enjoy these mugs, of course. Maybe your kids will drink 
their milk if you give it to them in a penguin “glass.” I’ve seen mugs like theseeverywhere this year — Starbucks especially has some cute ones. To make them useable past December, my friend Susan (who gave the tall mug in the middle to her book-club members this year) says to look for winter themes rather than strictly holiday designs. She is so smart! Check back for Day No. 5 in the Christmas Countdown for a festive yet simple door design.
It’s Day No. 7 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, 
and here’s one of the best online shopping sites ever: 
art work, pottery, jewelry, clothing, food, decor, quilts, toys and so much more. It’s like an arts/crafts gallery combined with an upscale gift shop and Real Simple magazine. Customer service is excellent. It’s probably too late to order for this year, but start planning your 2009 gift list right now — or treat yourself for being the best Christmas Elf ever with a little something special from . Tomorrow, it’s Day No. 6 in the Christmas Countdown — a super last-minute gift idea.
Coffee with Cathy 