Gimme Some of That Eggnog - Cake That Is

This is actually about Christmas spirit--no, not the liquor kind of spirit. Although I did find some REALLY good pomegranate liqueur the other day; but I digress.

This is about the Christmas spirit I didn't have this holiday season. You know, the kind that is precipitated by warm childhood memories, the Clydesdale horse commercial, It's a Wonderful Life reruns, and the rich, nutmeg-y smell of eggnog. I didn't have the Christmas spirit that I expect every Christmas season, and it was beginning to bother me.

Even the normal kitchen activities--baking those great cranberry-dotted breads, big thick, soft sugar cookies, melting chocolate for candies--enjoyable as they were, didn't bring it on. In fact, all my warm fuzzy memories of Christmases past were making me downright melancholy.

What finally coaxed my lazy spirit into being was not hearing Bing sing "White Christmas" or the ambrosial steam from a glass of wassail or placing the old quilt as a blanket under the Christmas tree. It was a comment from an acquaintance about some discouragement she was experiencing. With my heartfelt "buck up--it'll get better", my elusive Christmas spirit came bouncing back, as comfortable and familiar as my favorite pair of musical Christmas socks. My gift to her was encouragement, and with that humble gift, my spirit was gifted in return.

Not finding my Christmas spirit in nostalgic expectations led to something infinitely more lasting for me.

And getting back to the eggnog...although I don't bake with cake mixes as much as I used to, this is a nice recipe for Eggnog Pound Cake that I found on Allrecipes.com.

Eggnog Pound Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup eggnog
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a mixing bowl, combine ingredients and beat on low until moistened, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 12-cup fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack.

I drizzled an icing of powdered sugar, butter, eggnog, and butterscotch schnappes (now that's Christmas spirit!)

"Pumpking" Pie

Yes I know it's misspelled. Every time I type "pumpkin" it just seems natural to add a "g". I actually saw it misspelled the same way on another website just last week.

My opportunities to misspell pumpkin were numerous before Thanksgiving because I made a list of all the pumpkin possibilities I wanted to try for Thanksgiving dinner. My choices ranged from Pumpkin Cheesecake to Pumpkin Streusel pie to pumpkin pudding, just to name a few. Oh, and pumpkin cupcakes.

I think I gave myself too many pumpkin choices, because along with Honey Crunch Pecan Pie, Apple Crumble Pie, Sugar Cookie Cutouts, and Sweet Pumpkin Cupcakes, I ended up making a plain and simple Libby's pumpkin pie. With the other, more interesting desserts on the table, just a few pieces were eaten, including the sliver I got (just to make sure it was OK, mind you). After dinner, I put it in one of the refrigerator drawers, then forgot about it until three days later. By that time, I was worried that it was past its prime, so I furtively threw it into the trash (I had to be furtive because Hubby was looking for it.)

Because Hubby had asked so plaintively for his pumpkin (I just typed pumpking again) pie, I decided to make another pumpkin pie on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I wanted to try something different, because now I had the time to start testing those other pumpkin recipes that I had eyed so avidly while planning the Thanksgiving menu. I chose a pumpkin pie recipe that listed honey as the sweetener. It baked up beautifully and I proudly served it up. Hubby always has his pie top-heavy with Cool Whip, and as long as it tastes like pumpkin, he is happy. (After all, this is the man that, on a distant past Thanksgiving when I was so sick I forgot add sugar to the pumpkin pie, did not notice because most of his mouthfuls were filled with airy bites of faux whipped cream.) I had two pieces of the honey pumpkin pie, because I was pumpkin hungry, and it was good.

Now here is the sad truth: I missed my Libby's pie. That pie--the one I threw away--was really good. It was the old tried and true recipe, with the good, earthy mouth-feel of pumpkin, just the right amount of sugar, and the familiar--and perfect--blend of spices.

So next year, with the possible exception of a pumpkin cheesecake, I think I will stick with Libby's "Pump-King" Pie--why mess with perfection?