When I lived in the U.K. I always made my own Eggnog. It was not something which was commercially available over there, and it was not a popular Christmas drink over there either! Most people didn't even know what it was.
And if you mentioned it to them, they would wince in disgust at the thought of drinking something so close to custard in texture and flavor. (DO note that they neverminded brandishing their puddings with copious amounts of custard!)
Anyways, I made my own and my very British husband quite enjoyed it. In fact, he wanted me to make it every year, it is that good.
This is an eggnog recipe which I have been making for many, many years now. It is foolproof so long as you follow the directions and was adapted many moons ago from a recipe I found on Eating on a Dime. I could not believe that I didn't already have it on here.
Mom used to make us eggnog at Christmas when we were growing up. She never cooked the eggs, and she had no recipe. It was simply eggs beaten together with milk, cream, sugar and nutmeg. None of us ever got sick. I am surprised at that fact. Raw eggs are well known for carrying Salmonella, and can be dangerous to the elderly and the very young.
Never killed us however.
Nowadays I would never dream of using raw eggs in anything, and that is not just because I am elderly now myself, lol. I just believe in being safe and careful about what I put into my body. Much better to use pasteurized eggs or a cooked mixture.
This is quite simply a fabulous recipe. Delicious. Rich and very easily made. I promise.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE EGGNOG
There is nothing extremely out of the ordinary here. You may need to go out and buy cream but that is something I usually have in the house anyways. (You never know when you are going to need some cream!)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2 cups (480ml) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- more grated nutmeg to garnish
- alcohol optional, see note
I always use full fat milk. You already have cream in there so full fat milk is not going to make a lot of difference calorie or fat wise! And it gives it a lovely rich flavor.
It is worth it to buy whole nutmegs and grate your own. I never buy ready ground nutmeg. Nutmeg is one of those spices that quickly deteriorates after grating so bottled ground nutmeg will not have the same punch as the stuff you grate yourself! Who really knows how long it has been grated.
Fresh grated packs much more flavor!
HOW TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE EGGNOG
This really is very simple to make and eons better tasting than anything commercially available.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until very light in color, and creamy, using an electric whisk.
Combine the milk, cream, nutmeg and salt in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and heat just barely to a simmer. It should be hot to the touch but not boiling.
Remove from the heat. Add one cup of the warm mixture to the egg mixture, whisking it in continuously. (This is called tempering the eggs.) Continue to whisk in the warm mixture until it has been thoroughly amalgamated.
Pour back into the saucepan and return to the stove top. Continue to whisk and cook until the mixture reaches 160*F/71*C. The mixture should be coating the back of a metal spoon.
Remove from the heat. Whisk in any alcohol (if using) and the vanilla.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a glass container, cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. If you think it is too thick (once chilled) you can whisk in a few more tablespoons of milk or cream to get it to the consistency you desire.
Serve in chilled glasses with a fresh grating of nutmeg on top. This will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator.
TO ADD THE OPTIONAL ALCOHOL
Add 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy, bourbon or rum at the same time as you add your vanilla.
Taste and adjust as necessary.
This is the eggnog that I used to make every Christmas when I lived in the U.K. Commercial Eggnog was not available there and to be honest, once you make your own from scratch you will never be happy with any other kind.
This will keep up to a week chilling in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but I doubt if you have it that long. You may have to make more. YES, it is that good!
PS - I never add any alcohol to mine. I like it just as is.
This is really delicious. When I was in the U.K. I did use it to cook with in a variety of recipes. If you are fond of the flavor of eggnog, you might also enjoy the following eggnog flavored recipes!
EGGNOG SCONES - Eight, springy, nubbly-edged breakfast treats made with eggnog and then topped with eggnog glaze. Incredibly delicious, these always go down a real treat with a hot drink, or yes, more eggnog. (What can I say? I love LOVE eggnog!)
EGGNOG THUMBPRINT SHORTBREAD COOKIES - A delicious adaptation of another recipe which I incorporated eggnog flavors into. Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and rum. Short and buttery cookies with a thumb sized dimple in the middle. Just perfect to fill with a lush and rich eggnog buttercream frosting!
Yield: 4 cups
Easy Homemade Egg Nog
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min
This is the best eggnog, so much more delicious than any commercial brand. Once you start making your own from scratch you will not be happy with anything you buy ready made.
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 2 cups (480ml) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- more grated nutmeg to garnish
- alcohol optional, see note
Instructions
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until very light in color, and creamy, using an electric whisk.
- Combine the milk, cream, nutmeg and salt in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and heat just barely to a simmer. It should be hot to the touch, but not boiling.
- Remove from the heat. Add one cup of the warm mixture to the egg mixture, whisking it in continuously. (This is called tempering the eggs.) Continue to whisk in the warm mixture until it has been thoroughly amalgamated.
- Pour back into the saucepan and return to the stove top. Continue to whisk and cook until the mixture reaches 160*F/71*C. The mixture should be coating the back of a metal spoon.
- Remove from the heat. Whisk in any alcohol (if using) and the vanilla.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a glass container, cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. If you think it is too thick (once chilled) you can whisk in a few more tablespoons of milk or cream to get it to the consistency you desire.
- Serve in chilled glasses with a fresh grating of nutmeg on top. This will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator.
Notes
TO ADD THE OPTIONAL ALCOHOL
Add 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy, bourbon or rum at the same time as you add your vanilla.
Taste and adjust as necessary.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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Every once in a while, I will see a recipe that intrigues me. So it was with this recipe I am sharing today for Tomato Soup & Bacon, Grilled Cheese Casserole. I first encountered it on a blog called This is Not Diet Food.
Trust me when I say nothing on that page is diet food, lol. Its all rich and delicious looking. The kind of food you would only want to eat once in a blue moon.
This intrigued me because it was like a combo of everyone's favorite grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. I just had to try it! How could I resist!
I did take the liberty of cutting the recipe in half to make only three servings. I also changed a few bits, in that I didn't use ready prepped bacon bits, I made my own. Also, I used sour dough bread, and a combination of cheeses.
The end result was rich and delicious. I don't think it was quite a replacement for the old favorite combo of soup and sandwich, but it was pretty tasty.
It was simple and quick to make and so I can see where it would be a great mid-week meal for a family, be it lunch or supper. Children would certainly love it.
I would balance it out with a tasty salad on the side, however. Something crisp and vegetable-like. It was very easy to make however and very tasty!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TOMATO SOUP & BACON, GRILLED CHEESE CASSEROLE
Some pretty simple ingredients. This is rich and cheesy. Amounts are for a small batch recipe, feeding three people.
- 6 slices of bread (I used sour dough)
- 1/4 cup (75g) softened butter for spreading
- 2 cups (470g) grated cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup (80ml) condensed tomato soup, undiluted (in the UK use Batchelor's)
- 4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- pinch of salt and black pepper as desired
I used sour dough bread as I felt it would fit into the baking dish better and wasn't too thick. I used regular softened butter. The original poster used margarine.
I used a mix of strong orange grated cheddar and a combo of grated mild and medium cheddars white and orange mix. It is okay to use ready grated cheeses for this.
Condensed soup is soup which you need to add either water or milk to in order to make it edible. You cannot just dump it into a saucepan, heat it up and eat it that way. In the U.K. the condensed soup that you would want to use is the Bachelor's brand. I think they are the only ones who make condensed soups.
The original poster used ready-made bacon bits. I preferred to use my own home-fried bacon. I keep fried bacon in my freezer for just this purpose. It is very easy to just take out and chop up to use for recipes.
HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SOUP & BACON, GRILLED CHEESE CASSEROLE
This was probably one of the easiest casseroles I have ever made.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Have ready a casserole dish large enough to hold 3 slices of the bread in a single layer.
Measure the soup, crumbled bacon and grated cheese into in a bowl and combine well together.
Butter all of your bread slices on one side. Cut them all in half through the middle.
Place 3 of the halved slices of bread in the casserole dish, buttered side down. Divide the cheese mixture between them. Top with the remaining halves of buttered bread, butter side up, pressing them down gently over the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is all melty and gooey and the bread has toasted.
Serve hot, two sandwich halves per person. Enjoy!
MY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW YOU COULD AMP THIS ONE UP AND ELEVATE IT
This is a great bare bones recipe, but if you wanted to change it up, here are my suggestions for doing so.
1. You could spread the bread with garlic butter rather than regular butter.
2. You could add chopped spring onions to the cheese mixture or even grated regular onions.
3. You could use a different flavor of soup, such as broccoli cheese, or even cream of celery.
4. You could leave out the bacon and use flaked tuna in its place. In which case I would definitely add some onion and perhaps even some minced celery, or even pickle relish. Leave off the tomato soup and add mayonnaise in its place, and okay, I am making a tuna melt casserole here. lol
This was quite different when it comes to a grilled cheese sandwich. I was thinking that it might be a bit too soupy to eat out of hand, but actually I was quite able to eat it using my hands rather than a knife and a fork. I thought it was deliciously different.
I am not sure that it would totally replace my regular grilled cheese sandwich however, but it was nice to try something a bit unusual in comparison to the regular. I enjoyed one serving with some carrot and celery sticks!
Are you also a fan of the hot sandwich? We love hot sandwiches in this house almost as much as we love cold sandwiches. Let's face it, we just love sandwiches full stop! Here are a few other favorites that we enjoy!
HOT HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH WITH BACON AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS - These hot sandwiches are one very delicious mouthful. Sweet caramelized onion, crispy bacon, smoky ham and Swiss cheese, on a toasty poppyseed Kaiser roll. They make for a fabulous lunch or dinner, depending on what you choose to serve with them.
ITALIAN BAKED SANDWICHES - A delicious buttery flat bread, split and spread with mayo and spicy mustard. Filled with layers of Italian deli meats, melty cheese, hot peppers and torn olives. Toasted in the oven until everything is heated through. You can't beat hot, cheesy, meaty goodness that you can hold in your hand and enjoy.
Yield: 3 servings
Tomato Soup & Bacon, Grilled Cheese Casserole
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This is a simple and easy lunch or dinner that you are sure to fall in love with. Loaded with grated cheddar cheese, real crispy bacon and condensed tomato soup, all sandwiched between toasty layers of buttery bread. Great with a salad on the side.
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bread (I used sour dough)
- 1/4 cup (75g) softened butter for spreading
- 2 cups (470g) grated cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup (80ml) condensed tomato soup, undiluted (in the UK use Batchelor's)
- 4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- pinch of salt and black pepper as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6. Have ready a casserole dish large enough to hold 3 slices of the bread in a single layer.
- Measure the soup, crumbled bacon and grated cheese into in a bowl and combine well together.
- Butter all of your bread slices on one side. Cut them all in half through the middle.
- Place 3 of the halved slices of bread in the casserole dish, buttered side down. Divide the cheese mixture between them. Top with the remaining halves of buttered bread, butter side up, pressing them down gently over the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is all melty and gooey and the bread has toasted.
- Serve hot, two sandwich halves per person. Enjoy!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
This delicious Lemonade Chicken recipe which I am sharing with you today is one which I had flagged on Pinterest a number of weeks back. I adapted it from one which I found on a blog called Dash for Dinner.
The flavors sounded interesting and like something which I would enjoy. I adore lemon chicken, so why wouldn't I enjoy lemonade chicken.
The original recipe was cooked in the crockpot/slow cooker. I confess, although I do cook chicken in the slow cooker from time to time for convenience's sake, I am not overly fond of the texture of chicken which has been cooked in the slow cooker.
It seems to be too similar in texture to chicken which comes in the can. And I am not a fan of canned chicken either.
I decided to cut the recipe in half (because I am a singleton) and I adapted it for cooking in the oven as I already had my oven on cooking other things.
The end result was tender and moist chicken, with a tangy sauce, that was not overly sweet, but nice and lemony. The addition of brown sugar and ketchup helps to prevent it from being too tart.
It was very easy to make and quick also, when done in the oven. I had it on the table and was enjoying it in not much more than 40 minutes from beginning to end.
I hope you will be inspired to give it a go one way or the other!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LEMONADE CHICKEN
Just a few very simple ingredients. I will explain any substitutions for any ingredients which might be difficult to find overseas.
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup (120ml) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
- pinch of white pepper
- pinch of salt
- 1 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1 TBS cold water
The chicken breasts I had bought were actually exceptionally large, so I just cut one in half diagonally for this recipe. As you can see from the photograph, this was a great size.
I used the Minute Maid lemonade concentrate, Heinz Ketchup and seasoned rice wine vinegar. If you don't have rice wine vinegar you can use apple cider vinegar.
You may not be familiar with frozen lemonade concentrate if you live overseas. This is a very common drink mix concentrate here in North America which comes frozen. Usually you will stir it together with 4 parts of water to make a container of drink.
Lemonade is not the same as what the British call the fizzy lemon/lime flavored drink, but more like a lemon cordial/juice. It is tart and sweet at the same time. In the U.K. I would substitute undiluted lemon/lime cordial for it. Something like Belvoir or Rose's would work beautifully. Do not dilute it.
I think everything else is pretty self-explanatory.
HOW TO MAKE LEMONADE CHICKEN
This is really easy to make, and you can cook it either in the oven or in a crockpot. Today I cooked mine in the oven as I had the oven on making other things. This is delicious.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/ 190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter a small casserole dish. (Trust me on this.)
Place the chicken breasts into the casserole dish. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour them over top of the chicken. Cover tightly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened somewhat, uncovering for the last 10 minutes.
You can also cook this in the slow cooker. Butter your slow cooker. Place the chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken.
Cover and cook on high for 2 - 3 hours, or low for 4 - 6 hours. Make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.
.jpg "Lemonade Chicken")
YOU CAN ALSO MAKE THIS AS A SIMPLE FREEZER MEAL
Double the ingredients, popping two raw chicken breasts into one each of two zip lock baggies that you have labeled with the date and contents.
Whisk double the amount of ingredients as written below, omitting the water and cornstarch. Pour half of the sauce into each bag. Zip closed, removing as much air as possible. Pop into the freezer.
When you are ready to cook this thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The next day when you are ready to cook it proceed as per the recipe below.
I cooked mine in the oven. I am not always happy with the texture of chicken which has been cooked in the slow cooker. This was tender and juicy with a lovely tangy glaze, with only a slice sweetness.
I served it with some brown rice and French cut green beans. It made for a most delicious meal! This would go well with noodles or potatoes as well.
We do eat a lot of chicken in this house, and it is usually in the form of a chicken breast. They are such a versatile protein adapting themselves to many flavors. Here are a few other recipes for chicken breasts which we enjoy!
PAN ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH THYME - Although I have used chicken breasts with the skin on for this, you could also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They will not take quite so long to cook as this version, so be careful to not let them dry out. Crisp golden skin, deliciously tender and juicy meat, filled with bags of flavor. These are fabulously tasty!
CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH GOATS CHEESE & ARTICHOKES - This is a brilliant combination. Chicken breasts are stuffed with a lush cheesy and artichoke filling and then wrapped in Parma ham to hold everything in. They then get popped into a baking dish, fresh tomatoes sliced into wedges are scattered amongst them and the whole dish is roasted until the tomatoes form almost a sauce and the chicken is perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. Altogether this is a simple dish with oodles of flavor that everyone will enjoy!
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Lemonade Chicken
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 45 Min
This is a very simple dish to make. Juicy and tender chicken with a delightfully sweet and tangy sauce. You can cook in the oven or in the slow cooker. It's your choice.
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup (120ml) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1 TBS tomato ketchup
- 1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
- pinch of white pepper
- pinch of salt
- 1 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1 TBS cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/ 190*C/ gas mark 5. Butter a small casserole dish. (Trust me on this.)
- Place the chicken breasts into the casserole dish. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour them over top of the chicken. Cover tightly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened somewhat, uncovering for the last 10 minutes.
- You can also cook this in the slow cooker. Butter your slow cooker. Place the chicken into the bottom of the slow cooker. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 - 3 hours, or low for 4 - 6 hours. Make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
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