12 Weeks of Christmas Week 4:All About the Food

I have two Christmas recipes that I would like to share. These have become traditions in our family.

Egg Nog Pie

This recipe is surprisingly light. I usually serve it for dessert for our turkey dinner. If you prepare the graham crust yourself using a non-sugar sweetener, it is suitable for diabetics.

Ingredients:

1. Prepared graham pie crust
   
2. 2 cups Calorie reduced Cool Whip
   
3. 1/2 tsp nutmeg
4. 1/2 tsp rum extract
   
5. Jello Fat free vanilla pudding mix (sweetened with aspartame)
   
6. 1 cup cold 2 % milk
   
7. marachino cherries , drained (optional)
   

Prepare the Jello pudding mix with half the milk called for in the directions. Add nutmeg and rum extract. Fold in the Cool Whip. Fill pie crust. Garnish with marachino cherries and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Chill. May be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Just thaw on the day you plan to serve it.

If you are unconcerned about your calorie intake, you could used regular Cool whip and Jello pudding mix.

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Chocolate truffles

I made these one year for a Christmas cookie exchange and they were requested every year thereafter. They make great gifts or colourful additions to a goodie tray.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Coatings:
• Finely chopped toasted nuts, flaked coconut, chocolate sprinkles, colored sprinkles, unsweetened cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar or colored sugars

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
2. Pour into medium bowl. Cover and chill 2-3 hours or until firm.
3. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in any of the listed coatings.
4. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

If you are hungry for other delicious recipes, and Christmas food traditions, check out the other posts at Red Writing's blog.