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1 " 4 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup cream In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whip cream with beaters or hand whisk while slowly adding dry ingredients. Whip until soft peaks form. (Don’t over whip.) Makes 6 to 8 servings. "
― Camron Wright , Christmas by Accident
2 " 1 package (3.4 oz.) instant French vanilla pudding mix 2 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon ginger ⅛ teaspoon allspice 5 cups milk (whole or 2%) ¾ cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon rum extract (optional) Combine dry pudding mix, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice; mix together well. Combine milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, and rum extract in a large bowl. Slowly hand whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients until mixed thoroughly. (Do not use a blender.) Refrigerate for at least one hour to thicken (two or three hours is better). Stir well. (If the consistency is thicker than desired, add ½ to 1 cup milk to thin.) Pour into cups, garnish each with a spoonful of cinnamon whipped cream (next page), sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg, and enjoy! "
3 " Before you begin baking, be sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. They will mix more easily and the finished cheesecakes will have a smoother texture. Crust: Purchase a package of your favorite chocolate wafer cookies. (For a gluten-free option, omit the crust, letting the bottom chocolate cheesecake layer become the crust.) Cheesecake Filling: 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 3 large eggs ½ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For Chocolate Filling: 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled For Peppermint Filling: 1 cup crushed peppermint candy canes (approximately 6 large candy canes) 1 teaspoon peppermint extract Sour Cream Topping: 1¼ cups sour cream ⅓ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: Chopped peppermint candies and chocolate chunks. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Put paper liners in 24 muffin cups. Put a chocolate wafer cookie in each muffin cup. Filling: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, just until blended. Fold in sour cream and vanilla. Divide batter between two bowls. Mix melted chocolate into one bowl. Stir crushed peppermint candies and extract into the other bowl of batter. Put a spoonful of chocolate filling into the bottom of each muffin cup over crust. Carefully smooth until even with a small knife. Spoon peppermint filling over chocolate layer to cover until the cups are almost full. Smooth with knife as before. Bake 18–20 minutes, being careful to not overbake. "
4 " 2 cups milk (whole milk preferred) 1 cup heavy cream 5 ounces quality dark chocolate, chopped (approximately 72% cocoa) 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ cup quality caramel sauce, divided (Torani brand, if available) 4–5 gingersnap cookies, crushed Whipped cream Mix milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan and heat on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until just before the mixture simmers (the edges will barely begin to bubble). Use a large enough saucepan to ensure it isn’t more than half full. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and ½ cup of the caramel sauce. Continue to heat for two or three minutes, whisking occasionally. It will thicken slightly. (If it begins to boil, turn down the heat.) Ladle hot cocoa into mugs until they are half to three-quarters full. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle generously with gingersnap crumbles. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce. Enjoy! "
5 " To find purpose in our problems, to see past the ugliness, rather than step back, we should get closer. Only then will we notice the beauty. "
6 " accolades, let us simply remember to: LaughMore, for laughter is the window through which we glimpse the joy of God; HopeMore, because tomorrow life will give us another chance; GiveMore, for when we share our time, we share our most prized possession; ForgiveMore, because as we forgive others, we learn to also forgive ourselves; and LoveMore, for while faith may have the power to move mountains, love has the remarkable power to change the human heart. "
7 " Hemingway said it aptly: ‘We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master. "