Holiday Vittles

With the holidays close at hand, I was wondering; what are everyones favorite holiday vittles? If you have a secret recipe that you want to finally unleash to the world, post it here.

Oh, and by the way, this thread is for special vittles, not your everyday run-of-the-mill vittles.

Mine are: Eggnog-that joyfully thick yellow liquid. A dash of rum…ok… a dash of 151 and it’s all the better.

In addition, I also LOVE holiday cookies. I have no idea how my mother used to make them, all I know is that them puppies were HUGE and only unveiled at Christmas time. When I say huge, were talking fist in a half sized cookies…

Buttermilk pie. mmmmmmm.

Tom & Jerries. Everything I always wanted Eggnog to be, but better.

So is T&J actually Egg Nog? I’ve never heard of it.

Nope, T&J is not eggnog, but it’s similiar. They’re a bit of work to make, but worth it.

For two Tom & Jerries:

1 egg, divided
2 T. sugar
1.5 cups milk
1 shot rum (I use Meyer’s)
1 shot brandy
Nutmeg

  1. Put the egg white and about 1/2 T. sugar in a mixer. Beat until egg whites are stiff.

  2. Whisk the egg yolk and the rest of the sugar in a small to medium bowl until yolks are pale yellow and the sugar is completely dissolved. I do this while the egg whites are beating, it takes about the same amount of time.

  3. Put the milk in the microwave and nuke until it’s warm - a minute or two.

  4. Fold the whites into the yolk/sugar mixture. Fold gently until combined.

  5. Add the brandy and rum, slowly, to the egg white mixture. Stir until incorporated.

  6. Divide the batter between two mugs. Pour hot milk into the mugs to fill. Top with nutmeg (or cinnamon, or whatever).

  7. Drink and be happy!

A native American friend of mine does a dish called Squaw Corn that is out of this world.

Corn
1 lb. bacon, cut into 1 in. pieces and fried until it is rubbery.
Onion
Green Pepper

Heat all of this together with a bit of the bacon grease. It’s to die for.

Butter Tarts, mince tarts, shortbread cookies, Venar Terta. The Purple Stuff. Lots of people around here haven’t got any idea what I’m talking about when I mention them, but my Christmas wouldn’t be complete without each and every one of them.

The Purple Stuff? Like that stuff in the bowl in the back of the fridge that’s been there for six months? :eek:

Chicken pie. Not chicken pot pie. Chicken pie is chicken in a rich sauce made from chicken broth and chopped eggs and has a brown flaky crust on top and bottom. A holiday fav amongst the swampbear family.

And the candy that’s coconut, pecans and confectioner’s sugar rolled into little balls and dipped in dark chocolate.

And the peanut butter chews. Never enough of 'em. Turf wars are fought over peanut butter chews in my family.

And fried apple and peach pies.

swamp bear, The Purple Stuff is a sorta sweet pickled cabbage thingie. We call it that because it has some unpronounceable scandihoovian name. Ahh, family traditions.

Can I get that chicken pie recipe?

I am very excited to be serving the traditional New Mexican Christmas Eve supper for the second year in a row. After my husband and I and a friend do the “farolito stroll” up in Santa Fe, we will head back down to our house, go up on the roof, light the farolitos (luminarias), and then partake of vegetarian posole, tamales, frijoles, green chile, and chips & tomatillo salsa. Oh, and lotsa champagne, too. (Too chilly for margaritas.)

Merry Christmas!

All I have to do is pull a homer and say, “mmmmmm”…

Thanks all for the recipes, ideas, and stomach warming moments!

Oh…and keep 'em coming!:wink: