Yummy homemade eggnog

Christmas is weird this year but at least we still have eggnog.

 

 Ingredients

• 4 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 oz bourbon
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg and more for topping
• 4 egg whites

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. 

Chill and serve.

** I like to grate fresh nutmeg on top for good measure. You can also add more bourbon if you're really being festive!

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

I have always loved Snickerdoodle cookies but for some unforeseen reason I never thought to make them myself. I had a free Sunday afternoon so I was inspired to dig up a recipe online and was delighted that I had all of the ingredients. Why have I never made them before???

**Bonus!! My 13 year old Vivian helped me this afternoon. We jammed to music on Spotify and cut and rolled.

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe 

From: https://www.modernhoney.com/the-best-snickerdoodle-cookie-recipe/Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies. The popular cinnamon-sugar soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe. A recipe that has been in the family for over 30 years! Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter 
• 1 1/2 cups Sugar 
• 2 large Eggs 
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla 
• 2 3/4 cup Flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar 
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda 
• 1 teaspoon Salt 

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture: 

• 1/4 cup Sugar 
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon (Next time, I would use less cinnamon. It seems a bit much)

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. 
• Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer. 
• Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. 
• In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. 
• If time allows, wrap the dough and let refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 
• Roll into small balls until round and smooth. 
• Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well. 
• Using a spoon, coat for a second time, ensuring the cookie balls are completely covered. 
• *To make flatter snickerdoodles, press down in the center of the ball before placing in the oven. This helps to keep them from puffing up in the middle. 
• *Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. 
• Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing from the pan

Recipe: Onion pie

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

12 T unsalted butter

4 oz Saltine crackers (about 36)

1-1/2 lbs yellow onions, peeled, trimmed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4-1/2 cups)

1/2 t kosher salt

3 lg eggs

3/4 c heavy cream

4 oz. grated extra-sharp New York cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

1. heat over to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet or saute pan over low heat; set aside. In a food processor, pulse Saltines to fine crumbs and transfer to medium bowl. Pour four tablespoons melted butter over crumbs and toss with fingertips or a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Press mixture firmly into a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan, using a second pie pan, if possible, to compact them evenly against bottom and sides of pan.

2. Reheat remaining melted butter in skillet over medium-high heat until frothy. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are evenly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer onions to pie pan, patting them down in an even layer on crust.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with a whisk and add heavy cream and remaining salt, whisking gently to incorporate. Pour mixture slowly, in a thin stream, into center of onions in pie pan. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and place in oven. Bake until puffy and slightly browned on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife into six wedges and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

Bring us some Figgy Pudding

Last Christmas, I made Figgy Pudding for the first time ever. I was always curious about the Christmas Song and wondered, "what IS it anyway?" It's surprisingly good if you like spice cake and this recipe comes with Whiskey Sauce so there's a double bonus. It turns out my Father-in-law loves it and has fond memories of eating it in days gone by. This might become a new Christmas staple for me!

Ready in: 2 hrs 30 mins
Serves: 15

INGREDIENTS FOR FIGGY PUDDING:

16 oz dried figs
1-3/4 c milk
1-1/2 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
2-1/2 t baking power
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t salt
3 eggs
1/2 c melted butter
1-1/2 c breadcrumbs
1 T grated orange peel

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a a medium saucepan, heat milk and chopped figs over medium-low heat but do NOT bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. The the milk will soften the figs.
3. In a medium bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs one minute on high. Reduce speed to low and add butter, bread crumbs, orange peel, and warm fig mixture.
5. Slowly incorporate flour mixture. Beat until just blended.
6. Pour the mix into the greased bundt pan. Level top as much as possible. Cover the mold with a piece of aluminum foil greased on one side, greased side down.
7. Place the mold in a roasting pan and place on oven rack. fIll with hot tap water 2 inches up the side of the mold. Bake for 2 hours or until the pudding is firm and it is pulling away from the side of the bundt pan.
8. Remove the pudding from the water bath. Remove the foil and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding. Invert bundt pan onto a serving plate and remove mold. It should come away easily.
9. Serve with a hard sauce.
10. ******
    
    INGREDIENTS FOR WHISKEY SAUCE:
11. 1 c heavy cream
    1/2 c whole milk
    1/4 c granulated white sugar
    1 T cornstarch
    2 T whiskey or bourbon
    2 egg yolks
    pinch of salt
    1 T unsalted butter
    Optional: 1 t pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan and set aside. 
2. In a small bowl or cup, whisk the cornstarch with the whiskey or bourbon. 
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and set aside.
4. Place the saucepan over medium heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the sauce comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 
5. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture to the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and continue cooking for 1 minute longer. 
6. Whisk in a pinch of salt, the butter, and vanilla, if using.
7. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. The sauce will thicken more as it stands -- or actually, I just pour it right over the figgy pudding. The cake is best served warm but a few seconds in the microwave also counts. My Father-in-law puts it in a bowl and adds milk!

Acorn Squash with Maple Cream Bacon and Nuts

Another Thanksgiving mainstay. Although I keep forgetting that we only have one oven to work with at my sister's house. Perhaps I should make this for another gathering and find a no-cook recipe to bring to Ohio with me.

Acorn Squash with Maple Cream Bacon and Nuts

• 4 small acorn squash, washed
• 10 sprigs of herbs, such as sage and thyme
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 10 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, 2 teaspoons bacon grease reserved
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 11 1/2 ounce can unsalted mixed whole nuts such as pecans, walnuts, toasted cashews, hazelnuts and almonds (2 cups)

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place squash on a microwave-safe plate and cook at full power until slightly soft and easier to cut, 5 min. Cut squash in half; scrape seeds from interior and discard. Rub squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and scatter with herbs. Roast until squash is tender, about 25 min. 

Break bacon into 2 inch pieces; set aside. Just before squash is done, heat maple syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk in bacon grease. Simmer until reduced and slightly thicker than honey, about 10 min. Stir in cream, then gently fold in nuts and cooked bacon.\

 Fill cooked squash with nut mixture and drizzle with any extra maple cream. Garnish with cooked herbs and an extra sprinkling of sea salt.

nutrition information

Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 514, Fat, total (g) 35, chol. (mg) 26, sat. fat (g) 8, carb. (g) 45, Monosaturated fat (g) 19, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 6, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, fiber (g) 5, sugar (g) 18, pro. (g) 11, vit. A (IU) 728.85, vit. C (mg) 17.12, Thiamin (mg) 0.46, Riboflavin (mg) 0.64, Niacin (mg) 2.96, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0.35, Folate (µg) 48.38, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0.12, sodium (mg) 541, Potassium (mg) 853, calcium (mg) 131.26, iron (mg) 2.34, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

One last Christmas scene

The tree is down and packed away. The outside lights were quickly disseminated while the weather tried to reach 50 degrees this weekend. And my heart is heavy thinking about the anniversary of my Dad's funeral.

We took our Christmas tree down on January 2nd. The day my Dad died. Audrey even pointed that fact out and dubbed Sunday the "saddest day ever." Yeah honey, it was. However, we got through it by going to church, lighting two candles (one for Mom, one for Dad) and just living our lives as Dad would want. We even took the girls to a Red Wings game! I never put the two dates together when I took the tickets home from work several weeks ago.

So, when I came across this picture that Vivian had drawn earlier in December, I felt compelled to post it. This Christmas scene was a recurring theme in all of her artwork leading up to the holidays. The fireplace with stockings and candles . . . the Christmas tree in the center with loads of gifts . . . all of it the same every time.

We're back at school and work today. It's January 3rd.

I wonder what Vivian will be drawing today.

Smooth sailing

Here's wishing for an uneventful and blessed 2011!!

Merry Christmas!!!

The cat is looking over the Christmas mess.

Chestnuts roasting

A looooong time ago, my mom used to make T-bone steaks and tons of trimmings for our Christmas Eve dinner. But that was before all of her kids were married and there were a sh*t-load of grandkids running around. After that, our cozy Christmas Eve meals turned into a raucous party with more drinks consumed than food. My nieces and nephews will never let me forget the year I knocked down the Christmas tree . . . twice.

Ah. Good times.

Since this is my throw-back Christmas and it's just the four of us for Christmas Eve dinner, I wanted to go back to Mom's original theme. Instead of T-bone steaks, we're grilling NY Strip Steaks because they're Curt's favorite. Also on the menu are old-fashioned baked potatoes and a few side dishes, including this braised cabbage recipe.

I got a little help with the roasted chestnuts here. The house smelled SO good this afternoon!

I haven't made this yet but I'm crossing fingers that it will be a hit.

Braised Red Cabbage With Chestnuts

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons of canola oil
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• 1 head of red cabbage, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
• 2/3 cups of reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (Always buy broth in cardboard containers instead of cans.)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds
• 1 cup fresh chestnuts, cooked, peeled, and halved
• 1/3 cup of cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• black ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until light golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage wilts, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, sugar, and caraway seeds; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the cabbage is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Stir in chestnuts, vinegar, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the chestnuts are hot, 5 to 8 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

I haven't made Christmas Cut-out Cookies yet!

And they are Santa's favorite!!

The days preceding Christmas are flying by and I still haven't checked off

everything on my list.

- Decorate the house and put up the tree. Check. The girls were extremely helpful this year and put ALL of the ornaments on the tree. And I didn't bother rearranging a thing. I must be mellowing in my old age.

- Make Mom's chocolate nut fudge. Check

- Make Mom's 7 layer bars. Check.

- Make Peanut butter blossom cookies (also mom's). Check

- Purchase gifts for teachers and staff. Check and DONE!!

- Purchase presents for family -- including the items that the girls told Santa they wanted. Check. I think. The list keeps growing. I saw a letter that Vivian wrote to Santa at pre-school the other day asking for a Princess Barbie and a couple of other things. I didn't know anything about a damned Princess Barbie! That's the first I heard of it. She told Mall Santa that she wanted "a little teapot" (also news to me.) Audrey said she "ordered" a Nintendo DSi . . . as if she made a few clicks on Amazon.com.

- Wrap millions and millions of things. Almost check. I got a LOT done last night when my dear friend Sara invited the girls over to her house for a few hours after school. Thank you Brennen for being one of Audrey's besties.

- Make "dough balls" for Christmas morning. Ingredients have been purchased. Check.

- Make Santa's favorite cookies. ACK! I can't believe I have yet to make the quintessential Christmas cut-out cookies! I guess I know what we're doing during the day on Christmas Eve!

And instead of my mom's recipe, Curt insists that I have to follow his mom's recipe. Good enough. They all the look the same and it's the only thing he has had a strong opinion about. Except that I couldn't find the recipe.

Curt dug it up in an email he received from his mom in 2007. Lest I lose it again, I'm placing it on this blog for safe-keeping.

Christmas Cutout Cookies

1 Cup Butter 1 tstp vanilla

1 ½ Cups white sugar 3 eggs

3 ½ cups flour 2 tsps cream of tartar

1 tsp Soda ½ tsp salt

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla well. Best to use mixer but not necessary. Add the flour, soda, and cream of tartar by hand. Mix by hand. Chill dough. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters or by hand. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7 to 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Let the baked cookies sit for a couple of minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet, as they need to firm a bit.

These are really good cookies. You can handle and re-handle the dough and the little chunks of dough that are leftover from each cutting.

UPDATED POST:

Here are some pictures of what OUR cookies looked like!!

Mom's Christmas Cookies #1 - Chocolate Nut Fudge

Lately, I've been obsessed with the idea of making food from my childhood for the holidays. My mother used to throw down amazing amounts of food every year . . . including tubs and tubs of cookies and candy that were stored away and would make appearances on beautiful trays or in cookie tins to give away.

I want to be like my Mom. I really do. I guess that's what happens during middle age. Life is strange.

For some reason, I decided to start with her Chocolate Fudge recipe even though I was "ho hum" about it as a kid. But it's just SO Christmas to me now!

Here's the recipe in her handwriting straight from her gray-speckled recipe box:

It gets a little hard to follow but thankfully I found two other versions of it in her recipe boxes so I was able to decipher what to do. Here's a cleaner version:

2 pkgs (12 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butter or margarine

1 jar (any size) marshmallow cream

1 lg can evaporated milk

4.5 cups sugar

2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1 tbsp vanilla

Put first three ingredients in a large bowl. (I melted the butter first).

In a heavy pan, mix evaporated milk and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes stirring vigorously (being careful not to scorch). Pour melted mixture into bowl with the other ingredients and stir to mix. Add vanilla and blend with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in nuts.

Pour mixture into greased cookie sheets. Let sit for 24 hours before cutting into small pieces. Makes 5 pounds.

**I made some of the fudge without the nuts -- I simply poured half the mixture onto a cookie sheet before I added the nuts. Then stirred in 1 cup of nuts to the remaining portion. **

YUM!

[Note to self: You made it too skinny this year. Just pour the whole damn thing into one cookie sheet for big, fat pieces of fudge.]

Tweets from the North Pole!

We had a fun and exhausting trip to the North Pole last night!

Curt makes such a great Santa. He even worked some OT after the show when a friend needed a favor. Her daughter was unhappy and embarrassed about something that was said on TV so she needed a little extra Santa love.

Audrey also called in and did a great job pretending she wasn't talking to her parents. Vivian apparently knew it was me immediately and thought Daddy must have been "at work." She seemed underwhelmed that I knew Santa so well. She was more impressed with my "Christmas-y clothes."

Below are a few shots from the evening, as well as the live tweets from CTN.

Santa Live!

Nutcracker 2010

The girls performed in their first-ever production of The Nutcracker over the weekend. I'm sure it won't be the last.

I had the dubious honor of being the "backstage chairperson" since I'm a seasoned stage mom (with our debut in "Cinderella" last year.) It was fine, however. I was also mom to the youngest cast member (at only 4 years old!) and I figured I'd better be back stage anyway.

Vivian kept up with the 5 and 6 year olds in her Clown group and may have even stole the scene when she expertly dealt with her bow falling off near the beginning of her dance during the final (and videotaped) performance. She has great instincts, that one. although she was very upset with me when we got offstage. "Mommy, you're opposed to put my bow on tight!"

Audrey was absolutely gorgeous as a party girl. She danced and acted her way through the entire party scene with grace and elegance. And if you ask her, she had one of the biggest roles in the show. She really believes she was the star.

My long weekends of hauling the girls to separate rehearsals and then sitting in the basement of the auditorium are now over and I won't miss them. However, watching the girls light up during rehearsals and performances and seeing Vivian dance in the wings before going on stage (usually the Sugar Plum fairy dance) made it all worthwhile.

The Nutcracker!

We just got through our weekend of The Nutcracker. I'm in recovery at the moment but I'll post more about it soon!

What a magical weekend for my girls!

Dad's Salad and the Yellow Bowl

Dad used to make the most unhealthy salad every year for Thanksgiving. It had become his signature dish for nearly every gathering where one is required to bring a dish to pass. I guess this is what happened when Mom was no longer doing all of the cooking.

However the critics always raved about it at Thanksgiving and the big yellow bowl that he served it in was scraped until it was empty! [I must admit that I never understood the appeal.] The dressing was created with some concoction of French dressing, ranch dressing, mustard, horseradish sauce, a little Worcestershire sauce and bacon grease. There was no recipe -- he just threw this stuff in there and stirred. The items that were drenched . . . er, dressed, consisted of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, rotini pasta, eggs and bacon.

For some reason, I ended up with that yellow bowl after seeing it in Mom and Dad's estate sale. How could we possibly let that one go? And since I had the bowl, I was left with the task of recreating his salad. In retrospect, I was probably the last person that should have taken this on.

I thought perhaps I could upscale it a bit and use romaine lettuce. My niece agreed that I could probably do that. Whew. One hurdle crossed. But then I chose to chuck the entire dressing thing and make my own. I was afraid I couldn't pull off Dad's magic.

However, when I was making the bacon on Thanksgiving morning, everyone who passed through Karen's kitchen said something along the lines of, "You're not going to use the bacon grease???" I was crossing my fingers and hoping they wouldn't care.

I may try again next year or I may go a totally different route. We'll see.

Here's the smoky buttermilk ranch dressing I used (which I happened to LOVE but Karen said it had too much garlic.) The yellow bowl wasn't scraped entirely clean but it was nearly empty so I'll take that as a win.

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup dairy sour cream

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian parsley

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

romaine

cherry tomatoes

boiled eggs

bacon

rotini pasta

And away we go!

The holidays are nearly upon us (judging by the fact that WNIC has been playing Christmas music for about a week now . . . and I've been listening!!) and I'm both nervous and excited this year.

My default is to feel excited -- since that's how it has been for me for the previous 45 years of my existence. And having children only enhances the feeling for me. There's nothing I love more than that period between Thanksgiving and Christmas!! Who am I kidding? Halloween and New Years too! And when I'm in the right surroundings I still get a little giddy. I ran to the mall yesterday on my lunch hour to drop off some shoes that need repairing. I was immediately stimulated by all of the Christmas decorations everywhere! A drive down Main Street at dusk when the lights on the trees are sparkling makes me smile from ear to ear. Curt was in New York earlier this week when he emailed me a pic inside Macy's complete with its Christmas regalia and I was green with envy. Yup. Still love it.

The nervous part comes from the fact that Dad's not going to be with us this year. Hell, mom won't truly be with us either.

Sure, she'll be around for a bit on Thanksgiving . . . and maybe we'll catch a glimpse of her. And by glimpse, I mean something truly fleeting and immeasurable, like a certain sparkle in her eye or a familiar laugh -- you just know it when you see it. Maybe she'll even remember my name and melt my heart like she did when the girls and I visited her last week. That would be a wonderful gift. But she doesn't do well in crowds these days and our holidays are nothing if not crowded and noisy.

And so, things are going to be different. Dad won't be there to make his traditional Thanksgiving salad -- a huge hodgepodge of things that didn't resemble anything healthy. The after-dinner poker game will continue without him. Maybe we'll crack open his expensive whiskey we've been saving for the "right time" to drink. I'm sure he was waiting for the right time, too. I hate whiskey but you can bet I'll have a shot of it. I wouldn't miss that for the world.

This will be a holiday of new traditions. A time to pass the torch and create those lasting memories for my girls just like my parents did for me.

So, why am I crying while I'm typing this?

Ugh. I better hang on tight because this sure is going to be an interesting ride through the holidays. But that's what life is all about, right?

I miss you and love you, Mom and Dad. And I will do my best to honor your memory this year.

Just look at those smiling faces below. We've got so much to be thankful for.

Happy Easter!!

Happy birthday Baby!!

I recieved this photo from my mother-in-law by email this morning.

A large group of folks attended Vivian's 4th birthday party at Xtreme Bounce Zone yesterday!

It was a sweaty, red-faced event filled with theater friends, pre-school friends and family.

Vivian has been asking for a "jumping party" since her 3rd birthday, I think. Anyway, it was a long time coming - that's for sure.

More photos are on the way. I just haven't had a chance to download the camera yet. I'm especially excited to take a look at Vivian's live-action shots from inside one of the bounce houses. I'm sure it's a blurry mess.

Today is her official birthday. We'll be making our traditional trip to Red Robin for birthday dinner and an ice-cream sundae.

I can't belive my baby is four!

Happy birthday sweet Vivian!

Feeling Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday.

I'm in a Lenten sort of mood so I say bring it on with as much furor as I can muster. (Mostly because I had a wee bit too much fun last night at a Mardi Gras-style event I sang on. For more details click here.)

I guess I should commit to the fact that I've been thinking about giving up alcohol for Lent. (Good thing I got my fill last night.) That's what I gave up last year as well . . . but I got off to a slow start. Perhaps I needed that Fat Tuesday indulgence first.

There have been times in years past when I truly loved the Lenten season. Lent is a time for soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. That is exactly what I need right now. My heart has some healing to do.