Creamy eggnog

A delicious twist on an old favorite.

What you’ll need:

For custard:

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 c sugar
Dash salt
2 ½ c milk
1 tsp vanilla

For eggnog:

1 c whipping cream
2 Tbl powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ c light rum
1 or 2 drops yellow food coloring, if desired
Ground nutmeg

In a 2 quart heavy saucepan, stir eggs, sugar and salt until well mixed. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat 10 – 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture just coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Place saucepan in cold water until custard is cool. If custard curdles, beat vigorously with a hand beater until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours. Just before serving, in chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and ½ tsp vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Gently stir 1 c of the whipped cream, the rum and the food coloring into the custard. Pour custard mixture into a small punch bowl. Drop remaining whipped cream in mounds onto custard mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in refrigerator up to 2 days. Makes 10 servings.

Cost:
eggs – $1.09/ dozen
sugar – $1.99/4 lb bag
milk – $3.99/gallon
vanilla – $2.25
whipping cream – $1.49
rum – $2.50/small bottle
Total – $6.21

Holiday eggnog cheesecake

A nice holiday dessert…

What you’ll need:

1 c graham cracker crumbs
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 individual envelope unflavored gelatin
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c eggnog
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c margarine, melted
1/4 c cold water
1 c whipping cream, whipped

Combine crumbs, sugar, nutmeg and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Mix cream cheese and sugar at medium speed on an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add gelatin and eggnog, mixing until blended. Chill until slightly thickened; fold in whipped cream. Pour over crust; chill until firm.

Variation: Increase sugar to 1/3 c. Substitute milk for eggnog. Add 1 t vanilla and 3/4 t rum extract. Continue as directed.

Cost:
graham crackers – $1.09
gelatin – $0.99
cream cheese – $2.06
eggnog – $1.99
whipping cream – $1.49
Total – $7.62

Submitted by Brittany Farmer