By Jessica Park
The holiday season is approaching, and many of us are planning to make seasonal desserts and food for their parties or family gatherings. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to find a dish that all or most of your family members would like, so here at East Side News, we’re offering variations of different dishes that could make the holiday season just a bit more fun.
- Sweet – Eggnog Ice Cream!
Eggnog is an amazingly well-known holiday dish, but have you ever thought about eating it in ice cream form? This recipe puts a fun twist on the well-known drink and people with a sweet tooth will adore the recipe. First, in a medium saucepan, you combine 2 c. heavy cream, 1 c. milk, 1 c. granulated sugar, ¾ tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is steaming (make sure to continuously stir!) . Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together 9 large egg yolks consistently, slowly drizzling some of the cream made earlier until the eggs are tempered. Afterwards, add the mixture into a pot with the remaining cream, whisking well before returning the temperature to medium-heat. You have to use a spatula to stir it, scraping bottom and corners until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. As soon as you’re done, strain the mixture and set it over ice water, continuing to stir. Cover and refrigerate the base until frozen after adding ¼ c. of rum (or rum substitute; we don’t condone underage consumption of alcohol) and 1 c. vanilla extract. Later, break apart the pieces until they fit in a high-power blender before blending until you reach your desired consistency. Store in a refrigerator until ready to serve!
- Sour – Alcohol-Free Amaretto Sour
A fun drink you could have during the holiday season is the Amaretto Sour, a simple-to-make mocktail that has a distinct sour-sweet flavor. First, you combine 100 mL of pineapple juice, 50 mL lemon juice, ½ of an egg white, 10 mL cherry syrup, and a few drops of almond extract into a blender. Afterwards, you continuously blend the mixture until it’s pale and increasing in volume. If you can use ice in your blender, blend the drink with the ice twice until cold, but otherwise, chill the drink with ice before serving to ensure refreshment.
- Savory – Sausage Sizzle Pull Apart
After trying both sweet and sour, most people would likely prefer a savory treat to round out the palate. The sausage sizzle pull-apart is a warm and tasty side that’s great for winter months. You start by preheating the oven to 200 C and placing 8 thin sausages on a tray lined with baking paper. Cook for 20 min. In the meantime, heat a tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and place 2 sliced brown onions in it until well-browned (this will take around 8 minutes.) Then, place a well-greased springform tin without a base on a tray with baking paper. Cut the buns across the middle, placing onion, sausage, and tomato sauce on it before setting it down inside the tin and baking for 20 minutes. Afterwards, drizzle tomato sauce, cheese, and any onions you have left, and voila!
