Holy bananas, Batman! You people really love gorillas. Or pizza. Or David Harding. Yesterday’s post was one of my most read pieces in the last few months.
I realized when I wrote this post that we’re four days into my “12 Days of Christmas” series, and I haven’t really talked about Christmas yet. Who has two thumbs and doesn’t think to talk about Christmas in a series with the word ‘Christmas’ in the title. THIS GIRL!
I’m going places
One of my favorite things about the holidays is the array of things you don’t get any other time of year:
- Eggnog
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Christmas Peeps
- A tree just straight cold chillin’ in your house
- Wearing pants with elastic in the waist without shame
- The McRib
Wait, I’m not so sure about that last one. I think people feel like like it’s a special treat when McDonald’s sells it so it’s Christmas-y in its own way. Diarrhea from eating terrible food is the gift that keeps on giving.
“Ho Ho Ho, bitches. ‘Tis the season to clean out your intestines.”
Another holiday phenomenon is the vast amount of sweet treats. Fudge, pies, cookies, peanut brittle, hot cocoa, drinks with liqueurs, something with ‘bark’ in the title that doesn’t taste like tree shavings. I gained seven pounds just thinking about everything I’ll consume while I’m home for Christmas. Oh well, that’s what yoga pants are for.
Today’s challenge will be sharing one of your favorite holiday recipes. Because I’m giving and sweet and need to fill up more space in this blog post, I’ll give you two of my personal favorites.
Recipe #1: Christmas Cocktail – Poinsetta
- Champagne
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
Combine Cointreau and cranberry juice in a champagne flute. If you’re like me and aren’t classy enough to own a set of flutes, just put it in a wine glass. A red solo cup also works. Stir it up, and then top off with the champagne. If you want to make a non-alcoholic version for the kiddies or your designated driver, replace the champagne with ginger ale.
Recipe #2: Stuffing Recipe
Maybe it’s because I grew up outside of San Francisco, but I have a serious love affair with sourdough bread. As someone who has tried to cut gluten out of her life, this is a nightmare. There are no substitutes for the beautiful tongue treat that is sourdough. I love it with butter, with jam, with cheese, plain, as a loofah in the shower. DEAR GOD SOURDOUGH, YOU TEMPTRESS.
Breathe.
I ran across a Sourdough Stuffing recipe on the Food Network website a few years ago, and instantly fell in love with it. The only change I made was using homemade chicken stock instead of chicken broth. Click here for the recipe.
There you go! My two favorite Christmas recipes. I think I have foodies and adult beverage connoisseurs following this blog so I look forward to seeing what everyone brings to the table.
On a final note, I want to announce the winner of yesterday’s challenge. Congrats to Ashley Austrew! E-mail me at SipsofJenAndTonic@gmail.com.
Until tomorrow…
Sips of Jen and Tonic 
Yes, I do love David Harding so so much. He is hot as. Also he is nice. I’d want to marry him if he wasn’t taken.
Recipe: Christmas nachos! It’s like regular nachos but you stick a candy cane in the middle. The bonus is if you let the cheese cool and set, you can use the cane to carry it round like a handle.
I tried your Christmas nachos, and people kept asking me where I got my “really delicious umbrella”
Whenever I see people holding nachos over their head like that I think ‘Christmas’ …sniff…memories…
I only make this around Christmas, so to me, this is a Christmas drink.
The recipe as is makes a whole bunch of beverages, so I recommend either bottling some as gifts or cutting the recipe down to size.
Apple Pie
3 cups brown sugar
8 cinnamon sticks
2 gallons apple juice
1 gallon sweetened apple cider
Simmer for one hour. While cooling, but still warm, add 1L Everclear.
Kick back with Love Actually and enjoy.
Wow, that drink sounds divine. And easy. Doesn’t get better than that.
May I say that…I LOVE YOUR OPENING LINE?!?! ❤ Batman!! http://vyvacious.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/speculoos-surprise-cupcakes/
This modified recipe for Chocolate-Filled Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread came to me a few months ago so they haven’t become a tradition YET. The warm, comforting feeling I get when I bite into each piece that reveals a chocolatey surprise definitely tells me that these will be a hit Christmas morning when we’re playing with all our presents 🙂 –> http://vyvacious.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/chocolate-filledcinnamon-sugar-monkey-bread-muffins/
And finally, Chewy Oreo Treats. My family’s recommended quick fix when they want a deliciously chewy treat to eat in minimal time –> http://vyvacious.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/womens-day-off-chewy-oreo-treats/
P.S. You DO have foodies that follow your blog! 😛
Batman lovers, UNITE! I actually thought of you specifically when I wrote the foodie bit 😉
I’m heading to your blog now to check out those recipes.
Yes!!! I’m so glad you thought of me! 😀
Yes, I love the tags! I, too, enjoy sourdough bread. Yummy! The drink recipe looks tasty, too. I’ll have to think on a recipe.
Another sourdough fan! And yes, the drink is delicious, definitely worth a try.
This is a very fun post. I make this for my daughter every year, it is one of her favs. You take whole shelled pecans put them in a saute pan add butter (probably 1/2 a stick) a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a half a teaspoon of nutmeg, and simply saute to taste. I like them a little crunchy. Then I coat them with Splenda, because I don’t do sugar, but you can coat them with sugar too. Yummmmy! 🙂
That sounds really delicious, and relatively simple. Although, the last time I tried to make toasted almonds I set the smoke alarm off.
Still looking for a gluten-free sourdough-anything recipe. I’m sure someone has one, but I am too tired from pulling on yoga pants to get much farther than wishful thinking.
A tree pole in the house is much cozier than the yard.
There are tons of recipes out there, but so many of them are entirely too complicated for me. I read some study about how the sourdough makes bread tolerable for Celiacs. Don’t know much about that though.
Interesting, but I’m not about to be a test subject. You are right in that recipes are complicated. First you have to be able to find the xanthan, locust bean, and guar gums, let alone know when and how to mix them in.
I love stuffing, but I ADORE cocktails. Cocktails and stuffing together? Perfect holiday.
xoxo
Soul sisters
That does sound amazing…
I like the way you think, Soul Walker.
I want to drink poinsettias with you please.
THIS MUST HAPPEN
Where do you live again? I’ve been checking out Priceline all day.
Portland, OR! I’d actually love to come down your way too. Never stayed in your part of the country. We could always do both. Why limit our love and happiness?
You’re right. Come on down for Mardi Gras! We can throw beads at strangers and hide plastic babies in cakes!
Hiding babies in cakes sounds terrifying and amazing
Sometimes the babies are made of metal too. It is disturbingly rewarding.
I don’t know that this is an exclusively Christmassy treat, however it’s rich, sweet, crunchy and ridiculously easy. I am absolutely certain more creative people than myself can customize it and design suitably Christmas themed treats.
Birds Nest
1 bag of crispy chow mein noodles
1 bag of baking chips (chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter)
1 stick of butter
1) Melt butter over medium heat in large sauce pan
2) Stir in bag of chips
3) Keep stirring, gently, until melted and blended into a smooth sauce
4) Use a flat rubber spatula to gently stir in noodles.
5) Mix until all noodles are fully coated.
6) Spoon onto wax paper covered cookie sheet
7) Let stand or refrigerate until hardened
Wow, would never think to use chow mein noodles in a baking recipe! Sounds really simple to make. My kind of recipe.
The best thing is it’s a no-bake recipe. Melt, stir, scoop, drop, and let cool.
We are searching desperately for a non-wheat sourdough. If I don’t find one soon, I will use my third and final wish with Qastar the genie for a good recipe. Sorry, world peace, but sourdough is more important.
I’m gonna try the Poinsetta drink, it sounds yummy.
Sourdough bread > world peace
I knew you’d understand. FTW.
Speak for yourself, lady, ANY time of year is good for wearing pants with elastic in the waist, as long as you’re not concerned about being viewed by society as a sad, pathetic wretch. There must be something wrong with me because I do not like sourdough bread. Everyone else I know LOVES it. I’m about to start my annual cookie baking, but I haven’t decided on all the cookies yet.
I am typing to you with yoga pants on. It’s so hard to admit this to myself, but I love a good elastic pant. My transition into being a senior citizen is already happening. Next step: home perm.
I can’t cook. I can’t sort of bake. I know a fudge recipe that is top secret family recipe stuff.
Gluten-free rice krispie squares are about as far as I get.
Otherwise, my recipe includes pretending to help my mom while she cooks.
One part genuine helpfulness,
one part hoping she’ll tell me to get out of the kitchen,
one part stealing cookie dough or turkey skin.
GF baking is hard. It’s super science-y and involves exotic ingredients only found in a hippie’s basement.
Turkey skin rules the world.
Yes. I wasn’t sure if I should write that part out loud. Turkey skin all over my face…
My favorite Christmas recipe is pretty complex. It goes like this:
Make a Christmas cookie
Frost cookie
Eat cookie
If you’re like I am, the cookie never actually makes it to a plate. Pan > frosting > my mouth > my belly.
Why dirty a plate? 😉
I like to bring Jesus to the table on His holiday… because I like it when everyone around me feels comfortable.
I could be really off-colour (for my Canadian friends) with a remark, but I’ll keep my rude in-check cause I’ve ‘philosophized’ with you, Soul Walker ~
I am not sure why you put philosophized in quotes. That is a real and perfectly awesome word.
possibly misssppppeeeleleled
English spelling makes me not care one bit about spelling in english… and I would normally be the kind of guy you would expect to care. French spelling, however…
wee, oui!
Oh, and our philosophizing was a good time. I am sorry I was so busy that week and couldn’t invest more energy into it. Thank you for that. I love that stuff.
It was fun and very intense – no apologies needed!
🙂
Does he bring a side dish?
He brings salvation and judgement and the mystery of the incarnation… which is pretty much the best thing ever… although I do like stuffing. You should ask Him if He’ll bring some stuffing.
“A tree just straight cold chillin’ in your house”. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for that.
Trees are thug like that.
I make a Red Velvet cake every year ’cause it looks all Christmasy. I make Paula Deen’s grandmother’s recipe. Here it is http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandmother-pauls-red-velvet-cake-recipe/index.html
Red Velvet is always a hit! I hadn’t tried it until a few years ago, and was instantly in love.
Everyone needs a casserole to take to a holiday party – hominy does it for me
4 cans white hominy drained
2 cans chopped green chills
1 pint sour cream
2 bags grated pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper
Dump everything except the cheese into a casserole and stir it up. Put the cheese on top. Bake at 350 for an hour or until the cheese starts to brown. Be prepared to explain what the heck hominy is to your guests – it’s kinda like corn nuts only not crunchy.
My mom used to be obsessed with hominy! We literally had ten cans in our pantry at any given time. I thought everyone ate it until I mentioned it one day and the other person didn’t know what it was. That trend has continued ever since.
I think my mom got this recipe from the wife of a Hells Angel that used to go shooting with my dad – before we made it this way she just dumped the can in gravy – it was about as ugly as corn can get.
Dammit! My recipe is at home… And I won’t be there tonight. Can you just take my word that I have an awesome recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip and declare me the winner?
If you win, I will make you forward me the recipe. Even if you don’t I’ll make you forward it to me because I’m bossy.
I’ll be home tomorrow and forward it to you…if I remember…
Great recipes! I’ll have to try that drink. I usually stick with Grandma’s Eggnog recipe which is basically 3 parts bourbon or rum, a splash of eggnog, and some cinnamon or nutmeg sprinkled on top. Drink until it burns off that one chin hair and you’re ready for naked caroling.
I’m going to double this recipe up because I have TWO chin hairs, and I’m beginning to look like a goat.
I just invite Sarah Lee and Little Debbie over and they take care of everything.
Those delicious bitches!
My favorite recipe is drunk duck, it’s a Dutch recipe and I am not a cook so I don’t know how to translate it. But it basically ends up with a burned duck in the oven and me sleeping face down in the toiletseat. It’s a guaranteed success at every party.
You party animal
It’s in my blood… Alcohol, I mean. Not party animal’ing.
My favorite recipe for Stoufer’s Mac and cheese.
1) Lift corner of box to vent
2) Cook on high for 2 minutes
3) Open lid and stir
4) Cook an additional minute to a minute and a half
5) Let stand in microwave for one minute
6) Caution: contents will be hot
7) Cry
No lie, I had one of those two days ago, and this was my exact process. Twinsies?
You, me, and millions of others!
HAHAHA! This is all I ever eat – only insert “meat lasagna” for “mac and cheese”
Cheesecake is the Xmas favorite (not for me to eat b/c I’m Meh about it) but for me to make
This recipe must be made at least the day before it’s meant to be served.
Whiz up graham crackers (one sleeve of crackers at least or 1.5 cups whizzed) and add melted butter (almost a stick) & a Tbl honey or sugar.. Squish with your hands (It should stick together when squished) and then line a 9″ springform pan with the graham cracker mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees until you are ready to put in your cheesecake then reduce to 300 degrees. Put in a pan of water on the bottom of the oven (bain-marie).
Mix:
3 lbs soft cream cheese
1.5 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 whole eggs (one at a time)
2 egg yolks (one at a time)
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
Once all mixed, pour in springform pan and place in center rack in oven at 300 degrees for about 1,5 hours. Check – if the top is jiggly but not liquid – then turn off the oven, crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake in there for another hour. Remove it once the top is firm. Let it cool completely before putting it in the fridge overnight. Done
Add-ins: anything you want. If you want to add in sweet things – omit the lemon juice and add in more vanilla. Swirling in prickly pear syrup is delicious! Mixing some of the batter with melted caramels and chocolate is delicious – then layer it in with the plain cheesecake batter. – makes a bulls-eye pattern.
I’m gonna find some gluten-free graham crackers and PUTTHIS IN MY MOUTH.
You can skip the grahams all together if you want and make it without a crust…
it’s are really good recipe – you end up with a 5 or 6 lbs dessert 🙂
Are you serious?! This looks so delicious, and although I’ve heard making cheesecake is an art form, I’m going to try it. Thanks so much for sharing!
Am I serious about making cheesecakes? I made them almost daily when I baked for 5 years –
The ingredients are easy, the hard part is judging when it’s done. But the bain-marie keeps it from cracking and the cracked oven allows it to finish cooking until it’s firm but not dry. It’s an amazing recipe.
You are the Cheesecake Queen!
Oh yeah – that’s me…. 🙂
Pizza and David Harding, mostly. I will definitely be making a Poinsettia cocktail! 😉
I KNEW IT!! His milkshake brings all the girls to the yard.
Cheers!
Once again, some of the best tags I’ve ever seen. One of my favorite recipes is to take a box of wine and affix it to my face.
Here’s another that’s not really Christmasy, but good when you are drinking a box of wine attached to your face: pulverize a bunch of kalamata olives with one-year-aged sharp cheddar cheese, a garlic clove and a tbsp of extra virigin olive oil. Spread onto slices of baguette. Gain 200 pounds.
Agreed–great tags. Thanks for bringing them to my attention. Normally tags are like white noise for my eyes. No longer.
I try to hide little gems in there
I think you should treat yourself to the Wine Rack. It’s a bra that holds wine. Your life has just been improved infinitely. You’re welcome.