IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Make and host a holiday feast like Martha Stewart! She shares eggnog, gift ideas

If you're hosting for the holidays this season, making sure your home is warm and inviting is essential. Here, Martha Stewart shares her eggnog recipe, festive centerpieces and gift ideas.Martha's classic eggnogChef's note: The egg yolks and whites in this recipe are not cooked. This dish should not be prepared for pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised. Ingredients:6

If you're hosting for the holidays this season, making sure your home is warm and inviting is essential. Here, Martha Stewart shares her eggnog recipe, festive centerpieces and gift ideas.


Martha's classic eggnog

Chef's note: The egg yolks and whites in this recipe are not cooked. This dish should not be prepared for pregnant women, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised. 

Ingredients:

  • 6 large eggs, separated
  • 3/4 cup superfine sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups heavy cream, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup bourbon, preferably Maker's Mark
  • 1/4 cup dark rum, preferably Mount Gay
  • 1/4 cup Cognac, preferably Remy Martin Grand Cru
  • Freshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling

Beat yolks in a very large bowl until thick and pale. Slowly beat in sugar. Whisk in milk and 2 cups cream. Mix in bourbon, rum, and Cognac. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Just before serving, beat whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into eggnog. Whisk remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form, and fold into eggnog. (Alternatively, you can fold half the whipped cream into eggnog, and top with remaining half.) Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Hot cocoa kit
Give everything needed for great hot chocolate in a beautiful jam jar.

To make this gift, fill a jam jar with good quality cocoa, top with miniature marshmallows and chocolate candies. Wrap with a bow and jingle bells and top with a reindeer swizzle stick.

Candy cane reindeer
Today

Candy cane reindeer

Materials

  • Reindeer template
  • Candy cane
  • Brown felt
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Nontoxic glue
  • Brown or red craft pom-pom
  • Black felt
  • Hole punch
  • Rustic floral wire 

Download and print reindeer template. Place template on brown felt and trace face and ears; cut them out.

Apply face and ears to candy cane using nontoxic glue. Attach craft pom-pom for the nose using nontoxic glue. If making a Rudolph candy cane, use a red pom-pom; otherwise, use brown.

Make eyes by punching two dots out of black felt using a hole punch. Glue black dots to face. Let dry for 15 minutes.

Twist rustic floral wire to make antlers. Attach antlers by twisting around top of candy cane. Twist one small piece onto each side of the main antlers to make branches.

Pomander centerpiece

Place rubberband around grapefruit, start to add cloves. Swap and finish building centerpiece.

Place a rubber band around the middle of a pink grapefruit or orange. Use it as a guide to make an even ring of cloves around the fruit, piercing the skin first with a wooden skewer or nail. Remove rubber band, and make additional rows. If desired, use a hot-glue gun to attach star anise; let the glue dry.

To encourage pomanders to dry evenly and retain their scent for up to one year, shake each in a plastic bag of powdered orrisroot (available at health-food stores) before displaying. Stack the pomanders in a pyramid, using clear plates between the layers and tucking in greenery, such as this mountain laurel, as you go.

Spiced nuts

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups mixed nuts such as pecans, cashews, whole skin-on almonds, Marcona almonds, and peanuts
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until brown and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until melted. Continue cooking until butter becomes fragrant and golden brown, taking care not to burn. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and rosemary; mix in brown butter. Add nuts and toss to combine. Return nuts to baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until nuts are semidry, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.