Growing up in Texas (yall) I ate beef, ribs, and shot rattlesnakes and bass fished with my Dad. I also watched--religiously--the Dallas Cowboys so I was influenced at an early age to "not like the Redskins". So, Christmas reminds me of family, tradition and growing up in some GREAT Church families. After Texas, my Dad was called to be the Senior Pastor in one of the oldest Churches in Mobile, Alabama where I relocated at the ripe age of 10 (hard to move at that age) but quickly realized my great fortune, and that God is so good! The Presbyterian Church where my Dad was "the new preacher" welcomed us with open hearts, open beach houses in Gulf Shores, and open seafood kitchens (and let me just say, these women make Emeril look like a newby!). Not bad going from the great State of Texas (to this day I love Texas and Texans) to the very southern State of Alabama where you might need a passport, by the way! Anyway--the wonderful women of the Church were famous for their secret, handed-down family seafood recipes! One was an elderly woman of great wealth (both spiritually and financially) who served fresh raw oysters in silver punch bowls on Christmas Eve for all her family and always included the preacher's family. We would eat oysters and then all the adult brothers would lead off in Christmas songs at the piano finishing with the hymn "We three Kings of Orient Are" A wonderful childhood memory I will never forget!! And so, it is with a happy and grateful heart that I do the "Harris" (that was their name) Mobile Oyster Christmas Eve. If you want freshest ever shipped to your door via FedEx, call 1-888-4-Billys. (Their tagline is "If it swims, we got it--and trust me, they mean it). If you want the best cocktail sauce to go with the oysters, here it is straight from the finest women (ever) on the shores of Mobile Bay:

1 cup catsup
Juice of 1 lemon
As much horseradish as you can take
Splash lee and perrins
Stir, chill, serve over oysters

Now--My Mom and I have had the tradition of making eggnog--the old-fashioned, Southern Living recipe for probably the last 15 years if not longer!! It is the best!!! Do it exactly as this says: You may need to double it or make it twice--it's THAT good! And don't be offended if people "hog" it. It is also even better the 2nd day so cover in the fridge and keep on serving!

6 eggs: separate whites from yolks in 2 different bowls. Have all this out, measured and ready: 1 cup sugar, 2 cups milk, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 cup bourbon. In a big bowl, beat egg yolks with mixmaster until they are light yellow and thick (about 10 minutes). Slowly pour in sugar to yolks mixing all the time. STIR in milk, cream, bourbon. Stir and set. Beat egg whites until they are thick and form white peaks--FOLD egg whites into eggnog mixture. Cover, chill--top with fresh nutmeg upon serving. I transfer into pitchers or you can put in a glass punch bowl--DELICIOUS and a family tradition from my family to yours!! Enjoy! Happy Hoildays to you and CHEERS to a great 2010!
Amy D. Howell Howell Marketing Strategies, LLC
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