Amazingly Good Eggnog

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 4 cups milk
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups light rum
• 4 cups light cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 8 mins Ready Time: 6 hrs 28 mins


• combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.
• in a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. whisk together until fluffy. whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. pour mixture into saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. do not allow mixture to boil. strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour.
• stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla, and nutmeg. refrigerate overnight before serving.

Sour Cream Figure-eights

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe

• in a large bowl beat butter or margarine until softened. add 1 cup sugar and beat until fluffy. add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
• stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. add flour mixture and sour cream alternately to butter mixture. beat until well mixed.
• cover and chill at least 2 hours or until easy to handle.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• combine cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl. roll dough 1/8 inch thick. cut into rings with a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter.
• twist the rings once to form figure eights and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. spinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. bake for 6-8 minutes or until done. remove and cool on a wire rack.

Christmas Rocks

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1/4 cup candied cherries
• 1/4 pound candied pineapple, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 pound chopped candied citron
• 1/4 pound pitted dates
• 1/4 pound chopped candied orange peel

Recipe

• cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. beat eggs until foamy, add to mixture. sift flour with spices, cocoa and soda. save out 1/2 cup of flour mixture. add the rest of flour mixture to butter mixture. stir in coffee.
• cut fruits into small slivers and dredge fruit and chopped pecans lightly in flour saved out for this. add to fruit and the rest of flour to batter, mixing thoroughly.
• preheat oven to 325 degrees f (170 degrees c). grease cookie sheets.
• drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. do not place too close together. bake for 12 to 15 minutes. do not over-brown. store cookies in jars.

Avocado Paletas

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Ready Time: 14 hrs 25 mins


• bring water and sugar to a boil together in a saucepan; stir continually until sugar dissolves. set aside to cool.
• pour sugar-water mixture into a blender with avocados, lime juice, and salt; blend until smooth. pour the mixture into 10 ice pop molds.
• freeze until solid yet still soft, about 2 hours; insert wooden sticks and continue freezing until firm, 12 to 24 hours.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. dissolve baking soda in hot water. add to batter along with salt. stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
• bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Cappuccino Brownies

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 pounds milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup instant coffee granules
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 8 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins Ready Time: 9 hrs 5 mins


• preheat the oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease and flour four 8x8-inch baking pans.
• place the chocolate chips and the coffee granules in a double boiler over simmering water. cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. set aside.
• in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. beat in the eggs two at a time, mixing well after each addition. stir in vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, then mix in the melted chocolate. mix in flour until just blended. divide the batter equally into the prepared pans, and spread smooth.
• bake for 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the edges pull from the sides of the pans. cool on a wire rack. cover, and refrigerate for 8 hours. cut the cold brownies into bars to serve.

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 8 mins Ready Time: 3 hrs


• in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. beat in eggs and vanilla. stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (200 degrees c). roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. cool completely.