Eggnog is one of my all-time favorite holiday treats. I enjoy it every which way. Simply by the glass or even straight out of the carton, it’s perfect (not that I would ever do that, of course.). Eggnog latte? Delicious. Over ice with some bourbon? Yes, please! Or even as an ice cream it’s supreme. Ever tried eggnog ice cream? It’s soooo good. I use to feature it during the holidays on my dessert menu at the restaurant and have tried a few other versions as well. It’s always something special. Try it, if you can get your hands on some, perhaps paired with good gingerbread.
The holidays are in full swing here in our cozy Istanbul home. Our tree is trimmed, stockings are hung, cookies have been decorated and Chestnut, our sweet and mischievous little Elf, even found his way across the world to us.
Initially the thought of spending the holidays here, in a country that doesn’t really celebrate Christmas, given that the majority of the population is Muslim, was a depressing one to me. To say I love Christmas, is putting it mildly. The decorations, lights, festive treats, and even every cheesy song played on repeat during the month of December, well, I can’t get enough of it. I’m one of those people who keeps that station on ALL month long. Guilty. And though, since losing my dad, Christmas, nor any holiday for that matter, won’t ever be as bright or nearly what it once was, now that I have little ones, experiencing Christmas through their eyes is it’s own kind of special.
While I’m still missing being close to family and friends, and get a lump in my throat when I think about the reality that I’ll be spending my first ever Christmas away from “home,” I have to say the holiday season here has had some nice surprises.
Wow, the last few weeks have passed way too quickly. It was Thanksgiving a minute ago and now we’re almost halfway through December. There were many recipes I hoped I would get to before now, but it’s been a bit busy to say the least. I was in cookie mania preparing dozens of treats for the IWI Winter Festival here in Istanbul and then my mom came to visit from LA. The festival was a lot of work but lots of fun. And it was nice that a visit from my mom coincided with that and she got to come check it out too. (Having her here to help with some of the preparations and keeping the monkeys entertained was a big added bonus.)
Before we near the end of our apple stash from our apple picking days in September and October, I want to share these Cinnamon Apple Scones and where we got the delicious apples from…
Halloween has come and gone and most people are probably done scooping out pumpkins for the year. But if you happen to be roasting pumpkin for some fabulous Thanksgiving side or making fresh puree for your pie, I’ve got the perfect way to put those seeds to use and end up with a great little turkey day appetizer. Read more
These days I feel like there’s constantly pumpkin roasting in my oven. Without the ever-so-convenient can of pumpkin available here in Istanbul and my obsession with making all things pumpkin this time of year, it seems my freezer stash runs out so fast. I have found it helpful to roast a bunch at a time, puree it and then freeze in half cup portions to be able to pull out when I need. Though I just can’t seem to cook enough. Or maybe, I’m just making too many pumpkin recipes.
This Pumpkin Hummus is one of those recipes but it’s so worth using up my precious puree. Read more
