The Best (certainly The BOOZIEST) holiday Eggnog, Ever!

Recipe “exactly as received” from Annette Burchell in Ironwood, MI. I prepared this with Jason Halstead on December 11, 2014 in Portland, OR for holiday gift giving (and personal enjoyment!)

Admittedly this recipe looks unhealthy at first glance.  But if you only drink it once or twice a year as a holiday treat… and it’s SO darned delicious… really, how bad can it be?  Plan to make it at-least three days — or up to two weeks — before serving (or giving as gifts).  All of the alcohol helps contend with any fears of using raw eggs.  Just keep this concoction refrigerated until ready to serve. (And, if you add it to your morning coffee on one of those relaxing-at-home-holiday-weekend mornings… prepare for the rest of your day to take on a nice rosy glow!).

Heads up:  This recipe makes A LOT which makes it perfect in your punch bowl for a large holiday party / gathering. Just be prepared! You’ll definitely need a very large bowl (or two large vessels in which to prepare and store it).  You’ll also need ample refrigerator space to receive and hold the eggnog until you’re ready to serve it or bottle it.

Ingredients

24 eggs (separated)

1 lb. granulated sugar + 1 cup

1 lb. powdered (confectioners) sugar

1 fifth (750 ml.) applejack

1 fifth (750 ml.) brandy or cognac

2 cups bourbon

2 cups dark rum

3 quarts whipping cream

Whisking the egg yolks with the sugars.

Nutmeg (to taste)

Instructions / Method

At least 3 days before serving, separate the eggs.  Beat the yolks in a large bowl (use your Kitchen-Aid or a hand mixer) as you slowly add the granulated sugar — reserving one cup of sugar for the egg whites; then adding the powdered sugar.  It will be pale yellow, and thick. 

Slowly add the liquors, mixing thoroughly; then add the cream —stirring well to incorporate, along with nutmeg (to taste).

Beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with one cup of sugar until they form stiff peaks.

Gently fold the whites into the egg nog mixture along with any additional grated nutmeg (to taste) to adjust for the added egg whites

Folding the egg whites into the eggnog before CAREFULLY moving the mixture to the fridge for two or three days of re-folding and storage before serving.

Store covered in the refrigerator; re-fold and stir the mixture a couple times each day to keep it well incorporated, and to help the flavors meld.

The egg nog will be ready to serve after three days. But the longer it sits, the better it gets (some online recipes call for making it a month ahead).  You can also bottle it in sterilized bottles or Mason jars to give as gifts — just be sure to keep it refrigerated!

Finished product… quart and pint jars, all labeled (courtesy of Jason Halstead’s creativity) and ready for holiday gift giving!

Uncle Jay’s Sure-Thing Cranberry Sauce

With chutney-like depth, this cranberry sauce is the perfect complement to your holiday turkey dinner; even better with leftovers, and spread onto a turkey sandwich.

I’ve never liked cranberry sauce.  So one holiday season I blazed a new trail with a recipe based upon a 1990s Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving recipe. After tinkering over the years, I’m an avowed cranberry convert. 

Give this recipe a try… you’ll see! It always gets raves (even from “non-cranberry” people, who grudgingly take some once others around them “ooh” and “aah"). Makes 8 - 10 servings. 

Ingredients

1 12 oz. bag cranberries, rinsed and picked over (roughly 3 cups)

2 peeled satsumas or “Cutie” oranges

1 pear, peeled, cored, and diced

1/2 cup port (tawny or ruby)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. Chinese Five Spice

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash  

1/4 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (almost powdered) — more to taste

2 - 3 T. crystallized ginger, chopped (4 - 6 quarter sized pieces)

Instructions / Method

In a blender, whirl up the port, oranges, Chinese Five Spice, rosemary, and Mrs. Dash.

Place the cranberries, pear, sugar, and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and pour the liquid mixture over.  Stir regularly until the berries have burst, the pears soften, and the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat.  Allow to cool.

Place sauce into serving dish. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.  (Can be made 2-3 days ahead…it gets better).

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

224 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 9 gram sugars; 0 grams protein; 7 milligrams sodium

Butternut Squash and Sage-Sausage Lasagna

Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from recipe by Jennifer Perillo found in The Spruce Eats blog

In this lasagna, a luscious béchamel sauce gets laced with ground pork, onions, mushrooms, and herbs that perfectly compliment the sweet, earthy flavor of roasted squash. Using sheets of no-boil lasagna noodles, you get to skip a step… just make sure that each layer of dried noodles gets covered completely, and allow the lasagna a two-hour rest in the fridge before you bake it off.  Serves 8 - 10.

Ingredients

Cubes of butternut squash gets joined with fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme… olive oil, seasoning salt, and pepper before getting high-heat roasted until it’s tender.

1½ pound butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes)

Olive oil (for drizzling; and sautèing)

3 T. fresh sage, rosemary, thyme leaves, minced (use the fresh pack of poultry herbs)

Seasoning salt (to taste)

Ground black pepper (to taste)

- - -

1 large egg

8 oz. shredded Italian-style cheese blend

8 oz. ricotta cheese

3 T. flat-leaf parsley, minced

½ tsp. Mrs. Dash

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

- - -

The seasoned, sautéed pork (left) waiting to be joined by the onion and mushrooms… ultimately, they’ll meet in the creamy bèchamel

1 lb. lean ground pork

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 tsp. Legg’s Old Plantation pork-sausage seasoning  (worth getting from Amazon… it’s great to use making your own pork or turkey sausage; as a seasoning for a pork roast; and as a rub for salmon)

½ tsp. poultry seasoning

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ large yellow onion, finely diced

8 oz. package crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

- - -

4 T. flour

4 T. butter

½ tsp. Mrs. Dash

½ tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. ground nutmeg 

¼ tsp. white pepper

2 cups milk

- - -

12 (4 x 6-inch) no-boil lasagna sheet (around 12 oz.)

½ cup grated Parmesan, Romano, or Pecorino cheese

Instructions / Method

Lightly coat a 9x 13 Pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

The egg, ricotta, and Italian cheese mixture (left) and the mash of roasted squash… ready to be assembled into the lasagna.

Add squash to a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle lightly with oil then toss with herbs, seasoning salt, and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the squash is golden and tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then mash with the back of a fork or potato masher

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the egg, Italian-cheese blend, and ricotta. Season with parsley, Mrs. Dash, and Italian seasoning. Set aside.

The velvety bèchamel, cloaking the pork, onion, mushroom mixture. Ready to join the lasagna!

In medium skillet heat olive oil over medium-high. Add sausage and seasonings; sauté as you break up the meat, and cook it until it begins to brown.  Remove from pan and set aside. Add more oil to the pan and add the onions and mushrooms,  sautéed until they’ve softened and turned golden.  Add to the meat, and set aside. 

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and seasonings.  Stir to cook the flour for about a minute.  Make the béchamel sauce by whisking in the milk until smooth and combined. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the milk mixture until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the sausage, onion, mushroom mixture.

Assemble the lasagna. Spread ½ of the béchamel-sausage mix into the bottom of prepared 9 x 13 casserole. Add 4 noodles to cover the bottom of the pan. Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then top with ½ of the butternut squash.

Assembling the layers, as the lasagna begins to take form.

Repeat with the remaining noodles, ricotta and butternut squash, ending with a layer of noodles. Pour the remaining béchamel-sausage mix over the top layer of noodles. Sprinkle the grated cheese over top.  Allow to rest in the fridge for two hours.  

When ready to bake, allow the lasagna to rest on the counter, coming back to room temperature, for 30 minutes. Place a rack in the upper-third of the oven and reheat to 425 degrees. Bake the lasagna on the top rack, covered for 25 minutes; then uncovered for 20 minutes longer, until the noodles are tender and the top layer is golden brown.

Allow to rest five minutes before slicing and serving.

“New York Minute” Meatloaf

Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from recipe found on the “Stove Top” box!  Prepared for Stephen Cirona and partner Mitchell in New York City on April 26, 2015; prepared for Julie, Todd, and Nick Pohjola in Sturtevant, WI on May 25, 2015; prepared for George Yarborough in Portland, OR in October, 2015 — and dozens of additional times ever since (since this is my “go to” meatloaf recipe).

If you like meatloaf, and if you’re not afraid to put a box of stuffing mix into your grocery cart, TRY this recipe. 

It’s really moist, has a great texture, and is simply delicious.  It’s so tasty, that it’s become my “go to” recipe whenever I’m craving meatloaf.  Great with baked or mashed potatoes, and any roasted veggies.  Serves six-to-eight people.

Meatloaf with oven-roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes; prepared for my former next-door neighbor, George Yarborough, in Portland, OR on Oct. 26, 2015

Ingredients

1 lb. very-lean ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

1 package (6 oz.) chicken-flavored stuffing mix (like Stove-Top)

1 small onion, chopped into large chunks

1 - 2 ribs of celery, chopped into large chunks

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into large chunks

½ cup milk

½ cup chicken stock

2 eggs, beaten

¾ cup spaghetti sauce (divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup )

2 T. dry red wine (divided)

2 tsp. Mrs. Dash (divided)

Instructions / Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick spray; or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

While still in the package, bash and mash the stuffing mix to break up the large cubes into smaller bits.  Then pour into large bowl.

In blender or food processor, add onion, celery, carrot, liquids, eggs, and 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce, 1 T. red wine, and 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash.  Pulse until the onions, carrots, and celery are reduced to small, uniformly sized chunky bits.  Pour this liquid mixture over the stuffing mixture in the bowl.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Using your clean hands, mix the meats into the soaked crumb-vegetable mix until well-combined and uniformly incorporated.

NOTE: If you’re squeamish about mixing this with your hands, try putting all the ingredients into a gallon-sized ZipLock bag.  Remove excess air, seal, and then squeeze until all the ingredients are uniformly mixed. 

Dump the mixture onto the prepared pan, and shape into a loaf.  

Mix 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce, 1 T. red wine, and 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash and spoon-spread it over the top of the meatloaf.

Place loaf in oven and bake for 60 minutes, until done (internal temperature of 160 degrees).  Allow to rest for 5 - 8 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

595 calories; 29 grams fat (11 grams saturated; 0 grams trans fats); 209 milligrams cholesterol; 42 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams fiber; 9 grams sugar; 391 grams protein; 969 milligrams sodium.

Savory Sunday Chuck Roast

Adapted from recipe found in my friend Karen Szabo’s mother—Lorene Gibson’s—recipe box in Tulsa, OK  from a recipe by Mrs. Jack Morris of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

My upper-midwest childhood was filled with Sunday roasts that would get popped into the oven when we got home from church, and which would fill the house with wonderful smells while the Green Bay Packers were playing on the television. 

This is kinda like those roasts… but way, WAY BETTER (sorry mom!!).  Definitely company worthy. And, if you have leftovers, count yourself lucky! Makes 8 servings.

Fall-apart, moist, tender, and delicious beef roast, accompanied by the oven-roasted vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms) that have been cloaked in the wonderful onion-mushroom gravy.

The roast getting about five minutes of medium-high searing to create a beautiful brown exterior crust that enriches the gravy and keeps the meat moist. (I love using my great-aunt Dorothy’s ancient MagnaLite roaster!)

Ingredients

3 - 4 pound chuck roast or blade roast

½  tsp. seasoning salt

½  tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 T. olive oil

- - -

1 package “beefy onion” soup mix

1 (14.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

½ cup water

½ cup dry sherry

1 T. soy sauce

2 T. flat-leaf parsley, minced

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

½ tsp. poultry seasoning

½  tsp. Italian seasoning

After 75 minutes of roasting, the prepared veggies get piled on top of the meat and gravy, to cook for another hour… and lend their aromatic flavors to the gravy.

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. white pepper

- - -

4 medium red potatoes, quartered

1 large yellow onion, cut into 12 vertical wedges

3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 (8 oz.) package of crimini musrooms, quartered

Instructions / Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim excess fat from roast. Pat dry. Sprinkle meat with seasoning salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides in the oil.

While meat is browning, mix onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup  with the sherry and water. Stir in the remainder of ingredients.  Once the meat is browned, pour mixture over the roast.

Place into oven, covered for 75 minutes; at that point, add carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, and potatoes to the Dutch oven to surround. the meat. Return to oven, covered, for another hour — 30 minutes with the cover, and 30 minutes uncoverd to let the veggies roast — until the meat is fork tender, and the veggies are soft.

The result… fall-apart-tender meat that is moist and succulent.

Remove roast and vegetables to a heated serving platter, and tent with foil. Skim as much fat from the cooking liquid as possible. Over medium heat, whisk the gravy and — if needed — add 1/4 cup of sherry or vermouth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (as needed). 

The roasted veggies on a heated pewter platter, just waiting to be joined by serving-sized chunks of the roast.

Pour gravy into sauceboat; serve immediately with the roast, accompanied by the pan-roasted vegetables.

Easy Slow-Cooker Potato-Broccoli-Cheese Chowder

Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from recipe by Vivi Taylor found on the Taste of Home website

Thick, creamy, and delicious with lots of veggies. This is a perfect soup to come home to on a cool fall or winter evening. It’s like having a loaded baked potato… combined with broccoli-cheese soup.  Serves eight to ten.

Thick, hearty, and soul-satisfying. This chowder is perfect for cool weather. Make a big batch on a Sunday, and then serve it for a fast mid-week meal.

Ingredients

2 cups sour cream (use lite, if you’re counting calories and fat)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 tsp. Tabasco or Sriracha

½ tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup lager-style beer or dry sherry (I actually prefer the sherry)

1 (20 oz.) package frozen O’Brien hash brown potatoes

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

- - -

1 (12 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 (12 oz.) package frozen vegetable soup mix, thawed (available at Kroeger stores)

4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided 

½ cup green onions, finely chopped

½ cup pepper bacon, cooked crisp and then chopped into crumbles

Instructions / Method

Ready for six-to-eight hours of slow-cooking on the counter before the cheese, broccoli, and soup veggies get added.

In a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the sour cream, flour, and seasonings until smooth.  Whisk in the stock and beer (or sherry); and then stir in the hash browns, diced pepper, and garlic to thoroughly combine.  Cook, covered, on low until the hash browns are tender — six to eight hours.  (You can also cook in your Instant Pot for 8 minutes under high pressure… but watch for scorching).

Stir in the broccoli, vegetable soup mix, green onions, bacon, and 3 cups of cheese; cover and cook until cheese is melted — about ten minutes longer.  (If the chowder is too thick at this point, simply add more chicken stock, sherry, or milk to achieve your desired consistency). 

Serve soup hot, garnish each bowl with remaining cheese.  This soup gets better over a couple days, and it also freezes beautifully to enjoy later.

NOTE:  To make this a more substantial meal, add 1 lb. of diced smoked sausage or Polska kielbasa — just add it when you stir in the potatoes and garlic.

California Sherry and Olive Oil Pound Cake

Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from a recipe by Alice Medrich found in a Food52 post from Oct. 2014

Gorgeous with a hint of citrus and herb. It’s a subtle, flavorful cake that’s not overly sweet. The pound cake texture (and flavor) actually improves over a day or two. This recipe makes two large loaves, or three smaller gift-sized loaves.

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder + 1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup Monte Bellaria di California extra virgin olive oil  (or your favorite, highest-quality extra virgin olive oil…since it’s the star of the show here)*

5 cold eggs

2 tsp. grated orange zest 

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, very finely chopped

½ tsp. fresh thyme, very finely chopped

1 cup medium-bodied California sherry  (amontillado-style or light-dry sherry)

- - -

½ cup orange marmalade 

½ tsp. fresh lemon juice 

½ tsp. sherry

½ tsp. fresh rosemary, very finely chopped

Instructions / Method

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously butter and lightly flour two 5- to 6-cup loaf pans or spray them with non-stick spray and then line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and salt thoroughly;  then sift together onto a piece of wax or parchment paper.  Set aside.

Pour the sugar into a large mixing bowl. Grate the zest into the bowl along with the finely chopped herbs. Using your fingers, rub the sugar and zest together until the mixture is moist and aromatic. Add the oil and using your electric mixer, beat until well blended. Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Continue to beat until the mixture is thick and pale; 4 - 5 minutes.

Stop the mixer and add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Stop the mixer and add half of the sherry**. Beat just until blended. Repeat with another third of the flour, followed by the remaining sherry; and then the remaining flour.

I wish you could smell the kitchen! These loaves are ready to come out of the oven… and get drizzled with a glaze to keep them moist, and given them a little crunch.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean—50 to 60 minutes.  Cool the cakes in their pans set on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a clean, sharp knife around the sides of the pans to release the cakes. Invert the pans…then invert again to set the cakes right side up on a rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:  Bring the marmalade, lemon juice, sherry, and rosemary to a boil. Brush the glaze over the top of the warm cake, and allow to it to set for 2 hours. The glaze will remain slightly tacky.

Serve sliced,  dusted with powdered sugar, then topped with whipped cream that you’ve subtly flavored with marmalade.  

Notes

For an over-the-top dessert:  oven-toast slices (or pan fry in butter / olive oil until a light-golden brown crust forms); apply a very-thin smear of orange marmalade; top with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream; drizzle a little Monte Bellaria di California olive oil; lightly sprinkle with your best sea salt.  

NOTE:  For holiday gift giving…consider drizzling the cakes each day for a week with a little bit of sherry — much as you would with a rum cake — then wrap tightly with parchment before gathering decorative cellophane around it and tying with holiday ribbon for the final, festive touch ).

* NOTE:  If you’re worried about an olive oil flavor that’s too grassy or too herbaceous just use ½ cup regular olive oil and 1/2 cup of your best extra virgin olive oil.

** NOTE:  If you’re making this cake for non-drinking friends, of if you’re out of sherry, replace the cup of sherry with ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, and ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice — the citrus should be from California, naturally!

Italian Green Beans

Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from recipe by Giada De Laurentis; Prepared for the Velin Family on Dec. 25, 2014 and Dec. 25, 2015 in Shoreline, WA

This bright green and red dish makes a perfect side for Christmas. With wonderful flavor to go with almost any meal the rest of the year.  This recipe serves six, so just double it for a crowd.

Ingredients

1½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

2 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pint cherry tomatoes (quartered) or grape tomatoes (halved)

¼ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

2 T. thinly sliced fresh basil  (14 - 16 large leaves)

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

½ tsp. seasoned salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. lemon zest, freshly grated

Instructions / Method

Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well; set aside.

Melt the butter and oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saut'e until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add the beans and cook until the juices evaporate and the beans are almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. 

Stir in the wine and basil. Season with salt, Mrs. Dash, pepper (adjust to taste), and lemon zest.  Simmer two minutes longer. Transfer to a serving bowl, and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

120 calories; 6.3 grams fat; 2.8 grams saturated fat; 10 milligrams cholesterol; 35 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4.2 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 375 milligrams sodium