Eggnog

What a perfect season for eggnog! Whether you make it for your Christmas party, or a romantic evening next to the fireplace. Or just because you simply want to treat yourself to something tasty and delicious, or even for a family get-together; of course, don't add the rum or any alcohol if kids are going to taste it.

It is a very easy recipe to make and it will delight adults and children during this holiday season.

To make about 4 cups of eggnog, you will need:

• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 pint of milk
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 9 ounces of spiced rum*
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon of sugar

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Resting time: A few hours in the fridge until serving


Start by separating the egg whites from the egg yolks and put them in two separate bowls.

Grate the nutmeg and keep aside.

In a bowl, mix the milk and the heavy cream.

In a standing mixer, or with a hand-mixer, whisk the egg yolks until they get lighter in color.

Once it's done, gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue to whisk until the two ingredients are combined.

While continuing to whisk on a slow setting, add the milk/cream mixture, the rum*, and the nutmeg to the mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Then add the tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

Gently whisk the egg-yolk mixture to the egg-white mixture.

You've just made eggnog!

Keep the eggnog in a sealed container in the fridge until serving. Simply re-froth before serving.

Enjoy!

*Note: You can make this recipe alcohol-free by not adding the rum. The recipe steps stay the same; simply remove the rum from the ingredients.

Tip: Keep the leftovers of the eggnog in a sealed container in the fridge. Simply re-froth before serving.

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Whipped up by Charline Leblond

Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is comforting drink during the winter.  It is delicious because it is a warm mixed flavour drink.

The quantities for this recipe are for 4 people, so feel free to adjust depending on how many people you have for drinks.

To make this recipe, you will need:

• An orange
• 750 milliliters of red wine ( I picked a Merlot, because it is generally a soft red wine)
• 5 tablespoons of Cointreau®
• Some orange zest
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 8 cloves
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• Some ginger (2 or 3 teaspoons)
• A pitch of nutmeg

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Start by grating the orange to get some zest.

Then, slice your orange.

Pour the wine into a saucepan. Add the Cointreau®.

Add the orange zest, the orange slices, the sugar, the gloves, the cinnamon stick, the ginger, and the nutmeg.

Slightly mix with a wooden spoon, cover the saucepan with the lid, and let sit on low heat for about one hour.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: During the preparation, you can always have a taste and adjust the quantities depending on your taste ... feel free to add a bit more cinnamon or less sugar, etc ...

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Whipped up by Charline Leblond

Mac and Cheese with Nutmeg and Blue Cheese

Mmmh ... Mac and Cheese ... always a winner!

I upgraded the recipe a bit with some blue cheese and some nutmeg ... these ingredients are optional, so if you prefer the traditional mac and cheese, keep it simple with cheddar and parmesan cheese.

The quantities are for 2 people with a bit of leftovers (so to be more precise, 3 people or 2 people taking each one another small serving), so feel free to adjust your quantities if you are cooking for more or less people.

To make this recipe, you will need:

• 110 grams of uncooked elbow macaroni
• 25 grams of butter
• 20 grams of flour
• 350 milliliters of milk
• 135 grams of shredded sharp cheddar
• 20 grams of grated Parmesan cheese
• Some blue cheese (optional)
• 50 grams of bread crumbs
• A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Start by pre-heating your oven at 175 C (345 F).

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.  Once cooked, drain your pasta and let it sit.

In a saucepan, on low heat, melt the butter.

Add the flour and mix.

Add the milk slowly and mix.

Add the cheddar and the Parmesan cheese.

Mix from time to time until the sauce become a little thick.

Place the macaroni in an oven dish.

Pour the sauce over.

Add pieces of blue cheese on top.

Add the bread crumbs by making a nice layer.

Finally sprinkle some nutmeg.

Bake for about 20 minutes on the higher rack.

Serve and enjoy!

Tips:
 - Before eating, you can add a bit of ground pepper, and even chilli flakes, according to your taste.

Some people even add Sriracha sauce which will make your mac and cheese spicy.

 - You can add an extra layer of bread crumbs on top of the macaroni and before pouring the sauce.

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Whipped up by Charline Leblond