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The elegant (hic!) tradition of bourbon balls
Filed under: Snacks, Dessert, Recipes, Candy, Spirit of Christmas, America, Sugar, Liquor Cabinet  I come from a long-line of Irish alcoholics. And although I myself hold my liquor like a ten-year-old, I have a special place in my heart for alcohol-flavored sweet things. Indeed, I have had a torrid love affair with the bourbon ball ever since my mom first let me try one during the holidays when I was a kid.
See, at my house, bourbon (or rum) balls were holiday fare. But I'm told they're traditional at the Kentucky Derby as well. I've never been to...
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WearEver announces cookie contest
Filed under: Snacks, Baking, Spirit of Christmas  Do you like to bake cookies with your kids? Are you interested in going to New York City or winning a $10, 000 savings bond? Well then you may be interested in entering the Second Annual WearEver Extreme Cookie Challenge.
The contest is for a parent/child team, though the child must be between the ages of 5 and 15. WearEver is looking for your "tastiest and most extreme cookie recipes". Five finalist teams will be flown to New York City to compete in the "Cookie-off" In April 2008.
The grand prize is a $10,000 savings bond. The four...
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Gift Guide: A Dozen Decadent Kitchen Gadgets
Filed under: Lunch, Breakfast, Dinner, Snacks, Dessert, Baking, Lists, Grilling, Food Gadgets, New Products, Spirit of Christmas, America, Europe, Italy, France, Slow cooking, Retro cookery, Holidays, Christmas
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Monday Happy Hour: The Red Hot Santa Tini
Filed under: Recipes, Cocktails, Happy Hour, Spirit of Christmas, Christmas  There are many cocktails that can warm you up on a cold winter evening (I know, it's only December 3, but when it's Christmas time and much of the nation has been hit by a snowstorm, it's winter), but there aren't many that can honestly be called "hot." This one can.
It's the Red Hot Santa Tini, and not only do you rim the glass with cayenne pepper (added to cocoa), the main ingredient is chili-pepper infused vodka. And on top of the whipped cream you put a little chili pepper! Full...
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Cookie-a-Day: Gingerbread people
Filed under: Recipes, Baking, Spirit of Christmas, Spices, Sugar, Holidays, Christmas 
Last Christmas I went a little crazy with gingerbread cookies. I made hundreds of gingerbread men, women, stars, bells and other cut-out shapes. I spend hours rolling, cutting, transferring, baking, cooling and frosting. You don't have to go so crazy with your cookies, although when you try this recipe, you might just be similarly inspired. The great thing about this dough is that you can keep it in the fridge for several days, so you don't have roll and cut it all in...
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A.J.'s Christmas Punch
Filed under: Recipes, Cocktails, Spirit of Christmas, Holidays  "A.J." is A.J. Rathbun, the senior editor over at Amazon's kitchen section, and this hoilday recipe comes from his book Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Stirred with a Twist (which could also get an award for longest book title of the last decade) and FineLiving.com. It includes one of my favorites, Cointreau (I like drinking that stuff by itself in a little glass - it really warms you up), and also brandy and champagne. Recipe after the jump.Continue reading A.J.'s Christmas Punch  OK, so this might be a week or so late, but some of us are still in the Christmas spirit, right? Well, if you're not, maybe you can check out this drink and get back in the Christmas spirit! Or maybe as a way to toast the holiday season goodbye until next time.
It's called the Santa Claus Metropolitan, and I got it from Dale Degroff's excellent web site. He's known as "King Cocktail," and it's easy to see why. He's got a lot of drinks there that I've never even heard...
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I think I've gained 35 pounds this week
Filed under: Spirit of Christmas, Comfort Food, Super Size Me  I always have the best plans around the holidays when it comes to food. I always have some mathmatical formula where I'm going to consume the least amount of calories possible. If I don't have any cookies, I can drink more. If I don't have any of my sister's brownies, I can have a third helping of stuffing.
It never works out though. I go back for seconds at my sister's house (ham, lasagna, chicken breasts, green bean casserole, various desserts), then have a turkey sandwich and stuffing later that night at home. I go to my other sister's...
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Food Porn: Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons
Filed under: Food Porn , On the Blogs, Spirit of Christmas 
Is it too late to make another batch of Christmas cookies this year? Dessert First's Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons are just gorgeous. The recipe originally came from The All-American Cookie Book, which is a great source for recipes for all occasions and at all levels of difficulty, from dropped cookies, like chocolate chip, to more elaborately shaped ones. These cookies fall in between the two extremes, although they are certain to impress with their looks, as well as with their flavor. The cookies have layers of shortbread-like butter cookie dough sandwiching layers of dried cranberry and cherry preserves....
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