J-W hungry for readers’ Thanksgiving favorites

The Journal-World would like residents to share the dishes they look forward to eating or preparing during the Thanksgiving holiday. Whether it’s a recipe for stuffing or cranberry sauce, we would like to publish it in the Food section.

If you have recipes to share, mail them to: The News Center, Food section, 645 N.H., Lawrence, KS 66044. Recipes also may be sent by e-mail to kbritt@ljworld.com. Please include a name and phone number where you can be reached. For more information, call staff writer Jim Baker at 832-7173 or copy editor Karrey Britt at 832-7190.

The deadline is Monday.

Author offers ideas for handling caramel

Peggy Cullen, author of the “Caramel” cookbook, offers several helpful equipment tips in her book. Among the most helpful hints:

• Use silicone baking mats, usually sold under the name Silpat or Exopat, when working with caramel. They can withstand high heat and cold temperatures, nothing sticks to them and they are reusable. You can pour boiling hot brittle, praline, and caramel right on them. Or, use parchment paper, which serves the same purpose and is less expensive, though not reusable.
• Use a heavy saucepan or skillet to prevent hot caramel from tipping on the stove, and to more evenly distribute the heat.
• Use a flat, wet pastry brush that doesn’t smell of garlic or some other ingredient to “wash down” the sides of the pan, preventing the sugar that clings to the sides from crystallizing.