Christmas & New Year Recipes - Compilation

Your holiday present from The 99 Cent Chef is this post, where I compile my various videos, appetizers, entrees, and desserts you can use over the next week of Christmas and New Year's Day festivities. Just watch the embedded videos or click on underlined, bold-lettered recipes to see my culinary penny-pinching holiday party ideas. And don't worry, I can keep a secret -- I won't tell any of your revelers that they are dining on cheap, but tasty, 99 Cent Chef cuisine!

Let's start with appetizers. Nothing gets a gathering off to the right start like creative finger food.

Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in Genoa Salami is a decadent and delicious kickoff. Want to go even cheaper? Try toasting some sliced French rolls and chop a can of drained black olives for Black Olive Tapenade with Crostinis. Carrots are the cheapest vegetable and Orange Honey Glazed Carrots are toothpick-ready. Party healthy and ethnic with my Armenian and Thai Salad; or get your controversy on and serve The Chef's politically charged Cesar Chavez Salad. Devilish Deviled Eggs are spicy and a platter of Mini-Banana Puddings sweet, along with Cranberry, Orange & Coconut Cookies.

Ever cook in a wig? This may be your last chance in 2009 to don one for a sure-fire flammable party hit - Crepes Suzette. OK, you may be too shy, and your Julia Child accent weak -- well, then just gather your friends around the computer screen and bathe in the warm glow of my Julia Child Crepes Suzette Video - where this bejeweled and coiffed Chef channels the original Top Chef, Julia Child. Another festive holiday favorite of note is my Eggnog Recipe & Tipsy Tree Trimming Video. I take you step-by-step through the making of a homemade egg nog; then join in as I attempt to trim the tree after one egg nog too many! Another party beverage is my revolutionary rum drink video for a 99 Cent Mojito.

Eggnog Recipe and A Tipsy Tree Trimming - Video

Play it here. The video runs 5 minutes 19 seconds.

Let's get substantial.

A hearty and colorful Roasted Pumpkin With Pasta is a great way to take advantage of seasonal squash sales. Leftover turkey? How about serving it as a topping for my Pita Pizza Party recipe (pairs well with a beshamel cream sauce). My Stuffing Cupcakes With Cranberry Frosting served with gravy will give your guests plenty to talk about. This week whole chicken, is on sale, and my Pollo en Mente Chicken (mint chicken) recipe is an unusually fragrant spin on typical holiday roasted poultry fare; or sex-up your bird with my Russ Meyer Lemon Chicken recipe. And Swedish Meatballs are tiny, scrumptious, and warmly inviting in a group gathering.

The 99 Cent Chef wishes all his visitors a great holiday & New Year!

A Tipsy Tree Trimming - Eggnog Recipe Video

Store-bought Eggnog is too sweet and rich for The 99 Cent Chef, so he came up with a delicious recipe that uses 2% milk and a minimum amount of sugar.

This recipe is a simple and festive start-up to your holiday; especially tasty when trimming your tree.

However be careful and do not get carried away -- those small airline bottles of booze mixed into an egg nog carry a kick, as the second half of the Chef's new video will attest.

Each ingredient costs 99.99 cents or less, even some of the airline bottles (though the Lauder's Scotch in the video was $1.29 a bottle), and dried spices are always for sale at local dollar stores and markets.

Lately, I've been buying vegetarian Eggnog, while not 99 cents, it's not outrageously expensive. They are not as sweet as the dairy version and taste similar to regular Eggnog and are creamy, too.

 

But for the real thing check out my recipe for a tasty and lighter version of Eggnog. So pour yourself a 99 cent Homemade Eggnog and enjoy the Chef's new value-added two videos in one.

Eggnog Recipe and A Tipsy Tree Trimming - Video

Play it here. The video runs 5 minutes 19 seconds.
Happy Holidays!

Click here to view or embed video at youtube.
*One ornament was broken and two fuses were blown in the making of this video.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 3 cups of 2% milk - or 2 cups milk and 1 cup of half and half cream for a richer nog.

• 4 egg yolks - OK to reduce this amount to 3 yolks for an even lighter version.
• 1 tablespoon of sugar - or a sugar substitute.
• 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
• 1 airline 99 cent bottle of rum, Scotch, or brandy.

Directions

Heat 3 cups of milk over low/medium heat (do not boil) until it begins a low simmer - about 3-5 minutes.

While the milk heats up, separate egg yolks in a bowl, add sugar and whisk together for a minute to mix well. 

Add one cup of the heated milk to the yolk mixture a little at a time while whisking. 

After milk/egg is incorporated, return milk and egg to the heating pot of milk and continue cooking. 

Make sure egg nog does not boil and keep lightly whisking. The Eggnog will thicken slightly after about 10 minutes. The longer you simmer the Eggnog the thicker it will get, as it reduces.

Turn off the heat and set aside. If you can enjoy the egg nog warm - or you can refrigerate it for later. The Eggnog mixture will finish thickening as it cools down to a milkshake consistency. 

Add as much or as little of an airline bottle of booze as suits your taste - my Homemade Eggnog is good with or without alcohol.