Christmas Morning Eggnog Waffles

Greetings from Austin, TX! It is currently in the 70s and sunny and Christmas is in three days. It's more like Christmas in July over here. But I'm not complaining, this change of weather has been refreshing, except for the fact that all I packed were long sleeves and jeans. : /  

I had to drive today, and it was really weird. I miss taking the subway. And Austin traffic is pretty much insane. I'm not cut out for the road anymore, I'm afraid. I also had to parallel park (which is something I should be good at, living in the city), but since I drive like a total of 3x per year it was pretty stressful. I managed to successfully do it though, without hitting anyone or scratching anything. Yay!

In my dreams I pictured Christmas morning this year to be spent in warm flannels, cozy slippers, drinking hot coffee and spending the rest of the day indoors playing board games or watching Christmas movies. But as the high is currently projected to be 79...I'm thinking that we may spend it outside going on a walk or playing outdoors. A bunch of my cousins are travelling to Austin this year for Christmas, so I am so excited to be able to see all of them and my little nephews later in the week! 

Also--sorry for the waffle overload, but I can't help it. I am so excited about my new waffle maker. I made these eggnog waffles the other day and thought they would be just perfect for Christmas. We made the mistake of using too much whole wheat flour so I have modified it here to taste better. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a delicious Christmas morning breakfast spent with loved ones!

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Eggnog Waffles (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups eggnog
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup of butter plus 2 tbl. (6 tbl. total), melted
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together eggnog, eggs, and butter until thoroughly mixed. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until smooth. When waffle iron is hot and ready, dollop a large spoonful of batter and cook until golden brown. Serve with syrup and/or powdered sugar.

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Ginger Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam

Christmas is in exactly one week! I'm so excited I could eat an entire pizza!!!!!

Where did the time go? How is it already the end of the year? I have an entire post already written about how I hate sentimental end-of-year things and how I hated The Notebook but now everything changed and I am that sentimental old grandma who cries during commercials. It's going to be great.

Until that exciting day, I have for you one of my favorite cookies I've ever made ever. Infused with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and with a gooey raspberry jam center, they are wonderfully festive and delicious. I brought these to a little party last night where Danna and Morghan and I danced to Justin Bieber before anyone else got there and Will went to get more cheese. Is anyone else a belieber now after his new album? This video perfectly sums up my feelings about it.

Anyways, I plan to make more cookies when I am home for Christmas (leaving tomorrow!!!), and maybe these will make another appearance for Santa and his reindeer friendsies!

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Ginger Thumbprint Cookies with Raspberry Jam (makes approx. 33)

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/3 cup white sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions: Prepare two baking sheets and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, cream together butter and sugars until thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes on low speed. Scrape down sides with spatula throughout to mix evenly. Add egg and vanilla, and continue mixing until combined. Continuing on medium-low speed, start adding flour mixture, only a large spoonful at a time. If added all at once it will not mix properly, so just have patience! Once all the flour is added dough should be thick and a little sticky.

Roll dough into small 1-inch balls, and roll in the extra white sugar until coated. Space evenly on baking sheet until 2 inches apart. Make a well in the middle with thumb or a small spoon. Bake for 7 minutes and then take out to fill with jam. If needed, redefine thumbprint crater with backside of spoon, before filling with a tiny teaspoon of jam. Return to oven and bake for 5-6 more minutes, until edges are slight brown and crispy. Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes.

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Mini Sweet Potato Pies with Homemade Rum Whipped Cream

It's been quite the busy week for us here in the Hall family. We've been to Texas and back in basically two days, where we went to the most adorable Texas wedding and saw all of our families and ate way too many kolaches! Kyle has had a major test and other school things, and we've both been working and commuting and it's just been so busy and it's not even Thanksgiving yet! But, it's been the best few days because we have spent time with family and it's gotten pretty cold in New York so it's cozy and delicious and wintery and fuzzy-sock-wearing weather. 

I love this week!!!!!!!!!!!

Now onto these pies. Oh. my. word. My sister made these with me and we had so much fun doing it. I brought these into work and (not trying to brag but) everyone loved them!! Someone even asked for the recipe of which I sent her the below. She plans to make it for her Thanksgiving table. (Yikes!) JK, I'm pretty confident in this recipe and it's amazingness. Plus, with the spiked whipped cream--no one would even remember it afterwards anyway!! JK again, it is literally only the tiniest hint of rum. But homemade whipped cream? It is so so easy and literally changes everything.

I think I will make these every year now, that's how much my family and coworkers and the world loved them. The hardest part is boiling the sweet potatoes and waiting for them to be cooked, but after that it is a piece of cake! (or pie, duh!)

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

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Mini Sweet Potato Pies with Rum Whipped Cream (makes approx. 18 pies)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 lbs. pie dough

for the rum whipped cream:

courtesy of Ina Garten

• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 3 tbl. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbl. rum

Directions: Boil sweet potatoes with skin over medium-high heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until tender. Rinse and drain in cold water, and peel skin off. Move to a bowl and mash with a fork, or place in stand mixer with whisk attachment and stir until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and grease 2 12-cup muffin tins. Set aside.

In the mixer bowl filled with sweet potatoes, mix in butter, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and spices. Stir slowly until throughly blended.

Roll out pie dough on a flat surface. Using a cookie cutter, cut out large circles (4-inches) from the pie dough. Smooth dough into muffin tin molds, and fill with sweet potato filling. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. 

for the whipped cream: Beat heavy cream on high speed until mixture starts to thicken. Add sugar, vanilla, and rum, and continue whipping until thick peaks are formed.

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