Cinnamon Chip Scones for Christmas Morning

My Day So Far: A happy relaxing Christmas Eve catching up with friends and family.

Naptime Goals: Take 10 minutes to whip up dough for Cinnamon Chip Scones tomorrow morning. Spend the rest of the day in front of fireplace. 

Tonight's Meal: Christmas dinner at a friend's house = no cooking for me!

Parenting Lesson of the Day: There is nothing like the holidays and promises of Santa to send children into orbit!

A happy holiday season to all! I am stopping in with a quick post today because, no matter the occasion you are celebrating, you are going to need breakfast. Needless to say, given that I've risen at 7am or earlier for the past two years, I have become something of a breakfast expert. Pancakes in a jiffy? I'm your girl. Homemade yogurt shake with fresh berries? No problem. My daughter and I spend ample amount of time in the kitchen between the hour of 7 and 8am. She eats while I fix food for the both of us, and several cups of tea for me.

These scones are quickly becoming a traditional Christmas breakfast in our family. I've been experimenting with all sorts of scone recipes over the past few Christmases, even landing on one similar to what Megan wrote about earlier this month. I thought I'd stick with that recipe until my friend Nicole, a favorite source of delicious inspiration, generously contributed her own version.

Of course, it wouldn't be a recipe to me if I didn't spend some time tweaking the ingredients. To start with, I decided to use cinnamon chips. Mini-chocolate chips would be delicious too, of course, but cinnamon seemed like a particularly Christmas-breakfast like spice, sweet without being overly so. Then, per the suggestion of Nicole, I added some fresh orange zest and glossed the top with milk and a sprinkling of raw sugar. The result was a buttery, mildly cinnamon scone with a light flaky texture. Upon first bite I knew these were the ones I'd been looking for.

Like most good doughs, this one is perfect to make ahead of time. In fact, this afternoon I am whipping up a double batch and putting it in the fridge to bake tomorrow morning. Then I'll be getting my daughter up from her nap and watching her tear around the house with excitement. At two years old she doesn't quite understand that holidays yet, but she knows something fun is happening. I'm sure it will be hard to get her to sleep tonight, and, honestly, it will probably be hard for me to sleep, too. I'll lay awake all snug in my bed, while visions of scones dance in my head.

Cinnamon Chip Scones

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. sugar

1 t. orange zest

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

6 T. chilled butter, cut into pieces

3/4 c. cinnamon chips

3/4 c. heavy cream

1 large egg yolk

1 t. vanilla

2-3 T. whole milk

3 T. raw sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Add orange zest and rub it together with some of the sugar between your forefingers to release the flavor.

3. Add the butter pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with your clean (!) hands or a pastry blender. Work until the mixture resemble small peas. Toss the cinnamon chips with a pinch of flour and then add to the butter mixture.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together egg yolk, heavy cream and vanilla. Pour in a steady stream into the butter mixture, stirring continuously until the dough becomes sticky and everything is incorporated. AT THIS POINT DOUGH CAN BE WRAPPED IN PLASTIC AND REFRIGERATED.

5. Press dough into a circle that is 1" thick. Cut into wedges and place on baking sheet. Brush the tops of each scone with milk and scatter with raw sugar. As you can see above, I often cut them into some small pieces too - they are good for little hands!

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. 

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Variation Ideas: Mini-Chocolate Chips or dried cherries (or both!) taste fantastic with this recipe if you are don't want cinnamon. Also, feel free to substitute lemon zest for orange zest - or not use any zest at all - to alter the citrus notes.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making this dough takes about 15 minutes. Then all that is left is the baking!

Naptime Reviews: This is a winner with almost everyone in my family. These scones are neither too sweet or bland, there flakey texture and cinnamon spices appeal to just about anyone and everyone!

Katie's Simple Christmas Candy

My Day So Far: Distributed all the Christmas gift bags, weekly Friday farmers market visit, mushroom soup for mother/daughter lunch. 
Naptime Goals: Write timeline for Christmas cooking next week, wrap gifts and hide them (!), make Katie's Candy for tonight's party. 
Tonight's Meal: Buccatini Alla' Amatriciana - a favorite go-to dinner.  
Parenting Lesson of the Day: Toddlers love unwrapping presents, even when they are not their own!

The Christmas spirit is alive and well in our house. My daughter has spent the day searching for gifts she suspects I've wrapped and hidden from her (she's right) because she loves nothing more than tearing off paper and bows. Truth be told, I don't think she really cares about what is actually underneath the paper, she is still at the stage where she just likes the act of unwrapping in general. In keeping with the holiday season we've been to several parties lately and we have another tonight. I am not hosting this particular party, but I do plan on taking some homemade Katie's Candy to the hostess.

I've named this after the person who gave it to me because she deserves the credit. Katie has given me some of my favorite recipes over time, and this is yet another one from her treasure trove. Katie actually gave this to me when I was in high school and beginning to make homemade Christmas gifts for my friends. It was the perfect recipe to start with. It only takes a few steps to make, requires four simple ingredients and is unbelievably delicious.

I've seen this recipe around in other places and have sometimes heard it referred to as "poor man's toffee" or "cracker bark." These names come from the fact that the simple act of baking the butter and sugar over the crackers forms a pure toffee. The unsalted cracker remains as the innocuous core, giving it structure without any undesirable taste. For extra flavor sometimes I like to top the bark with sliced almonds or chopped hazelnuts, but in this particular case I used holiday sprinkles to make it party-perfect.

When I used to make this for my friends I would break up the tray of candy into pieces and put them in clear treat bags. For my friend's party I will break it into shards, separated the layers with wax paper, and take them to her house in a Tupperware. As you can see by the directions below, the eight minutes of baking time means that preparing this candy while my daughter naps is a snap. The 15 minutes of preparation time is easily one of the fastest ways to prepare toffee that I have ever found. And, happily, the quick preparation time means I can spend the rest of naptime taking care of family holiday gifts - making sure I don't leave a trace for my daughter to find when she wakes up!

If you have Christmas parties to attend this weekend I guarantee this will be a surefire hit. I know it was for my friend, and it was for my daughter, too. I let her have a nibble after it had fully cooled in the fridge. I think it has become her most favorite part about Christmas, next to the gift unwrapping, of course.

Katie's Candy

40 unsalted saltine crackers
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. sliced almonds, or other toppings (suggestions below)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. On the foil line up 40 crackers so that they fit snuggly.
3. Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat in a saucepan. Once it is all melted pour the hot mixture over the crackers. The crackers will "float" at a bit, try to keep them all lined up.
4. Bake for 8 minutes, the mixture will be nice and bubbly.
5. Remove from the oven and immediately scatter the chocolate chips on top. As they begin to melt smooth them with a spatula so that they cover the entire tray.
6. Place pan in the refrigerator until cool and set. At least 2 hours.
7. Break into pieces and serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variation Ideas: There are endless possibilities for topping this bark. I suggest sliced almonds, chopped hazelnuts, chopped pistachios, chopped pecans or sprinkles. I bet sea salt would be good, too!

Naptime Stopwatch: Making this candy takes 5 minutes of preparation, 8 minutes of baking and about 2 hours of cooling. Leaving the rest of naptime to get other things done!

Naptime Reviews: Adults and children alike love this candy bark. The pure toffee taste appeals to even the pickiest of candy connaisseur.

Peppermint Bark and Christmas Gift Bags: Webisode #5

My Day So Far: Manic Thursday! Visited Macy's Santa-land (can't help it, I promised my daughter!), picked up gift packaging materials, bakery for fresh baguettes.

Naptime Goals: Finish Peppermint Bark and assemble gift bags, laundry, book sitter for date night. 
Tonight's Meal: Paprika Pork Stew I made last night - it always tastes better the next day.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: It is unwise to let a toddler sample peppermint bark before bedtime. 

I know I've been clamoring on and on about this all month, but edible Christmas gifts are a thing of mine. I've already told you about Apricot Jam, Spiced Walnuts and Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce, and today I'm going to tell you about Peppermint Bark. I adapted this recipe from one I found in Bon Appetit years and years ago. Since then I've seen it turn up on other people's sites, including here and here. It appears this recipe has many fans, and rightly so. Then, leave it to good ole' BA, they ended up giving us a recipe on how to use this bark in cookies in the December 2009 issue! They are amazingly delicious, I tell you, but I'll leave that post for another time.

Peppermint Bark is ubiquitous this time of year, and after sampling many many varieties I can confirm, with a great deal of authority, that this recipe is indeed the best. It has just the right balance of chocolate, sugar and peppermint. It is neither too hard, nor too soft, and I love the way the crushed candies add a nice crunch that won't break your teeth.

As I mentioned above, I purposely planned ahead with dinner, making Paprika Pork Stew the evening prior and leaving it the fridge for the flavors to marry overnight. This way I had all of my daughter's naptime to make my batches of Peppermint Bark and get them ready for distribution. In this webisode I show you how I make the peppermint bark - whilst tackling several loads of laundry and catching up on emails - and how they fit into my finished gifts bags. (Parents note: I fit in my chores while the chocolate is chilling.)

Three Layer Holiday Peppermint Bark

adapted from Bon Appetit December 1998

16 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped (make sure it has "cocoa butter" in the ingredients!)

30 hard peppermint candies, crushed

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, (at least 60%), finely chopped

6 T. heavy cream

3/4 t. peppermint extract

1. Line a 9x13 baking pan or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a double-boiler, or heatproof bowl set on top of a bowl of simmering water, add the white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from the heat.

3. Pour 2/3 of the chocolate onto the aluminum foil and spread the chocolate to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle this chocolate with 1/2 of the crushed candies. Place pan in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan combine bittersweet chocolate, cream and peppermint extract. Warm, stirring frequently, until chocolate and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and cool until it is room temperature.

5. Remove baking sheet from the fridge and spread the dark chocolate on top of the white chocolate and candies. Return pan to fridge and chill again for 25 minutes.

6. Finally, remove baking pan from fridge and reheat white chocolate. Spread on top of dark chocolate layer and sprinkle with remaining candy. Return to fridge and allow to chill for 30 minutes.

7. Once bark is completely chilled break into pieces as large or small as desire.

Storage/Packing Notes: It is really best to store this in a cool, dry place. I always wrap it in parchment paper before putting it in a gift tin. Also, don't store it with other foods or they will absorb the peppermint flavor!

Naptime Notes: 
Naptime Recipe Props: This one of the best, and easiest, edible gifts to give. If you want to make this two-layer, simply omit step three. 
Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making this takes about 45 minutes, because of the chilling involved, but a lot of that time is free time when you can do other things. 
Naptime Notes: Everyone I have ever given this to raves about it. In fact, some years I give the recipe along with the gift!

Eggnog Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

My Day So Far: Playdate with daughter, totally random errands (buying toothpaste and balloons?!), mother/daughter grilled cheese lunch.

Naptime Goals: Bake Eggnog Cookies for Ashley's housewarming, finish online Christmas shopping, Ironing (least favorite chore). 
Tonight's Meal: Leftover Eggplant and Prosciutto Lasagna.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Do pick up balloons for your friend's party; don't take your two year-old with you unless you expect to buy her balloons, too.

*Note: I am thrilled to submit this cookie recipe to the 12 Days of Sharing event taking place at In Jennie's Kitchen. Jennifer Perillo and her co-hosts are doing a fantastic job using this event to help end hunger, a cause that is especially relevant during the holiday season. I hope you'll use the donation button to the right of this post to make a donation to Share our Strength this holiday season.

We are all crazed during the holiday season, myself included. As you can see from the list above, my goals these days are ambitious, but no less so than anyone else I know. Everyone seems to be running to and fro, purchasing gifts, rushing to performances and prepping for holiday parties. I find that day to day parenting is a lot of work and adding a major holiday season on top of these duties is enough to send anyone over the edge. To keep myself from crossing to the other side I do my best to plan my days carefully to keep them manageable and reasonable, and to enjoy myself while I get things done. To kick off the celebrations this weekend we are going to our friend's Ashley and Kevin's housewarming party at their new home in Westchester, and I am bringing eggnog cookies.

I love baking just as much as I love cooking (as if you couldn't tell that already!). Over the past year, while the my daughter has graduated from crawling to walking to running full stop, I've figured out that if I want a hassle-free baking experience the best time to do it is while she naps, or is out on a weekend activity with her father. Additionally, since I have other things to do while I have free time, like laundry, present wrapping, etc, it is best for me to have dinner already planned so as not to overload myself with too much to do in one two-hour stretch. On this occasion I had my Eggplant and Prosciutto Lasagna in the fridge from the previous night, so all I needed to concentrate on was my eggnog cookies and other chores.

This recipe was given to me by my friend Susan who ripped it off of the back of an eggnog carton a few Christmases ago. Over time I've adapted it, adding spices and a little boozy flavor, and changed the topping from an eggnog to a browned butter icing. I prefer the browned butter icing since it has a sweet nutty flavor that works well with the eggnog in the cookies and adds a complexity to the dough rather than icing in the original recipe. Unlike a lot of Christmas cookies these have more shortbread taste, dense and buttery with a hint of spice, they are cakey and less sweet then many more conventional holiday treats.

Since these are so easy to make squeezing cooking baking in along with the rest of my naptime to-do list was not a problem. While they baked I was able to catch up on laundry, and then I iced them after I'd finished my online Christmas shopping. I know Ashley is going to love these when I take them to her house this weekend, and thank goodness I doubled the recipe, because my family loves these, too.

Eggnog Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 c. granulated sugar

1 egg

1 c. non-alcoholic eggnog (not low-fat!)
1 t. rum extract

3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. Kosher salt

1/2 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon

For Icing:

adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies

5 T. unsalted butter
2 c. powered sugar

1/8 c. evaporated milk

1 t. good quality vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.

2. In an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and eggnog, mix until smooth. Then add the rum extract. Mix to incorporate.

3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls on the cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie begin to turn golden brown. Allow cookies to cool.

5. To make Icing: Sift confectioners' sugar in a bowl. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and allow to cook until it turns a golden brown and has a nutty flavor. About 3 minutes. Swirl butter occasionally during cooking. Remove from heat and immediately add to confectioners sugar, bringing in any browned buts from the pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla, stir until smooth. Allow to cool and ice the cookies.

Naptime Notes:

Recipe Props: For eggnog lovers this is the ultimate cookie. Cakey, buttery and not to sweet, these cookies are the perfect treat for the holidays or to add to any cookie plate.

Peparation Notes: If you don't have time to bake these immediately, simply wrap the dough and put in the fridge. It will stay just fine. Also, if you need to wait to ice the cookies, place them in an airtight container and they can be iced up to 12 hours after being baked without loosing any flavor.

Stopwatch: Making this dough takes about 15 minutes, and the icing another 5 minutes.

Reviews: Even my daughter liked their slightly boozy flavor!

Herbs de Provence Popovers: Webisode #4

Location: My parent's house, Cooperstown NY 
My Day So Far: Filmed cooking segment for WKTV Utica/Rome, returned emails, leftover butternut squash soup from cooking segment for lunch. 
Naptime Goals: Pack suitcases, bake Herbs de Provence Popovers for snack and dinner, wrap Christmas gifts, catch up with Dad.

Tonight's Meal: My Mom is cooking (yeah - a break for me!)

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Grandparents are helpful to have around.

While visiting my parent's in Cooperstown this week, I found myself in the mood for a hot savory snack on Monday mid-afternoon. Luckily, since my mom was cooking that evening, during my daughter's naptime I had two hours completely free for baking projects, suitcase packing, gift wrapping and a quick catch up with Dad. Given my savory craving I opted out of baking yet another batch of Christmas cookies, and instead decided to make my favorite popovers.  A piping hot buttery roll was just the ticket for a chilly afternoon snack, plus I knew they would pair beautifully with our meal that evening.

My favorite part about making popovers is that delicious reward comes from minimal effort. Unlike a complicated butter pastry, this dough can be mix together with relative ease and put straight into the oven. Furthermore, it can be flavored almost any way you like. In my first batch I used my favorite Herbs de Provence, and in the second I added freeze dried chives (there is nothing wrong with freeze dried herbs when fresh aren't available). Either work well, you could also add cheese, other herbs like rosemary or thyme - or nothing at all!

Many times people have asked me about using specialty popover pans and I assure them that they are definitely not necessary. As I've said before, I don't spend a lot on specialty baking items that only have one purpose. Instead I've invested in good quality muffin tins, they are versatile in the kitchen and work beautifully when making big, puffy popovers. If you already have popover pans certainly use them, but they are not going to make or break this recipe.

When I made these my daughter and I almost consumed the entire batch by ourselves. We couldn't get enough of the flaky butter dough and fragrant herbes de provence. In fact, to be perfectly honest, I got straight to work making another batch the very next day and was thoughtful enough to film it for you. I hope this demonstrates to you how utterly simple these are to make, and how delicious they are to eat. As you will see, making these during my daughter's afternoon naptime is a snap. In fact, they are also easy enough to make that sometimes I do so when I have five minutes even if she's awake. I've also made these right before guests come over and have served them at dinner or brunch. They are always hit, and you'll soon see why. Enjoy!

Naptime Chef Popovers from Kelsey Banfield on Vimeo.

Herbs de Provence Popovers

adapted from The New Basics Cookbook

2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 c. whole milk

1/4 c. Herbs de Provence OR 1/4 c. freeze dried chives

1 pinch Kosher salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray, or a 6-cup large muffin tin - depending on the size of the popovers you'd like.

2. Melt butter in microwave and allow to cool.

3. Combine eggs, flour, salt and pepper in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until all ingredients are blended.

4. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Then, with the mixer on low, add the cream, milk and melted butter. Mix until everything is smooth and completely incorporated.

5. Add the chives and fold them in with a spatula.

6. Distribute batter evenly amongst muffin cups, so each cup is roughly 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 35 minutes, or until popovers are poofy and a light golden brown. Serve hot. Or, if you want to save them for dinner, pierce a tiny hole in the top so that they don't "fall" while you are waiting to serve them.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variation Ideas: Popovers are incredibly versatile, you can add or subtract almost any flavoring to create the exact taste you want. I recommend adding cheese or interesting herbs such as rosemary or thyme for unique variations.

Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making the popover batter takes all of two minutes, then it is just a matter of baking. There is hardly an easier way to make a homemade hot snack.

Naptime Reviews: Be mindful of people's flavoring preferences, my husband is wary of dill so I do not add them it to anything I make, especially popovers. But everything else I've tried has been a big hit with him, and my daughter, too.

Citrus-Glazed Holiday Ham

Location: Home in New York 
My Day So Far: Picked up gift bags for spiced walnuts, 45 minutes at playground with daughter, 20 minutes grocery shopping
Naptime Goals: 2 batches of Spiced Walnuts for Christmas gifts, prepare ham for dinner
Tonight's Meal: Ham, Carrot Souffle (refrigerator staple), green salad
Preparation: Picked up ham and oranges in the morning, honey already in the pantry.

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving on Martha's Vineyard, but I am glad it is over. Combining a huge family holiday with a certain toddler's birthday is never an easy event line-up. Instead of settling on the sofa after Thanksgiving dinner, I revved up the KitchenAid to make a chocolate buttermilk birthday cake with pink frosting and lots of sprinkles (documented below). It was a wonderful weekend of celebration, but when we returned on home on Saturday night I was exhausted. The following morning, while I was writing up my menu for this week, I decided to bid farewell to November and kick-off the Christmas season with my Citrus-Glazed Holiday Ham. After spending a whole month thinking about turkey it felt like the right time to switch gears, and get excited for a whole new month of festivities.

I bake ham year round, but for some reason this particular recipe has always been relegated to my holiday food file. I think the reason is because around this time friends usually send us a shipment of fresh oranges from Florida as an early holiday gift. When those golden beauties arrive I add orange juice and zest to just about everything I make, not stopping until the crate is all used up. 

Preparing this ham is a dream come true for any parent who cooks. I am not kidding when I say all I do is drizzle everything over the ham in layers. There is little to no measuring required and, like all my favorite recipes, this is flexible when it comes to the glaze. I most often use orange juice when making this, but I've also used the juices of clementines, tangerines and even apricots. Paired with the honey or maple syrup, any of them will create just the right balance of natural sweetness to contrast the salty ham.

Over time I've found that the time I choose to bake the ham is flexible, too. Both my husband and I like to eat ham cold just as much as we enjoy it hot, so I typically bake it during my daughter's afternoon naptime. This way I have dinner fully cooked by 4pm in the afternoon - a convenience that makes my life remarkably easier come evening. If we decide we'd want our slices warm I warm them on a platter in the oven, or give them a quick run through the microwave. It is the best of both worlds, allowing us to choose how we'd like to enjoy our food.

As you can see, the instructions below barely amount to a recipe. Adding this glaze is really all about putting the finishing touches on an already delicious piece of meat. If you have a large ham and are feeding a crowd simply double or triple the quantities below. I have done this before and it makes for an excellent meal to serve on a buffet, or at a more formal dinner. This is also a remarkably kid-friendly dish, my daughter likes to eat the ham sliced thin on toast with a little bit of cheese. In fact, I like to eat it that way, too. When I made it this week we all devoured several slices, along with a serving of carrot souffle. It was just the meal to put us in a festive mood that will last all month long.

Citrus-Glazed Holiday Ham

2 1/2 lb. ham, fully-cooked (not pre-flavored or pre-glazed)

1/4 c. fresh orange juice (or any similar citrus like clementine, tangerine, etc)

2 t. olive oil
1 T.  honey

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Place ham in a baking dish. Drizzle on the olive oil and rub it to coat the ham. Then, pour the orange juice over the olive oil. Finally, drizzle the honey over the ham and spread it around so it fully coats the meat.
3. Bake ham for 1hr 20minutes. Slice and serve warm. Or, allow to cool to room temperature and serve cold.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: It is hard to screw up this recipe, the main components are ham, citrus and honey. Like I said - fiddle with it! Try different citrus juices, or maybe even zest, to see what flavors you can come up with.

Naptime Stopwatch: Layering on the glaze takes about 1 minute. Then bake!

Naptime Reviews: Any ham with a sweet glaze is a hit with most people. And, like I said, kids like this, too!

Rhoda's Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce: Webisode #3

By now most of my friends know they are getting Spiced Walnuts for Christmas, and today I am telling them that they are getting Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce as well. This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law who got it from her friend, Rhoda Janis, almost 30 years ago. As you all know, I love a good hand-me-down recipe, and this one has really stood the test of time. I think this hot fudge sauce is better than any other I have ever tasted because it is the perfect ratio of chocolate, butter, cream and sugars. Then, to really push the flavor over the top, I add pure peppermint extract to give it a minty candy cane-esque flavor.

If you have friends who don't like peppermint, like my friend Meghan for example, simply use vanilla extract in lieu of peppermint. This works very well and makes the sauce even more versatile. When I make it like this I am able to drizzle it over poached fruit, berry pavlovas and even slices of bundt cake. The uses are endless, although, I'll admit, sometimes I just eat it straight out of the jar and don't even bother with basic vanilla ice cream.

Since this sauce requires stirring over a hot stove I make this exclusively during my daughter's afternoon naptime. I don't want to risk any kitchen accidents, so it is safer for her to be asleep in her crib then trying to cook with me. When I make these for holiday gifts I double the recipe to make a large quantity. This way it usually only takes me two afternoon naptimes (2 hours each) to get everything made and put in jars to giveaway. As far as I can tell, there is a hardly a simpler and more efficient way to prepare my Christmas gifts!

To show you just how easy it is to make this amazingly delicious sauce, (and a demonstration on how to eat it with ice-cream!), tune in to Webisode #3. (And, yes, I know there have been a lot of sweets on this site recently, but don't fret, on Thursday I'm sharing one of my favorite festive dinner recipes!)

The Naptime Chef Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce from Kelsey Banfield on Vimeo.

Rhoda's Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce

a recipe from Rhoda Janis

2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 t. Kosher salt

2 c. heavy cream

1 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 t. pure peppermint extract OR pure vanilla extract
Yields 4 cups

1. In a doubler boiler, or a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stir together cocoa, sugars and salt. Immediately add the cream and butter.

2. Cook this mixture over the simmering water, stirring constantly to make sure it stays smooth.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
3. Allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes. Then stir in the peppermint or vanilla extract.

4. This will store well in the refrigerator for up to one month. If giving as gifts pour the sauce into sterilized, airtight mason jars.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: Everyone should have a great hot fudge sauce recipe in their repertoire and this one won't disappoint. I love that it can be made peppermint or plain and still taste delicious. I'll bet it might be delicious with orange zest, too, if you wanted to give that a try.

Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making this takes about 15 minutes from start to finish (obviously there was a little time lapse above). There is hardly an easier and faster way to make delicious holiday gifts for your friends and family.

Naptime Reviews: Have you ever met someone who doesn't like hot fudge sauce? Let me know. I will convert them.

Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust & Pomegranate Glaze

It is easy for me to go overboard when consuming holiday desserts. I find it impossible to resist the tray after tray of sugary cookies and chocolate bark candy that are found at my every turn this time of year. After all, these treats only come around once every 11 months, which, in my mind, practically makes it a requirement to sample everything within arms length during this brief period. (I wonder, does eating Christmas cookies in December count as eating seasonally?) For those of you with more self control than I, here is a holiday dessert that is worth every calorie: Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Pomegranate Glaze. If you have to pick and choose the sweets you eat this holiday season, do yourself a favor and enjoy a slice of this. I promise, this cake is so good it is definitely worth passing up all of the peppermint bark, snickerdoodles, chocolate crackles and peanut butter blossoms in sight.

In our household I am clearly the one with the crazy sweet tooth. My husband and daughter both like treats now and then, but my daily routine requires at least two items of chocolate before 5pm, as well as a sweet dessert post-dinner. It is a good thing I live in New York, one of the few cities where you exercise without even knowing it. In fact on most days our car sits, neglected, in a garage 20 blocks away while the pedometer attached to the stroller (yes, they exist) calculates that I walk at least 3-4 miles. Rain or shine. It is a wonderful solution to enjoying holiday desserts - my mini-walking mararthons - the only problem is that I end up browsing boutique windows and food shops while en route.

Last week when we were trotting down Broadway at our usual brisk clip I noticed one of my favorite boutiques had set up a little display of Christmas packages in their window. Christmas?! Already?! How did it sneak up so soon!! It took me a minute to accept that the holiday season is truly upon us, but once I did, I got kind of excited. It is time for all of the fun holiday shopping, decorating, socializing, and, of course, cooking.

As I not-so-subtley noted above, there are several (hundred) Christmas desserts in my repertoire that I will be sharing with you, and today I am going to start off with a bang. I love making this cheesecake because it is terrifically simple and utterly delicious. When I made my first of many for the season last week I had no problem baking it during my daughter's afternoon naptime. In fact, the timing worked beautifully because it was able to cool fully prior to the addition of the glaze.

The best part about this cheesecake is that it tastes like the best version of eggnog you have ever had. Sweet, spicy and just a little boozy, it is a truly decadent adult treat. When I adapted this recipe long ago I added a gingersnap crust to balance the cakes smooth, creamy texture with a subtle crunch. The pomegranate glaze, inspired by a strawberry syrup I had once been served over cheesecake, gives the eggnog flavor a shot of sweet fruit, almost like a garnish.

I'll admit, I made this last week for us to enjoy all by ourselves. My husband adores cheesecake and I, feeling so incredibly inspired by the window display, couldn't help but get excited for the holiday season. It is more common that I take it to friends or add to our holiday buffet, guests are always wowed by the way the pomegranate seeds sit on top of the cake like little shiny rubies. I know I'll be making this again shortly, I already promised my friend Ashley I would bring it to her open house in a few weeks. Until then I plan to start dipping into the rest of my Christmas repertoire. But, for more on that, you'll have to wait until next week. 

Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust and Pomegranate Glaze

loosely adapted from the Mystic Seaport All Seasons Cookbook by Mystic Seaport Museum

For the Crust:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 3/4 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs

3 T. brown sugar

For the Cake:

32 oz. whipped cream cheese, softened

16 oz. sour cream (full-fat), stirred

1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter

5 eggs

2 T. cornstarch

1 1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 T. Dark rum

2 T. Cognac

1 t. nutmeg

For Glaze:

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

3/4 c. pomegranate seeds

1/2 c. POM Wonderful (or any other brand pomegranate juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan.

2. For the Crust: Prepare the crust by melting the butter and combining it with the gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar in a large bowl. Make sure all of the ingredients are moistened evenly. Press them into the bottom of a springform pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is nicely toasted. Set aside to cool.

3. For the Cheesecake: In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend cream cheese, butter and sour cream together until completely smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Next, add cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, rum, cognac and nutmeg. Beat on high speed until well blended. With the mixer on low, beat in eggs one at a time, making sure the mixture is very smooth after each addition.

4. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the cooled gingersnap crust. Then, wrap the pan very tightly with aluminum foil so that it can be placed in a hot water bath. (You are not going for looks here - wrap the aluminum foil as tightly as possible - you don't want the batter ruined by water seeping in!!) Then, fill a deep baking or roasting pan with water until it is at least halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake cheesecake for 60-70 minutes. Or, until it is set and the top is light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

5. For the Glaze: Add sugar, cornstarch, pomegranate seeds and pomegranate juice to a small saucepan. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half and starts to get syrupy. Allow to cool to room temperature before drizzling over cool cheesecake to serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Props: This is a decadent treat that is formal enough to serve at almost any occasion. If you want to play with the flavors you could try adding a cranberry or blueberry glaze, or do a graham cracker crust instead.

Naptime Stopwatch: The batter took about 15 minutes to make, and the pomegranate glaze another 10 minutes. It is important to prepare the crust before everything else, it needs to cool before the batter is poured on top.

Naptime Notes: My daughter wasn't excited about the pomegranate glaze but loved the cheesecake. My husband? Well, he could have polished off the whole thing if I'd allowed him. This is a great dessert for parties, too. It looks splendid on a buffet table.

Napping with Peppermint Bark: Ice-Cream #9

It felt a little strange to make my Christmas peppermint bark in July, but the result was well worth it. My whole family loved the creamy mint flavor and the soft chunks of bark. It was the perfect way to enjoy one of our favorite holiday treats in delicious summer fashion.

I delighted to be submitting this recipe to my friend, Savor the Thyme's Ice-Cream Social. She and two other blogger friends, Scotty Snacks and Tangled Noodle, are hosting this social in honor of National Ice-Cream Month. Naturally, after learning about my summer-long The Naptime Chef Great Ice-Cream Festival, they were excited for me to participate. Enjoy!

Naptime's Peppermint Bark Ice-Cream
Yields 1 quart

For the 2-layer Peppermint Bark:
loosely adapted from Gourmet, 1998
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 60%), finely chopped
3 candy canes OR 10 individual swirled peppermint candies, crushed
3 T. cream
1/4 t. peppermint extract

1. Line a 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl and water do NOT touch. Stir the white chocolate until it is totally melted. Working quickly, pour the melted white chocolate into the dish with aluminum foil and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan using an icing spatula. Cover with crushed candies. Place in the refrigerator to harden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom sauce-pan melt cream, bittersweet chocolate and peppermint extract. Stir until fully combined and chocolate is shiny. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

4. When the white chocolate is ready, pour the dark chocolate over the white chocolate to form a second layer. Spread evenly with an icing spatula. Place in the freezer to harden for at least 4 hours.

5. To put into ice-cream, remove peppermint bark and coarsely chop it with a knife. To give as gifts, break it into large chunks and place in gift bags.

For the Peppermint Ice-Cream:
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
1/4 t. peppermint extract
3/4 c. granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt

1. Coarsely chop half of the peppermint bark and place it in the freezer.

2. Combine milk, heavy cream, salt and peppermint extract in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar. Add one cup of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add remaining milk mixture to eggs, then pour full mixture back into sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon – about 5 minutes.

3. Pour mixture over a mesh strainer into clean glass bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, and/or up to overnight.

4. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions on time. Add peppermint bark chunks halfway through churning. Scoop into container and freeze for a minimum of two hours.