Nothing starts the holiday season off better than being in the kitchen cooking with loved ones. In this day of Covid19 and social distancing we can’t always be together, but we can always Zoom or Skype.
Since my oldest daughter Taylor lives on the west coast and my youngest Tyler is away at school living on campus, we must be creative when it comes to our time together in the kitchen. Taylor who loves to cook enjoys preparing complex recipes while Tyler likes making sandwiches.
For example, Taylor cooked turkey breast, cornbread stuffing, Brussels sprouts and macaroni and cheese, while Tyler made a muffuletta and I made both.
I love sharing recipes with my girls and watching them creatively put their special spin on them. When we all come together during the holiday season, we have tons of fun in the kitchen, laughing, telling jokes, teasing each other, and of course sharing new recipes, cooking, and eating together as a family.
It’s important for me to leave a legacy of always having great food and fun in the kitchen. I want my girls to enjoy cooking and not view it as a chore. I also want them to know that they can come to me with any questions about food they might have no matter how simple or complex. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll find it. Most of all I want them to have fun because cooking is so rewarding when others enjoy what you’ve created.
I hope you enjoy holiday cooking and meals with family as much as we do. I always look forward to cooking with my girls in person, but Zoom is just as much fun. Remember to pass those recipes along so the generations to come can enjoy them as much as you do.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- whole cinnamon sticks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 tablespoons rum
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Beat egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. Pour sugar in intervals, beating at a high speed after each pour.
- Heat milk, cinnamon and cloves on medium heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling.
- Slowly add the eggs to the hot milk mixture whisking constantly.
- Stir with a wooden spoon and cook until the eggnog thickens. Do not boil just heat on medium flame.
- Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, vanilla extract, bourbon and rum.
- Strain the mixture to remove the cloves.
- Let cool for 1 hour then refrigerate.
- Serve cold and top with whipped cream and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.
- Place a cinnamon stick inside for additional garnish and flavor
*Tastes great hot as well.
Community Service
The Beauty of Crawfish was a cooking demonstration and tasting I did at the Tangipahoa Library in Hammond, LA. As part of the Common Read, “Where the Crawdads Sing,” I was asked to prepare some Southern favorites that were made by some of the book’s characters. I prepared pimento cheese grits, crawfish etouffee and hoe cakes. The audience was engaged as I recalled several key moments in the book. Their feedback and energy kept the conversation going. The book was amazing and inspiring, and I believe we all really enjoyed reading it.
Watch the interview below.