Holiday Cheer

What would the holiday season be without a cup of egg nog? Now we can all run out and buy a carton at the corner store, but it sure won’t taste as good as homemade.

Here are three simple recipes for whipping up a batch of your own, with or without alcohol.

Egg Nog (contains alcohol)

6 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup brandy
1/4 cup rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups whipping cream
Garnishes: whipped cream, grated fresh nutmeg

Stir together egg and sugar in a large saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 18 to 20 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat; stir in brandy, rum, and vanilla. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into chilled egg mixture. Garnish, if desired.

Simple Egg Nog (alcohol-free)

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cans evaporated milk
3 cans water
2 tablespoons vanilla
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Separate 4 eggs; beat whites until light & fluffy and set aside.

Stir yolks, sugar, salt, beat well and add evaporated milk and water, vanilla, nutmeg, then fold in egg whites and chill.

Classic Cooked Christmas Egg-Nog (alcohol-free)

6 Eggs
1/4 c Sugar
1/4 ts Salt, optional
1 qt Milk, divided
1 ts Vanilla
Garnishes or stir-ins

In large saucepan, beat together eggs, sugar and salt, if desired. Stir in 2 cups of the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon and reaches 160 degrees F.

Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 cups milk and vanilla. Cover and regfigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight.

Just before serving, pour into bowl or pitcher. Garnish or add stir-ins, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 1 1/2 quarts or 12 (1/2 cup) servings.

Garnishes and Stir-Ins (Choose 1 or several):
Chocolate curls
Cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon
Extracts of flavorings
Fruit juice or nectar
Ground nutmeg
Maraschino cherries
Orange slices
Peppermint sticks or candy canes
Sherbet or ice cream
Whipping cream, whipped

Alcohol additions:
Flavored brandy or liqueur
Plain brandy, run or whiskey