Real (aged) Eggnog

 I made this Eggnog exactly one time before losing this recipe & the nog was SO GOOD. Well, i just found the recipe again & here it is! You can pretty easily double this...and you'll def want to!

INGREDIENTS: 

1 dz egg yolks

1 c light brown sugar (or 1/2 c dark brown + 1/2 c white)

1/2 c heavy cream

2 c whole milk

2 c bourbon (I used cask strength & I'd do it again)

1/2 c dark rum

1/4 c congac, brandy, or sherry

pinch salt

pinch nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine egg & sugar until bln=ended & creamy (do not heat!)
2. Add remaining ingredients
3. Cover tightly
4. Age 6 wks to a year

To serve: make some whipped cream from 2 c heavy cream & fold into nog

Apple Butter!

I’ve been searching for an apple butter recipe that uses vinegar & this is as close as I got when I was gifted apples from a friend’s tree! Really I’m looking for one that included vinegar AND apple cider AND uses a slow cooker…maybe I dreamed it…

You will need a mill for this unless you really feel like peeling apples and putting them in a blender.

 

Ingredients:

3 lb Apples

3/4 c apple cider vinegar

1/2t salt

1 c water

1 c packed light brown sugar

1 T apple pie spice

1 t vanilla extract (optional, you only need it sometimes…)

 

Directions:

1. Core & wedge the apples. 
2. Add to a pot along with apple cider vinegar, salt, and water.
3. Simmer, covered 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Turn off heat when apples can be mashed tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Run through sauce mill
6. Return to heat and add sugar, spices, and vanilla. 
7. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens (15 minutes)
8. Enjoy on hot toast with butter!
9.  

Makes 4 to 5 cups (1qt jar, 2 pint jars, or 4 jelly jars)

Keeps 3 weeks in the fridge (lol – as if!)

 

To can:

1. Jar hot apple butter leaving ¼ inch headspace 
2. Water bath 15 minutes
3. Let sit in hot water 5 minutes
4. Remove & cool!

Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients:

 

1½ T  cinnamon, ground

1½ t nutmeg, ground

1 t allspice, ground

 

Instructions: 

1. Seriously? Stop it.
2. Mix that stuff up and use it!

Cankle Soup

 No soaking required (but you can if you want to)! Make sure to use the low sodium broth to prevent the beans getting too tough. Besides, the ham hocks will add plenty of saltines.

1 onion

1 large carrot, cubed

3 celery stalks (leafy stuff, too), cubed

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c White wine, water, or broth

1 t herbs de provence

1 pound dry beans (about 3 cups), rinsed & picked

2 large ham hocks, smoked

2 Bay leaves

6 c low sodium broth (chicken, vegetable, beef, doesn't matter)

1. Sauté the onion, carrot, & celery until pan starts developing a fond 
2. Add the garlic & saute until fragrant
3. Deglaze the pan using the wine (I like to use a little bit, develop more fond, use a little more, etc until the fluid is gone)
4. Stir in the herbs
5. Toss the cooked veggies & everything in a large slow cooker and cook on low 12 hours
6. Remove the ham & shred disposing is any chunks of fat.
7. Stir the ham back in and serve over rice or with cornbread!

White Chicken Chili

We just had this at my parent's house & it was great! Everyone asked me to keep this recipe!

1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
2 (4.5 oz.) cans green chilies
3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
5 c chicken broth, (I like Kettle & Fire brand)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
1/2 c. sour cream

1. Sauté the onion & jalapeño in the oil
2. Add the garlic, oregano, & cumin & stir until they're fragrant
3. Add in the chilis (I like hatch green chilis!)
4. Add the chicken cubes & cook until nearly done but not brown
5. Add broth, salt, & pepper and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Add the beans & corn & bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes
7. Stir in the sour cream & serve!

Pastor Sauce

I had some leftover, plain pulled pork from a dear friend of mine. So I made the marinade and used it to dress the pork, which as a perfectly passable pastor in a pinch!

5 guajillo chilis, dried

4 ancho chilis, dried

1 can pineapple, slices or chunks

1/2 white onion

1/4 c vinegar

2 T minced garlic (about 6 cloves)

1 t cumin, ground

1 40g packet Sazón con culantro y achiote

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil
2. Add chilis 
3. Simmer until chiles soften, about 10 minutes
4. Remove and discard stem and seeds
5. Coarsely shop chilis
6. coarsely chop one onion half
7. Strain pineapples, reserving juice reserve juice
8. Add chilis, pineapple juice, onion, vinegar, garlic , & cumin Ninja Master Prep
9. Puree until smooth
10. Cook mixture until slightly thick & onion loses "raw" taste
11. Remove from heat & stir in Sazón

To Use as a Marinade:

1. Marinate cubed pork 2-24 hours
2. Pan-fry pork & pineapple chunks until cooked through & golden
3. Serve in corn tortillas with remaining onion half chopped & fresh cilantro

Healing Broth (for canning)

1 t coriander seeds, or ½ t ground
2 cloves garlic, whole or ¼ t ground
1 T sesame oil
2 T fresh ginger root, minced
½ T chili garlic paste
8 c chicken broth, low sodium
2 strips lemon peel, without pith
2 T soy sauce, low sodium
2 T fish sauce
2 T lime juice
2 T hoisin sauce

½ t peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon cracked

1 t cinnamon

1. Add all ingredients to a pan
2. Simmer 30+ minutes or longer until very fragrant
3. Strain 
4. Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace
5. Process at 10# pressure 25 min for quarts or 20 minutes for pints