Firenog!

Getting bored of drinking the same old same old Rum and Eggnog year after year?  Yeah, me neither.  But this shooter is still worth a try at your first available opportunity next holiday party!

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky and Eggnog.  Our friends April and Brad introduced this holiday shooter to us and dubbed it, 'The Firenog.'  We liked it too much, that fiery sweet creamy combo.  In the new year, April and Brad are moving from living 4 km away from us to living 1140 km away from us, which is awesome for them and their new beginnings, but very sad for us!  We will miss you guys - xo!

To make Firenog, all you do is mix together two parts Eggnog and one part Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.  Shake over ice.  Pour into shooter glasses.  Top with nutmeg if desired.  Cheers to friendship (April and Brad!)/family/holidays/life/love/health/happiness.  Consume (responsibly).

Is it bad that I archived this post under 'Desserts?'  I guess it's better than archiving it under, 'Lunch.'

For a printer-friendly version of any recipe, simply click 'Print' below the title of any blog post. Voila - a clean recipe without my ramblings or any pictures!

Firenog

Ingredients

• Eggnog
• Fireball Whisky
• Ice

Directions
Mix together two parts Eggnog and one part Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.  Shake over ice.  Pour into shooter glasses.  Top with nutmeg if desired.

Recipe Source:  Our buddies, April and Brad Kirk

One Year Ago:  Chicken Cacciatore
Two Years Ago:  Baked Chicken With Creamed Spinach and Squashed Potatoes
Three Years Ago:  Amy's Lentil Soup Copycat Recipe
Four Years Ago:  Mom's Fall-Off-The-Bone Oven Baked BBQ Pork Ribs
Five Years Ago:  Plum Cake

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Pictured behind the potatoes is a suuuuper good Cheesy Corn Pudding that I want to post the recipe for
but I can't find the recipe for.   That's the whole reason that I have this blog - to be able to archive recipes for later use!
Quelle frustration!  Let's focus on this not-in-focus picture of potatoes instead.

This is just a no-brainer!  Because: mashed potatoes with bacon, sour cream, cheese, green onions, and butter.  We ate this as our potato side dish for Christmas dinner last year, and not only would it make a great holiday dinner side dish again, but it would be a great non-holiday dinner side dish too.  Whoa.  As the name suggests, it's like twice baked double stuffed potatoes, but in a casserole.  If you ask the hubby really nicely, he will even fry up the leftovers for breakfast potatoes the next morning.  Drool.  Only rivalled by one other mashed potato recipe for the best mashed potatoes everrrrr.

For a printer-friendly version of any recipe, simply click 'Print' below the title of any blog post. Voila - a clean recipe without my ramblings or any pictures!

One Year Ago:  Plum Cake
Two Years Ago:  Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon
Three Years Ago:  Amy's Lentil Soup Copycat Recipe
Four Years Ago:  The Best Mashed Potatoes I've Ever Eaten
Five Years Ago:  Chicken Cacciatore

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1 pound bacon
• 16 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (don't peel)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 teaspoons seasoning salt
• 6 green onions, sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cook the bacon in a pan until crispy; let cool and then crumble.

Rub potatoes with olive oil and place on baking sheets.  Bake until tender, 45 to 60 minutes.  Remove the potatoes from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Slice the butter and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add the bacon and the sour cream.  Cut each potato in half and scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl.  Tear up the skins from 3 of the potatoes and add to the bowl.  Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, then add the cheese, milk, seasoning salt, green onions, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix together well.

Grease a baking dish, and scoop the potato mixture into the dish, then top with more grated cheese.  Bake until warmed through, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!


Recipe Source:  Food Network - Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Christmas Breakfast EggNog Bread Pudding

Looking for a new and super tasty make-ahead Christmas morning brunch dish?  Here's one.  You're welcome.

Ha, I have a love/hate relationship with the passive-aggressive 'you're welcome!' when someone doesn't say thank you.  I don't often say it, but I definitely think it.  Oh, I just waited a few extra seconds to hold the door open for you and you just waltzed right though as though I was the doorman and didn't say thank you?  You're welcome!  Oh, I just let your car enter my lane in front of my car and you didn't give me a wave to let me know that you're super appreciative?  You're welcome!  'You're welcome' is how I knew it was time for me to leave the restaurant industry back in my 20's after close to a decade of being an amazing server (if I do say so myself!  Yes, self, you can say that, and thank you for the compliment.  You're welcome self!).  The night it happened I was flying around the restaurant with a zillion tables to look after and a zillion things on my to-do list, when a man sitting at a table that I was not the server for asked me to bring him ketchup.  And even though I was ignoring the kajillion things that I should have been bringing to my own tables (thus ensuring a nice tip) on this extremely busy Saturday night, I looked after getting the ketchup, and when I dropped it off, ha, when I dropped it off, the man at the table didn't even acknowledge that I was bringing something to him!  He didn't even look up from his conversation and give me a nod or a smile.  So, i did it, I said, "You're welcome!!!" in my most chipper friendly voice, and turned on my heels and left the table.  Soooo passive-aggresive, I know, I'm guilty, but sooooo satisfying at the time!  A couple of weeks later I gave my resignation and left the restaurant industry for good.  And I do miss it sometimes...those were super fun days!  But I don't miss the extreme rudeness from a few of the restaurant patrons (ketchup man was nothing in comparison to some people).  I strongly believe that it should be a mandatory requirement for every single person in this country to have to work in a restaurant at some point in their life.  I think that it would make everyone a nicer person.

Well, that was a tangent that had nothing to do with Egg Nog Breakfast Bread Pudding or Christmas spirit!  Talk about pent-up rage...sheesh!  Moving on...

Egg Nog Breakfast Bread Pudding.  Make-ahead Christmas morning breakfast dish idea.  You're welcome.

The Hubby and I served this on Christmas morning in 2015 along with a green chile frittata (recipe to come), fruit salad, cheesy hash brown casserole (recipe to come), and mimosas.

Yum - isn't Christmas delicious!!!

For a printer-friendly version of any recipe, simply click 'Print' below the title of any blog post. Voila - a clean recipe without my ramblings or any pictures!

One Year Ago:  Parsnip and Carrot Puree
Two Years Ago:  Mom's Fall Off The Bone Oven Baked BBQ Pork Ribs
Three Years Ago:  Amy's Lentil Soup Copycat Recipe
Four Years Ago:  Baked Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Squashed Potatoes
Five Years Ago:  Chicken Cacciatore

EggNog Breakfast Bread Pudding

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) loaf French bread
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups egg nog
• 2 cups whole or 2% milk
• 5 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• salt
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• icing (confectioners) sugar, and maple syrup, for serving

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.  Slice the French bread, and generously spread the butter on each slice, then cut the buttered slices into 1-inch cubes.  Put the bread cubes into a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large saucepan, heat the egg nog and milk together until hot but not boiling.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt, and whisk until light and frothy.  Whisk in one cup of the warm egg nog / milk mixture into the egg /sugar mixture, then gradually add the remaining egg nog / milk mixture, one cup at a time.  Stir in the bourbon.

Pour the liquid mixture over the bread cubes, gently pushing down the bread to make sure all of the bread gets saturated.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is lightly golden.  Allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes, and serve hot or at room temperature.  Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  The Kitchn - Egg Nog Breakfast Bread Pudding