Let’s face it, Pasadena. Leftover eggnog is a first world problem, right up there with too many peacocks.
Eggnog was originally a status-signaling holiday treat because some of its key ingredients, sugar, rum, and nutmeg, were exotic imports and frightfully expensive. And not so long ago, we had an egg shortage, so there you go. Today, many of us buy our eggnog at the supermarket where, in case you’ve wondered, the eggs are pasteurized (rapidly heated) to kill harmful bacteria that might jeopardize your health if slurped raw, with apologies to Rocky Balboa.
Eggnog is no longer expensive or dangerous, and you may discover that you’ve got a surplus in your fridge as we begin the sad business of dismantling all of that Christmas cheer. As spent conifers are tossed to the curb and tacky sweaters are returned for store credit, here are three ways to enjoy the last of that holiday nog.
Add it to Pancakes
You need:
- Two medium-sized bowls
- A whisk (better in this case than electric mixers which tend to introduce too much air, making the batter rubbery and sticky).
Ingredients:
Note: Wet ingredients will perform best when at room-temperature.
- 1 ¼ cups of eggnog, store-bought or from scratch
- One large, room-temperature egg
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil (or other vegetable cooking oil you have on hand)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use the highest quality extract you can find because it actually makes a difference)
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour (APF)
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of baking powder (Check the expiration date and use only fresh powder. If you don’t bake often, your powder may be pooped)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Prepare:
- Bowl 1 (WET): Whisk and combine egg, oil, eggnog and vanilla.
- Bowl 2 (DRY) : Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.
- Then: add the ingredients in the dry bowl to the ingredients in the wet bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray, and drop about 1/3 cup of the batter onto the warm skillet. Watch for bubbles. When bubbles appear, flip the pancakes and cook until golden-brown.
Makes 10-12 pancakes. Since we’re talking about using up holiday leftovers, these decadent pancakes are incredibly delish when topped with leftover tart-sweet cranberry sauce.
Eggnog Waffles
Here’s the secret to these. Separate the eggs, whip the whites into stiff peaks and then fold them into the batter. Doing this makes your waffles fluffy and airy.
You need:
- 1 medium-size bowl
- 2 small bowls
- Hand-mixer or whisk
Ingredients:
Note: Wet ingredients will perform best when room-temperature.
- 2 cups of eggnog
- 2 eggs, separated
- 2 cups of APF
- 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
- Non-stick cooking spray
Prepare:
- Fire up that waffle iron while making your batter.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and light brown sugar. Stir together and mix with a fork.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine eggnog, oil and vanilla extract. Separate the eggs, add the yolks to the wet ingredients and reserve the whites in a separate small bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir.
- Use the hand mixer to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold in the egg whites.
- Spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, then cook the waffle according to the waffle maker’s instructions.
Makes 10 or so servings. Personally, we like these waffles with fried chicken and a frosty brewski.
White Chocolate Eggnog Fudge
Really, there oughta be a law.
You need:
- Large pot
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
- Non-stick cooking spray
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of eggnog
- 4 cups of granulated white sugar
- 24 oz white chocolate chips
- 1 cup butter (cut into small pieces –- be sure to set it out earlier so it’s room temperature)
- 7 oz marshmallow cream
- Ground nutmeg for topping
Prepare:
- Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine eggnog and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture reaches a boil, stir constantly for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add white chocolate chips, marshmallow cream and softened butter. Stir until completely melted and blended.
- Pour the mixture into the lined pan and spread evenly with a plastic spatula until smooth. Dust with nutmeg or—more leftover love!—candy-crush peppermints and sprinkle on top. Allow to cool. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container.
- Cut into small squares
Makes 24 bite-sized servings.
