A batch of Christmas cookies would work. I do wonder if your dessert will be the only dessert. In that case, I might plan something more substantial.

What about a traditional mincemeat pie? Can be made ahead and would survive a road trip.

Do you have a cooler? 4 hours in a cooler would be fine for many things, I think.

Pecan pie? (or just about any kind of fruit pie) Key Lime?

Cake is nice & a tradition in the South - & most everybody likes cake. Last Christmas I made a cranberry poke cake w/ whipped cream topping & it was a big hit.

And 1 thing I do when I'm using whipped cream to top a cake or anything else, is to pack both separately & put the whipped cream on before serving. I even bring my own spatula; I've learned not to depend on the host/hostess to have what I need, & they're often quite busy to boot. You can do the same w/ frosting or anything else that would get smooshed during travel.

Maybe Pavlovas? The meringues will be fine to travel; you could take lemon curd for the filling and some fresh or frozen raspberries to top it in a little cooler, along with some cream to whip on site.

Thanks very much, everyone. I've thought about cookies, sheilajoyce, but I think this will be the only dessert, so maybe not. MarthaScott, I'm tending towards pie, but there's no prepared mincemeat left in the stores here and I don't have time to make any from scratch, so probably a fruit pie.

No cooler, carolb and Olychick, but I suppose I could get one. Olychick, I would adore to do pavlova, but hard meringues disintegrate in humid FL faster than you would believe. I gave up on them long ago, alas.

It will be an interesting experiment to do pie, I've decided, since I don't think the boys have ever had a from-scratch crust, just the frozen grocery store drek. Will they like it more or less than those? We shall see. :)

writersblock -- pies always travel well and men especially love fruit pies!

I have a great Red Velvet Cake recipe if you want it. It is from a work friend's grandmother. It travels well and does not have to be refrigerated unless it is going to be out for longer than 24 hours.

ETA: I also have a killer Pecan Pie Recipe.

I'm making raspberry chocolate chip scones to go along with the lasagna. Special request by, well, everybody coming. Make 'em the day before and keep them cold in the fridge. They'll travel well, as long as you can't reach them during the drive.

I think pie sounds great. :)

I'm going to make carrot cake for Christmas. Yeh, I know it's a traditional Easter dessert but I'm hungry for carrot cake. Will have to make a couple of pecan pies because the family expects them. Both the cake and the pies freeze well, so you could chose a dessert that freezes well and take it out of the freezer just before you leave.

Freeze some water bottles. I have a half dozen at all times tucked in empty spaces. Line a box with a kitchen garbage bag, then newspaper, then the frozen water bottles on the bottom. Then desert, then newspaper on top. Very insulating. Or just extra cardboard. (I've got a dozen Amazon boxes if you need some) : )...water bottles will not leak and most likely will still be frozen after four hours even in a hot climate.

I'm the holiday chef so if I just had dessert duty I would go 'whole hog'. Probably a trio of three. I have 8" tart tins. A mixed berry/fruit tart, a chocolate bourbon pecan, and a flourless chocolate cake. (gluten-free).

I'm still doing all three and the meals...dad wants the pecan, mom likes the fruit, sister likes chocolate cake. Dense, moist, and decadent. Lots of choices.

I've had two sets of these stacking bamboo steamers for years. Mostly for spring rolls, but great for dessert tarts and travel.

I realize you don't have shopping time but maybe in the future.

In advance make a meringue ring. When shaping it, run a spoon around it to create a channel so that when you go to decorate it there's a container for goodies. Decorate it with whipped cream, red fruits, lots of mint leaves, pomegranate seeds..... voila a Christmas wreath.

I also thought of pie... Raspberry, to be exact. Lol!

Thanks, everyone!

Ricky, do you have a recipe for the scones?

Carrot cake is an idea, but in my world that needs cream cheese frosting with pineapple, and I don't think they like that.

Sherry, I love pecan pie, but my bro and his kids don't like nuts, which really cuts down on a lot of the things I thought of making.

Annie, a bundt would be great, but I don't have a bundt pan anymore and I'm not going to the mall between now and Christmas! (Though I must say it was pretty dead earlier this week; but it seems that folks are finally realizing that we're in the home stretch and making up for it the past couple of days.)

Sleevendog, I admire your energy! One dessert will be enough for this group--they don't really care much for more than a token nibble of any sweets.

Islay, that's a lovely idea, but around here meringues disintegrate the instant you add any filling/topping, because of the humidity, and this week is quite damp. As a matter of fact right now there's so much fog I can hardly see across the street.

There are ways around that, but they produce a really nasty meringue. There are Cuban-style meringue drops, for instance, that stay hard, but they make my gums feel like they've been microplaned, and not from the texture, from reaction to the additives needed to keep them firm.

Thanks to those who agree with the pie idea. Party_music, I'm debating between raspberry, apple, and blueberry. Will depend on what fruit looks best.

This is going to be such a wasteful dessert, because the Publix stores here are totally sold out of anything smaller than a 10 lb bag of flour, and I don't use wheat flour for anything. I'm hoping Aldi may still have something smaller, but our Aldi doesn't always keep flour in stock.

Pear or apple pie with cranberries is very seasonally appropriate. And color coordinated :-)) The cranberries add a great tart accent to the sweetness of the apples or pears. I like doing this in a very rustic manner.....like shown here.

Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or soft whip cream. Pretty darn easy!

writersblock, the trick with the meringue wreath is to take it disassembled and then put it together at the last minute. I do that all the time because pavlova (which is the same thing minus the hole) is very popular as a summer dessert here and it's also hot and humid.

That does look good, gardengal. I wonder why they shun Anjou pears, though? To me those are the best cooking pears.

Colleenoz, I gave up on meringues several years ago when I made a meringue torte. In the time it took to get it from the kitchen to the table and cut it, it had become a big pile of oddly textured whipped cream. So too risky, IMHO.

Cherry pie

d'Anjou pears work just fine :-) I have used them many times!

You only a cup or so for pie crust. Could you borrow a cup of flour from your neighbor, or even, if you don't use flour all that often, buy a ready made crust?

Chocolate Chip Raspberry Scones

This simple scone recipe can be modified in a variety of different ways.
Blueberries instead of Raspberries. Leave out the chocolate chips,
replace them with white chocolate or butterscotch. Add 1/2 teaspoon of
mint or almond extract. Thanks to AnnT at Houzz for the original recipe.

• 2-1/2 cups All Purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar or brown sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (high altitude - reduce to 2 teaspoons)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream) - (high altitude - increase to 1-1/4 cups)
• 1 cup frozen Raspberries
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients well. Cut in butter. Mix in cream. When the cream is
almost incorporated, add fruit, berries or nuts. Bake at 425F for 15-18
minutes (high altitude - 440 degrees for 20 minutes) or until tops are
just turning golden and centers are set.

I make a peach-raspberry pie from frozen fruit and store bought crust when I need an easy yet impressive dessert. Needs to go in a cooler though. Applesauce or oatmeal cake with a caramel sauce would be good and easy. Same with apple pie, can be jazzed up with caramel sauce. From a jar - I'm not proud! I often make cranberry cherry cobbler for the holidays with both fresh and dried fruit - great combo!

If you can buy or borrow a cooler and your family likes chocolate, make a splash with a traditional Buche de Noel or Yule Log. Julia Child showed how to make one 50 years ago on her TV show. The log itself is very easy. The meringue mushrooms can be an optional embellishment. I would not do the spun sugar moss in this case since it doesn't hold up for long. There are also many newer videos on youtube.

Sherry_7bAL

I have a great Red Velvet Cake recipe if you want it. It is from a work friend's grandmother. It travels well and does not have to be refrigerated unless it is going to be out for longer than 24 hours.

ETA: I also have a killer Pecan Pie Recipe.

Sherry, would you mind sharing your Red Velvet Cake and you Pecan Pie recipes. I had a Red Velvet Cake that was very good, but can no longer find the recipe. Likewise, with the pecan pie recipe that I had. Thank you.

Red Velvet Cake from Shirley's grandmother

Bake at 350* until done (30min?)(toothpick comes out clean)

1 3/4 cup flour (I use plain)(not cake flour)

1 1/2 teaspoon soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening (I use Crisco)

2 eggs

1 1/4 cup buttermilk (I use full fat)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted (can substitute: 3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter, margarine or shortening for every 1-ounce unsweetened baking chocolate)

2 one ounce boxes red food coloring

Instructions as given: Mix all of the above together and bake in two (9") pans at 350* until done.

I mix the flour, soda, and salt together in a small bowl. I mix the vanilla with the buttermilk.

I cream the sugar, brown sugar, and shortening together and then add the eggs.

I alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture and then add the melted chocolate.

I grease my cake pans and line with wax paper.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 box confectioners sugar

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon milk

1 cup chopped pecans

Cream the cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla until creamy. Add milk and mix well. Stir in pecans.

I have tried to write this to conform closer to modern recipes. It is a very old hand-me-down recipe.

FWIW, most stores around here sell styrofoam coolers for not too much $$ - usually near the beer & ice...

Southern Pecan Pie

From "Good Eats" by Annette Sanderson, Moulton, Alabama

3/4 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 350*. In mixer bowl, mix sugar and eggs until blended. Add corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and nuts. Pour into pie shell and bake 45 minutes. Let stand before slicing.

My oven runs slightly cool, so I bake for 50 minutes. It will not look done when you take it out of the oven. It will continue to cook as the pie cools. Do not over bake. My son's oven runs true, so he only bakes for the 45 minutes.

Thanks again, all.

Yes, if my neighbors baked it would make sense to borrow a cup or so of flour from them, but they're all past that. They're the kind of people who put in cook's kitchens and order out or buy frozen. Really, the only one who bakes at all is a vegan yoga teacher who believes in the evilness of all gluten. :) But I did find a 2 lb bag of Gold Medal, so I'm good.

Ricky, those scones sound great and I may tat up a batch for them to munch on on Christmas Eve.

Lpink, the peach-raspberry pie sounds wonderful. I'm not opposed to store-bought stuff when it's as good as or better than, but I've always hated frozen pie crust almost as much as I hate frosting-in-a-can.

Sherry, thanks for the recipes. That red velvet cake does sound good. I've gotten kind of turned off by the ones that are just radioactively-colored chocolate cake, which is not how I remember red velvet from when I was young. Your pecan pie is exactly how my mom used to make it.

FWIW, most stores around here sell styrofoam coolers for not too much $$ - usually near the beer & ice...

Yeah, I thought of that, but you pay a big premium when you live at the beach. I'll have to make time to go somewhere inland tomorrow.

Gardengal, I think I'll make the pear/cranberry tart and freeze it before I take it over, then bake it Christmas morning while they're still fooling around with assembling the wellington. I can't see any reason why it wouldn't freeze, can you?

This forum always comes through!

If just making the day ahead, I see no reason to freeze. Personally, I would bake it after assembling......otherwise the juices could soak into the crust and make things soggy and the fruit could discolor. You can always warm slightly before serving on Christmas. I've gone that route many times! I actually think its better if it sits a bit after baking :-)

I'm just a lousy pie crust maker, so that's why I go store bought. But home made is always good. Pie is almost my favorite dessert, especially when someone else makes it!! :)

Thanks, gardengal. l pink, to me crust is one of the easiest things. I guess because that's one of the first things I ever learned to make.

Gardengal, I'm thinking that if I bake it before transporting it, I'll probably need to make a regular ol' pie to keep it from getting broken en route. Would you suggest top crust, lattice, or open-faced as the best way? If it were raw fruit I'd definitely do top or lattice, but with the pre-cooked filling I'm not sure.

I find that these sorts of rustic pies/tarts are more durable than a standard pie. Less edging, etc. to get broken. I just put mine in my pie carrier if I need to transport, with some crumpled tin foil around it to keep it from sliding. If no pie carrier, you can use a flattish or cut down carton.

Thanks again, everyone. They loved the tart, although I was seriously taken aback at how much the cut up pears shrank when caramelizing them, much more than halves do in my roasted pear w/caramel sauce. Over four lb of pears made just barely enough filling for a smallish tart, but it was very, very good, and a perfect end to a meal that consisted of something called Beef Wellington (but the pastry was actually lined with minced mushrooms and onions instead of paté), sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes. Oh, another note: The filling was super-gingery after caramelizing, but it toned down a lot after the second baking.

Ricky, they really loved your scones more than anything! My nephew the chef kept going back and sneaking another piece all day long. I just used plain fresh raspberries, no chocolate.

I also made up some of these to use the last of the flour:

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/cheddar-cheese-coins

They weren't great plain, because despite what the page says, they were pretty greasy, but they were awesome with brie baked with Boursin and raspberry jam, although people kept asking why there were butter cookies on the cheese tray before they tried them.

Glad it went well for you and the other guests!

Sally

All those baked goods sound AMAZING!