"holiday recipes" news and stories

I was going to mention that today is National Eggnog Day, but we've already talked about it being National Eggnog Month and I didn't want to overnog readers. So I won't even mention that today is National Eggnog Day.

Here's a recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding Eggnog from Food & Wine. It's a little twist on the traditional egg nog recipe. As cook Eben Freeman explains, it's both a drink and a dessert, because it's rather thick (as was traditional eggnog back in the day). This might be good to make for tomorrow. Your family and friends might be surprised at the caramel taste mixed in with the Cognac, dark rum, and cream.

I failed geometry in high school. Miserably. I don't even like typing the word because it brings back bad memories. Luckily, as a writer, I don't come across many times where I have to think about geometry.

This is one of those times though: Christmas cookies! Geometry is one of the inspirations for the cookie recipes in the new issue of Gourmet magazine, along with color and texture. Though I think that "nature" would be the better theme, since they say they're dealing with "what we see in nature, whether frost in a field or gemstones gleaming in the sun."

Check out the recipes for Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies, Pistachio Cranberry Icebox Cookies, Tea and Honey Crisps, and several others. Some of these might look great used as ornaments for your tree (especially the Gilded Sesame Cookies).

• I love holiday issues of cooking magazines (I collect them), and Rachael Ray's is no exception. This is the Thanksgiving issue, and she covers everything from Herb-Roasted Turkey with Dried Plums and Stuffing to the best Pecan Pie.
• Speaking of turkey: have you tried making it on the grill?
• Holidays, of course, are made for booze! Check out these recipes for the Pumpkintini and Cranberry Punch.
• Check out what House star Lisa Edelstein eats all day.
• More recipes: Double Chocolate Scones with Cinnamon Butter, Crunchy Breadsticks, Shepherd's Pie, and Oatmeal-Raisin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.
• In the print edition (should be on the site too, bu the link is wrong): You might be making candy this season (and you're certainly making some for our Candy Day tomorrow, right?), so check out which candy thermometers work best.