I’ve been MIA this past week because I was scrambling to get all my presents and Christmas cards in the mail. My family all live out of state/country so I generally like to get their gifts out in early December to avoid all the craziness at retail stores and the post office.  When I looked at the calendar last week and realized it was already the second week of December, I totally freaked out because I had NOTHING ready to go. On top of that, I was hosting some gal pals for an “Ugly Christmas Sweater/White Elephant” party and had yet to start getting things together for that.  So there you have it, my long-winded excuse for neglecting my poor lil’ blog. But, I sweet-talked it and begged for forgiveness, so I think we’re on good terms again  

Anyway, I still need to get photos uploaded onto the computer from the little holiday party, but I figured I’d go ahead and share one of the recipes since I missed this week’s “Fave Recipe Friday.” Since this was a festive gathering, I definitely wanted to include eggnog, but wanted a version with less calories without sacrificing flavor. Lucky for me, the latest issue of the Food Network Magazine had a lovely low-fat recipe (btw: thanks to my dear friend Jen in San Diego for the 1 year subscription as a b-day gift ). The vanilla and citrus add a nice subtle flavor. However, if you’re not a big fan of really thick (almost borderline chunky) eggnog, I recommend adding an additional 1/2 cup or so of milk at the end before you chill it. For those watching their waistline: this recipe has about 95 fewer calories and 6g less fat compared to your regular eggnog.

Low-Fat Eggnog

Serves 6

2 cups nonfat milk

2 large strips orange and/or lemon zest

1 vanilla bean

2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

White rum or bourbon (optional)

Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

Combine 1.5 cups milk and the citrus zest in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; add the seeds and pod to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl until light yellow. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then pour back into the pan. Place over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight motion until the eggnog begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk to stop the cooking. Transfer the eggnog to a large bowl and place over a larger bowl of ice to cool, then chill until ready to serve. Remove the zest and vanilla pod. Spike the eggnog with liquor, if desired, and garnish with nutmeg.