Hot Buttered Rum
Don’t let the muddy water consistency fool you. This is the Best. Holiday. Drink. Ever. It’s sweet, cinnamon-flavored and served hot in a mug. There are recipes for this holiday cocktail all over the Internet that are overly complicated. Let me simplify it with my version of the hot buttered rum.
Ingredients: (makes about 4 glasses)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
¼ cup honey
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¾ cup spiced rum
2 cups boiling water
Mix the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl until it’s a smooth blend. Use an electric mixer if possible, but it’s not necessary. While the water is boiling, pour the rum into the mixture. Add the water in last and stir until the mixture has melted, and the drink is a smooth liquid.
Green Bean Roll-ups:
This dish is my favorite for three reasons: only three ingredients, easy and quick recipe and bacon. My mom makes these for just about every family gathering, and they are always gone before plates are even served. Who wouldn’t want their veggies wrapped in bacon anyway?
Ingredients: (makes about 30 roll-ups)
3 cans whole green beans
Tony Chachere’s
1 12oz package of bacon
Take out a baking sheet and line it with foil. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees and let it preheat. Drain the green beans over the sink in a colander. Season them to your liking. I sprinkle Tony’s on them, mix them up and then sprinkle a little more. Take the bacon and cut each strip in half. Next, take about six to eight green beans at a time and wrap the bacon around them. Close it up with a toothpick, and line them up on the foil-covered pan. Bake them until the bacon is cooked, which typically takes around 30 minutes.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
Brownies are delicious and plenty good enough on their own, but during the holidays, I like to switch it up just a little. The peppermint is not overwhelming. It gives the brownie a slight mint chocolate flavor. I love to eat them, but I almost love the smell they leave in my house more.
Ingredients: (makes one pan)
Choice of favorite store-bought brownie mix, plus whatever that mix calls for
2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips (sub milk chocolate on preference)
Powdered sugar
Make the brownie mix according to the box directions, and then add the chocolate chips and peppermint extract. Mix it all up. Bake it according to the box directions. When they come out of the oven, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.