*sniffle* Rice Pudding to the Rescue! + Chicken Corn Soup, + brandy.....

When I'm sick I want comfort food...LOTS of it! Remember the old ditty about "feeding a cold, starving a fever?" I firmly believe in that! SO I'm doctoring myself with these old family standbys...

CREAMY YUMMY RICE PUDDING

(*ADD dried CRANBERRIES instead of raisins for a delicious holiday touch!*)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. (I like to stir in a pinch of nutmeg, too!) Serve warm.
We serve ours with cinnamon sprinkled on top! Good enough to make a grown man cry - and/or propose! ;)

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PA. DUTCH CHICKEN CORN SOUP

Ingredients:

1 (4 pound) chicken
1 onion, chopped
4 quarts water
1 (10 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped celery
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Directions:

In a large stock pot cover chicken and onion with water. Cook slowly until tender, approximately 1 hour. Remove chicken, let cool and remove meat from bones. Cut meat into 1 inch pieces, discard skin and bones (or, feed them to your cats!).
Cut corn from cobs if using fresh corn.
Add corn, cut up chicken, celery to stock pot and season with salt and pepper. Simmer soup for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl make rivels by mixing together flour, salt, egg, and enough milk to form small crumbs.
Drop rivels into soup and add hard boiled eggs. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve hot.

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1. Per my Grandpa...ADMINISTER brandy just before bedtime...it really works on a cold!!! Our favorites are blackberry + peach.
2. Settle down + snooze away your sickness!

HAVE a wonderful, HEALTHY holiday season!

Recipe Wednesday! Celebrate with this EASY EGGNOG!

If you see a fat man …
Who’s jolly and cute,
wearing a beard
and a red flannel suit,
and if he is chuckling
and laughing away,
while flying around
in a miniature sleigh
with eight tiny reindeer
to pull him along,
then lets face it…
Your eggnog’s too strong!!!
(hee hee)

Set up a punch bowl full of this CREAMY goodness, and surround it with your favorite/festive holiday MUGS! We set up labelled SHAKERS of cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg - a great way to use/display your Christmas salt shakers!

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EASY EGGNOG
*********************

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 quart milk, chilled
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Nutmeg

Directions:

Beat three whole eggs and 1 yolk until very thick and light in color. Add 1 2/3 tablespoons sugar, beating in thoroughly. Stir in milk, vanilla, and salt and pour the mixture into glasses.
Beat remaining egg white until almost stiff, add remaining sugar and beat until peaks appear. Top each glass of eggnog with a spoonful of meringue, sprinkle with nutmeg and serve immediately.

*Refrigerate the eggnog right away, DON'T let it sit out!

*You can spike it with rum or brandy, but we like to use vanilla vodka!
Just add 2 oz. spirits to each 8 oz. glass. Just fab to warm you up after
shopping or wrapping!

"Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors... and miss."
~Robert A. Heinlein

"Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read."
~Francis Bacon

Bare tree? Fill it up with 101 IDEAS for crafting ornaments...

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Set up an ORNAMENT PARTY and make some with your friends and family! Grab that GLITTER and GLUE and get going! Now you won't have to hear the kids saying "I'm bored...."

Here's a few to sample....

#5...PUZZLED PIECES

#8...PEPPERMINT LETTERS

#18...PAPER PINECONES

#81...GLITTER SNOWBALLS

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AND the LINK:
http://www.everythingetsy.com/2011/09/101-handmade-ornament-tutorials/

HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!

Warming Trend...A spot of TEA...and Jelly Scones!!!

When the north wind blows and icicles are forming, it's time to curl up with a cup of hot tea, a wonderful book and these FABULOUS...

JELLY SCONES

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
1/2 cup whipping cream (or sour cream)
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 teaspoons jelly

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the egg, cream and orange peel. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
On a greased baking sheet, pat dough into an 8-in. circle; cut into eight wedges. Do not separate wedges. Make a thumbprint in each wedge, about 1/4 in. deep. Fill indentation with jelly. Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.
(I often substitute sour cream for the half & half, since I always have it on hand, and it works great!!!)

*tip* BAKE THEM AHEAD + FREEZE FOR A FUSS-FREE CHRISTMAS MORNING BRUNCH!

"Kettle's on, cups are waiting
favorite chairs anticipating.
No matter what I have to do
my friend, there's always time
for you."
~Anonymous

And check out my fellow farmgirl friend JULIA'S site for a SUPERB selection of TEAS to buy for yourself or GIFTS!!!
www.turnerhilltea.com