Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's a link, here's a list of St. Paddy's Day recipe ideas.

And this, to me, sounds sort of weird and awful, yet sort of awesome.

Guinness and Chocolate Cheesecake

• 1 cup crushed chocolate cookies
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup Irish stout beer (e.g. Guinness®)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with butter.
2. Combine the crushed cookies, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cocoa in a small bowl; mix; press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
3. Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to low speed until smooth. While beating, slowly add 1 cup sugar and then the eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until smooth.
4. Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat the chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Add the sour cream, salt, beer, and vanilla; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust. Place the pan into a large, deep baking dish. Fill the dish with water to cover the bottom half of the springform pan.
5. Bake the cheesecake in the water bath in the preheated oven for 45 minutes; turn oven off; leave the cheesecake in the oven with oven door slightly ajar another 45 minutes; remove from oven. Run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen from pan. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours.
6. Melt the semisweet chocolate in a small bowl using the microwave. Make chocolate clovers by dropping 3 small drops of melted chocolate close to one another on waxed paper. Drag a toothpick from between two dots outward to make the stem; chill until hardened. Arrange the chocolate clovers on top of the chilled cheesecake for decoration.

Are you wearing green today?

Happy Valentine's Day

Because she is wonderful, JMC sent this to share. Adorable, and easy, and also delicious. I noticed there wasn't a step for "eating several rice krispy treats yourself" or "make yourself sick from eating spoonful after spoonful of icing," so use your best judgement on that.

Thanks, JMC!

And for fun, here's a link about one of my favorite candies. (Which I am always ashamed to admit. I like the orange ones best.)




















Which color is your favorite?

Happy Valentine's Day!

One More Try

I tried again. I have no idea if these are good or not, but at 111 calories per brownie, they might be worth a shot. Surely if you dollop some fresh strawberries and reduced fat/calorie whipped topping, they can't be too bad. Right?

Edit: Plus, this!

Smurfy Goodness

Have you guys been going here lately?

More holiday awesomeness, including this post, which has "My Smurfy Valentine."

Slighty Better for You, Still Chocolate

I Googled "healthy Valentine's Day recipes" and found some things that were mildly less sugar-coma-inducing than, say, bags upon bags of Hershey's Kisses.

I'll share!

This recipe is from here:

Chocolate Mousse

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, rum or strong brewed coffee
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 large egg
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons water

1. Sprinkle gelatin over liqueur (or rum or coffee) in a small bowl; let stand until softened, about 1 minute.

2. Whisk together milk, whole egg, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatin mixture, stirring until the gelatin has dissolved. Add chocolate and vanilla; stir until the chocolate has melted. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3. Bring 1-inch of water in a wide saucepan to a bare simmer. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, water and the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar in a heatproof bowl large enough to fit over the saucepan. Set the bowl over the barely simmering water and beat with an electric mixer at low speed, moving the beaters around constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F. (This will take 3 to 5 minutes.)

4. Increase the mixer speed to high and continue beating over the heat for a full 3 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the meringue until cool, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

5. Whisk one-fourth of the meringue into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold the chocolate mixture back into the remaining meringue with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Spoon the mousse into 6 dessert glasses, and chill until set, about 3 hours.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 248 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 38 mg cholesterol; 47 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 68 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium.

3 Carbohydrate Servings

These involve FRUIT and therefore are super-healthy:

Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

1/3 cup sugar
2 strips lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
24 dried apricots (about 1/4 pound)
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped peeled pistachios

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and place a wire rack on top.

2. Combine sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. Add apricots and gently simmer just until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the apricots with a slotted spoon to the rack. Let cool completely.

3. Melt chocolate in a small metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Dip half of a poached apricot in the chocolate, letting excess drip off. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios over the chocolate half and return the apricot to the rack. Repeat with the remaining apricots. (You will have some melted chocolate left over.) Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 20 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per candy: 43 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 0 mg sodium; 107 mg potassium.

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Store in an airtight container, with wax paper between each layer, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

This one claims to take hours, but it might be worth it, especially if you're a big sucker for chai spices. (Like me.) It sounds goooood:

Chai Chocolate Pots de Creme

Makes 8 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 hours (including 3 hours chilling time)
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

2/3 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons crushed cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon bruised cardamom seeds (see Tip)
7 whole cloves
4 slices peeled fresh ginger
4 1/2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see Tip), finely chopped
1 1/4 cups reduced-fat milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Crystallized ginger for garnish (optional)

1. Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Lay a double thickness of paper towels in a baking pan large enough to comfortably hold eight 4- to 6-ounce heatproof custard cups or ramekins. Set the cups in the pan (the paper towels will keep them in place).

2. Heat cream, cardamom, cloves and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the mixture just comes to a full boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Place chocolate in a 4-cup glass measure. Return the cream to medium-high heat and reheat to boiling. Immediately pour through a very fine sieve set over the chocolate, pressing down on the spices to extract as much flavor as possible; don't stir the chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes, then gently stir until the chocolate completely melts and the mixture is well blended and smooth. (If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds on High, then stir.)

3. Wipe out the saucepan, add milk and sugar, and heat just to boiling, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In a slow, thin stream, gradually stir about two-thirds of the boiling milk into the chocolate. If the mixture looks separated at any point, stop adding milk and stir the chocolate until it is smooth again before continuing.

4. Whisk egg, egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl until well blended. While constantly whisking the egg mixture, add the remaining milk in a slow, thin stream. Strain the egg-milk mixture through a fine sieve into the chocolate mixture; stir well to combine. Evenly divide among the custard cups, about 1/4 cup each.

5. Place the pan on the low oven rack. Add enough very hot tap water to come 3/4 inch up the sides of the cups. Bake until the tops appear barely set when the cups are jiggled, 16 to 20 minutes; don't tap the tops as this will mar the surface.

6. Transfer the cups to a wire rack. Let cool thoroughly, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Let warm up just slightly before serving. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a small piece of crystallized ginger (if desired). NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 204 calories; 15 g fat (8 g sat, 3 g mono); 132 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 36 mg sodium; 87 mg potassium.

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate, 3 fat TIP: Tips: You can use either whole cardamom pods or the peppercorn-size seeds for this recipe. Crush or bruise the seeds with the side of a chef's knife or a heavy-bottomed pan to help release the flavor. If necessary, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; the flavor will be fine, but the texture will be a little less silky.

Almost any semisweet or bittersweet chocolate will work in this recipe, although if you choose an extra-bittersweet one with more than a 65% cacao content, reduce the chocolate to 4 ounces and increase the sugar to 1/4 cup. MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Brownie Torte

I've been going through Christmas candy withdrawal (plus I didn't bother to make a New Year's resolution involving weight--opting, instead, for one involving art). Winter stretches out long before me. Gone, gone, are the days of cookies and fudge.

Thank goodness for Valentine's Day, right? Because what is it, other than an excuse to curb that itching for sugar left over from Christmas and Halloween? How about we look at some chocolate? If you're still resolving, look away. Or send me some low-fat Valentine's Day recipe ideas. While you're at it, send me some Valentine's Day idea love, in general.

I pulled this from AllRecipes.com. It has to be good, because the first ingredient is butter.





















Brownie Torte

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnut
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Butter and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. In a pan over low heat, melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup light corn syrup. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips until melted. Remove from heat and add sugar and eggs, and stir until blended. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, flour, and nuts. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until center springs back when touched. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then place on a cooling rack.

To Make Glaze: Combine chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter or margarine and corn syrup in pan. Stir over low heat till chocolate chips are melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Frost tops and sides of torte. Chill until set. Garnish with sliced strawberries.

Groundhogs Speak--Take the Tree Down

Uh oh, six more weeks of winter!

This is the official, well, proclamation:

"Here Ye! Here Ye! Here Ye!

On Gobbler's Knob on this fabolous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.

After casting a weathered eye toward thousands of his faithful followers,
Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:

'As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of winter it will be!'"

The official site is amusing, and has some history here. And, of course, there's always here, which tells us that the National Climatic Data Center gave the overall accuracy rate of groundhog predictions a whopping 39 percent.

Here's a rendition of the poem that started it all, pulled from Wikipedia:

"As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and snow
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop"

And this is what Candlemas is. Last night my husband asked what the official cut off for Christmas decorations is, as we drove to the grocery store and saw several people had lights still up. I think this, pulled from the Wikipedia Candlemas article, is good:

"Down with the rosemary, and so

Down with the bays and mistletoe;

Down with the holly, ivy, all,

Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas Hall"

— Robert Herrick (1591–1674), "Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve"

The article states, "the eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people's homes; for traces of berries, holly and so forth will bring death among the congregation before another year is out."

Scary!

What did the groundhog see in your neck of the woods? He definitely saw his shadow here, but I, for one, am welcoming the sunshine.

Etsy Valentines

Oh, Etsy, how I love you.

Bag of hearts:



























Skelly Heart:























Valentine Mailbox:



















Love Record Gocco Card Set:

Return

Um. Hi-what-us?

Hi! I took an unplanned break, because so far 2008 has been very busy. And I was feeling a bit run down after the holidays. I've not been super bloggy, but there are more holidays, holidays to come! How are you guys feeling about this blog? Good? Bad? I thought maybe we should continue for, just because I have a thing for Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day, and also I gleefully anticipate Cadbury eggs every year.

So! More to come.

How are those New Year's resolutions coming?

New Year's Eve was sneaky this year.

New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve!

Quick meta nonsense/lame excuse disclaimer: After Christmas, I had a very busy work week (through Saturday afternoon) and then a second Christmas out of town Saturday night/Sunday, and now I need to get out the door to go back to work, so I apologize for the lack of New Year's posts.

I wanted to share this article, which is a list of 2007 buzzwords that made me smile.

I wish you all a very happy and very safe evening. How are you celebrating?

Auld Lang Syne

I've been wondering about this song. Mostly because I can never understand the lyrics when I've heard them slurringly sung at midnight on past New Year's Eve. It's a nice tradition, and the history/uses of the song are interesting.

English translation:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine^† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

The original:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup !
And surely I’ll be mine !
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine ;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin’ auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine ;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin’ auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere !
And gies a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Holiday Blues

I don't know about you, but the whirlwind/pressure of the holidays combined with trudging back to work yesterday left me in a teensy bit of post-holiday funk. I thought I'd share some links, just in case I'm not the alone one feeling a bit run down/blah:

http://www.selfcounseling.com/help/depression/holidaydepression.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030

http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectid=C7DF954D-1372-4D20-C80ED0A7AB69D250

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/103377/how_to_beat_post_holiday_depression.html

How do you deal with the post-holiday blues? For me, getting some fresh air helps a bit, as well as doing something I don't normally take the time to do (give myself a facial, go to bed at 8:00, etc). What do you guys do to feel better after Christmas?

Merry Christmas

Just stopping in to wish everyone a very happy Christmas!

More Cookies!

The ever lovely Heather wrote the following (and sent in these photos) (photos that made my stomach grumble):

"I have two staples when it comes to Christmas Cookies...Well, three if you count Sugar Cookies, which really everyone should. I hope everyone has good memories of baking and decorating sugar cookies when they were little. I've always loved sugar cookies... in theory. In reality, as an adult, I've never really enjoyed them. They're sticky and messy to make, and I've never found just the right cookie... most are either too crispy or too chewy. I have to say that PW herself has turned the whole sugar cookie experience around for me. If you don't know who I'm talking about, you should meet her here.

And then try her sugar cookies here. Awe. Some. Seriously one of the best cookies I've ever tasted. Hurry, make some before Christmas is over!!

Another really fun thing to do with sugar cookies... my kids had a blast making these for our neighbors last year: cut out different sized star cookies, frost with green frosting and stack them to make a tree.



















I made ours last year with the Pillsbury Funfetti Holiday Cake Mix, using the directions on the box for the cookies. Talk about simple cookies!! I had many people ask for that recipe saying they were the yummiest they'd ever tasted!! They couldn't believe it when I had to tell them it was from a cake mix!

Alright. On to my never-fail-to-put-me-in-the

-Christmas-mood-must-haves...

Chocolate Crinkles
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into one inch balls. I like to use a number 50 size scoop. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing onto prepared cookie sheets.









































3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.















These are so yummy... like soft little brownies with just the tiniest bit of crunch on the outside with the delightful "snowy" sugar sweetness around them.















Tips: The dough is sticky. Be sure you refrigerate or freeze long enough to firm it up. I use a little scooper to drop the balls of dough right into the bowl of powdered sugar. Then in the sugar, you can roll it easily and not ever have to deal with the stickiness. Also, be sure and use parchment or a silpat as the powdered sugar will stick and burn to the bare pan.

Peppermint Bark
INGREDIENTS
white baking chocolate or almond bark
crushed candy canes or starlight mints

Simply melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then stir in crushed peppermint. Spread thinly the chocolate and peppermint on a cookie sheet lined with foil.




































Refrigerate for an hour and then remove from cookie sheet and break or cut into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temp.

You can also swirl white and dark/milk chocolate, or layer them by refrigerating just to set first layer and then adding a second layer."

Thank you so much, Heather! These look awesome!

Winter Solstice Links

I had a request to talk a bit about the winter solstice, so here we go! I've found lots of links.

First things first: good old Wikipedia's article about it. It seems the winter solstice can refer to "when the Sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane as the observer," the day of or night before the solstice, or the beginning or middle of a hemisphere's winter. The article outlines several cultures' winter solstice celebrations, including Christmas. Historically these festivals feature food and companionship, welcome breaks from the inactivity and hardship of winter.

This site has quizzes, activities, and fact lists.

Some more sciency stuff.

National Geographic article.

Instructions for making a solstice wish candle.

Solstice crafts, including a Yule log.

A link with recipes and more history.

I hope this is a decent introduction--I didn't know much about the solstice other than knowing it was the basis for winter holidays, and it was fun to read about where so many traditions originate.

Anything you want to add?

Song Article

Just a little article tonight about the top 25 most performed holiday Christmas songs. Also, Wikipedia's article on Christmas songs; the Wikipedia article on Christmas carols; and a list of Christmas hit singles.

Buckeyes + Reindeer Cookies

Kelsey sent the following, and I am happy, because this candy? This candy is gooood:

"Here is our family recipe for buckeyes, which are a huge holiday treat here in Ohio. I'm sure people make them in other parts of the country as well, but might use a different name. (Teams from Ohio State University are The Buckeyes, and the buckeye is the state tree of Ohio.)

We miss these terribly in our house since discovering my daughter's peanut allergy. But they are too good not to share.

Buckeyes with a Twist

2 sticks melted butter
2 cups peanut butter (we used creamy, you'll see why)
1 box powdered sugar
3 cups rice krispies (That's the twist!)
12 oz. chocolate chips semi sweet chocolate chips, plus 1/3 bag milk chocolate chips
1/4 bar paraffin

Mix top ingredients with hands. Form into balls. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Melt 12 oz. chocolate chips and 1/4 bar paraffin fully in a double boiler. ( I have also used a small crock pot for this part.) Use a toothpick to dunk the buckeyes in the chocolate. Refrigerate or freeze.

Some tips:

Mix the peanut butter and butter first, then add powdered sugar, and finally the cereal.

Try not to overwork the mixture once the cereal is in, you want the pieces to stay crispy.

Don't skimp on refrigerating the buckeyes before you dunk them!

You can melt the paraffin in the microwave and then put it into a warm crock pot, then add the chocolate chips and mix well.

Working in the crock pot lets you take your time without worrying about burning the chocolate!

Wash the pots/bowls (whatever held the chocolate and paraffin) right away because it will get yucky as it cools and be more difficult to clean.

You can put nine or a dozen of these in a little gift box for neighbors, friends, etc. We used to eat them right from the fridge. The rice krispies make them nicely crunchy and cut down on the richness a bit, so you can eat more!!!"


And then, here's a post about making reindeer cookies with three-year-olds.

Thanks, Kelsey!

Adult Holiday Beverages

I thought maybe some *adult* holiday beverage recipes might be in order, just in case we need a little help feeling toasty/merry. Of course, on most of these it's pretty easy to substitute something or skip on the alcohol all together, and the drinks will still be yummy and merry, while being alcohol free.

Here's a basic recipe for wassail, alcohol-free. When I make mine, I omit the orange juice and lemon juice, dump in a bottle of red wine, add slices of oranges, and probably add more cinnamon, because I like cinnamon. I also usually get too excited to wait ALL DAY. My version is more like mulled wine. I've heard it called wassail, however.

Wassail Punch

2 quarts apple cider
2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 pinch ground ginger1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a slow-cooker or a large pot over low heat, combine apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice. Season with cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer. If using a slow cooker, allow to simmer all day. Serve hot.

Basic alcohol-free eggnog recipe:

2 eggs, beaten well
3 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
2 1/3 cups milk

Blend all ingredients together and serve chilled.

(Or, you know, buy the stuff they've been selling since Halloween at grocery stores everywhere.)

Version with alcohol:

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup dark rum (Captain Morgan for best flavor, but Myers is fine)
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 cups milk

All liquids should be very cold. Refrigerate in advance.

Beat the eggs for 2 or 3 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed until very frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Turn the mixer off and stir in the cold brandy, rum, whipping cream and milk Chill before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with more nutmeg.

Makes about 2-1/2 quarts.

I'm not really sure how you can make hot buttered rum non-alcoholic, so forgive me for this one (also, hot buttered rum is rich, rich, rich):

Colonial Hot Buttered Rum

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 pinch salt
3 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups rum
heavy cream -- whipped
ground nutmeg -- for topping

Put all ingredients, except rum and cream, and nutmeg into crockpot. Add 2 quarts hot water. Stir well. Cover pot and cook on LOW for 5 hours. Add rum; stir to blend. Serve from pot in warm mugs with a scoop of whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.

The infamous hot toddy:

1 oz (2 tablespoons) bourbon
1 tablespoon mild honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup boiling-hot water

Put bourbon, honey, and lemon juice in a 6-ounce mug. Top off with hot water and stir until honey is dissolved.

(You can also use Scotch or brandy. Some people also use hot tea, lemonade, coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, or butter. A non-alcoholic version would be more like a hot cider or hot lemony cup of tea, but would still be warming and cozy!)

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Add peppermint schnapps to a cup of hot cocoa; garnish with a candy cane. You can also rim the mug with crushed peppermints/candy canes. This is also delicious without the schnapps, of course!

Any holiday drinks you like to cozy up with?

Gift Idea Mish Mash

I've noticed about a billion gift idea posts when I've buzzed quickly through my Google reader, so I don't feel toooooo guilty about not doing more gift idea posts. Surely we are all feeding off of each other, right? I thought I'd collect some of the gift idea comments that were left here (I agree with those of you who suggested we shouldn't let good ideas 'die' in the comment box), however, along with some sites and ideas I thought were neat. PLUS a few ideas I've had, and some other posts I've seen that I liked about gift ideas. Maybe if you're still struggling to find a gift for someone, we can fill in the gaps.

Gift Idea Mish Mash!

On the photo gift idea post, we had these comments:

"Another idea we're doing (that we started on my daughter's first birthday but have now migrated it to Christmas gifts) is a photo montage on a DVD for all of our family members. We do it so that each year of each of the kids is broken into a "chapter" on the DVD, and it's just a bunch of photos set in motion to a bunch of songs we've picked out. You can download free photo montage software online and you just plug in the pictures you want to use and wha-la! Everybody loves getting these...especially now that we live long distance. And our kids of course, love to watch themselves on TV as we look back over the years!" --Heather

"We're burning DVDs of our home movies from the year, for the grandparents and great-aunts. Easy as pie. Good idea, Heather, to make it all fancy with music (and free software)!"-- el-e-e

"Thanks to MO Mommy's posting about this, on her site as well as here, I have been inspired to create a book for my (year old) nephew for Christmas. I got my brother to secretly burn me a copy of their photos on DVD and I've sorted through them to find pictures of his grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides (we have a small family). On one page is a picture of the relative (either with him or alone) with a caption like "Here's Auntie Chraycee" then on the next page a pic of him doing something (like sitting with a book, or in his highchair with food all over his face) and a positive caption like "Auntie Chraycee loves reading books with Max" or "Auntie Chraycee know that Max will grow up big and strong because he eats his vegetables."

You know, I'm trying to reinforce good behaviors. Only trouble is that I don't have a one year old myself, so am a little short for positive messages........I went with what they have pictures for...

1. helps do chores around the house
2. is kind to animals
3. eats all his dinner/eat veggies
4. enjoys taking his bath
5. knows the value of a good nap
6. is an excellent snuggler
7. loves reading books
8. uses his imagination to invent fun games
9. is brave and ready for adventure
10. plays well with others
11. is always making new friends
12. is a good friend"--Chraycee

Reader Jennifer sent in this fun idea for themed stockings/gifts: "Every year I try to fill my son’s Christmas stockings using some sort of a theme, for example last year was school/office supplies (tape, markers, highlighters, post-it notes, pens, pencils, etc. – and dude, they loved the tape!). They are now seven and nine years old and I was having a hard time thinking of something this year. I’ve finally decided to do gift cards for them. One thing they love to do is shop so I’m collecting five and ten dollar gift cards from places they love to go (McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, Borders, Meijer, Gamestop, etc.) and that will be their stocking stuffers for this year. I may also throw a few dollar lottery scratch off cards in there for kicks.

I was trying to think of how to apply this to adults since we always have those difficult-to-buy-for folks. For my brother-in-law and his wife who recently closed on the purchase of their first home, I’m going to buy some sort of drawer organizer (which I highly recommend for all junk drawers across America) and fill some of those spaces with gift cards from homey type stores (Lowe’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target). Gift cards may not be that creative an idea, but I thought this was a creative way to present them."

I liked this list by Princess Nebraska.

SundryBuzz reviews products, and there are some great gift ideas there. Another of Sundry's blogs contains various posts of ideas, as well.

Swistle recently posted a list of reader shops, along with lists of ideas here.

I know I'm leaving about sixty trillion gift idea posts out, so if you have one you want to share, do it! Now!

Now I'm going to list some things that I've thought would be nice gifts for someone, as I've stumbled in and out of stores over the last few weeks. Some of these are things I would love to get myself, but am always too embarrassed to ask for. Or I forget that I would like them until it is too late.

--Magazine subscriptions (I always love getting magazine subscriptions, because I am too cheap/forgetful to buy them for myself--especially the nice arty ones.)

--Tea (I drink a lot of tea. I love good tea. I imagine providing any caffeine addict with a basket of their favorite coffees/teas is NEVER a gifting failure.)

--Digital photo frames

--A gift card to a pet supply store (but only for the way-too-pet-obsessed, like me)

--Art, if you know what sort of art the recipient likes. Including but not limited to: originals, prints, photos, vintage labels, antique postcards or photos, and so on.

--Gift subscription to Netflix

Okay! That was a mish mash, wasn't it? What am I leaving out? What do you have to share with us?

Teacher Gifts

Thanks to el-e-e, who put together this post!

An Apple-Free Teacher Appreciation Season

Are you like me, and cheerfully (ahem) check family members and friends off your holiday shopping list… then remember the "incidentals" and "peripherals" very late in December? Like stocking stuffers…great-aunt Susie who's finally coming to dinner this year… and the teacher gifts? OH, the teacher gifts.

I think we can all agree that kids/parents should give whatever they want to a teacher, or shouldn't *have* to give anything if money is tight, or they just don't want to. But it can be a nice gesture -- everyone likes to feel appreciated, right? We've collected a few ideas from around the helpful Internet.

Did you know there's a National PTA? Yikes. Who wants to serve on a committee for that? NOT ME, that's who. But! They have written a handy little article about this very topic.

Reader Kelsey taught elementary school for four years (bless her!) and shared a great list of gifts that will be appreciated and loved (and some that might not). Read carefully -- some good, practical advice here.















Family Fun magazine -- one that we probably all should be reading if we love the High Arts and Crafts -- has a huge collection of ideas, sorted by category. For the Book Lover, For the Desk, etc. There's a funny anecdote about a male teacher who received… well, just go read it. My favorite idea from all of these was a classroom recipe booklet -- each kid contributed a recipe from his/her family, and someone, the willing PTA volunteer no doubt, bound them up neatly. The recipient says she still uses the book -- sounds to me like the perfect gift that really does keep on giving!

A few more helpful links.