Our favorite recipes for the holiday season

As the holidays continue to wash through and the year begins to wind down, our chat channels at Nudge Security begin to fill up with recipes. Cocktails, elixirs, sweets, sides…it seems we make ‘em all. Rather than relegate these morsels to the confines of our Slack archive, we thought we’d memorialize them here on our website, where any and all can partake.

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Without further ado, here’s what our team will be sipping, munching, and savoring this winter. Cheers and happy holidays!

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Ginger Brew

Submitted by Emily, Growth Marketing (LI)

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I love this recipe because it can be used in so many different ways. Need a hot drink? Warm it up. Nursing a cold? The combo of ginger, lemon and honey is sooooo soothing. Want a cocktail? Add your spirit of choice and serve cold or hot.

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Big thanks to my friend Nina for sharing it with me, I hope you enjoy it too!

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Ingredients

• 200 g fresh shredded ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 1 liter water

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Instructions

Boil the shredded ginger (you don’t have to peel it) and cinnamon in the water. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Strain and add lemon juice and honey. Store in the fridge.

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Candied Bacon Deviled Eggs (makes 48)

Submitted by Garrett, Product Management (LI)

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Years ago, I realized that, while I would bring sides to turkey day, I never had my "signature" dish so I decided to make deviled eggs of my own.  Now, I bring my "famous" candied bacon deviled eggs to T day every year and they are always a hit.

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For the bacon

• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lb thick-cut bacon

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For the eggs

• 24 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise
• ¾ to 1 ½ cup mayonnaise (or use plain greek yogurt)
• 6 tsp whole grain mustard
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (plus save a few sprigs for garnish)
• 3 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 ½ tsp salt, to taste
• Paprika for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cayenne, and cinnamon. Put bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with half the spiced sugar mixture, and bake for about 15 minutes. Flip the bacon, sprinkle with the remaining spiced sugar, and continue to cook until crispy, about 12 more minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven, allow to cool, then dice and set aside. (Save some for garnishing the eggs, if desired.)

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In a mixing bowl, add egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, scallions, and diced bacon. Mash to combine ingredients. Season with salt to taste. Pro tip! For best results, allow the yolk mixture to set up for a few hours, or overnight.

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Stuff egg halves with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with the paprika and garnish with reserved bacon and dill sprigs, if desired.

Brandy Alexander

Submitted by Rachel, Content (LI)

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This year, while my kids sip (chug) egg nog, I’ll be whipping up Brandy Alexanders for the adults in the room. Perfectly sweet and frothy, they’re a charmingly simple retro delight.

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Ingredients

• 1 oz brandy
• 1 oz creme de cacao
• 1 oz heavy cream
• Nutmeg

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Instructions

Shake brandy, creme de cacao, and cream with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe and grate a bit of fresh nutmeg on top.

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Wassail

Submitted by Chris, Engineering (LI)

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I don’t remember exactly when, but my father started making this one year and it became a yearly holiday tradition. It’s simple, warm, and strangely refreshing. Being from Texas, I don’t drink a lot of “hot” beverages—but this one is great in the cold, or when it’s 80 degrees in December. Hint: You could throw some spiced rum in it if you wanted to kick it up a bit…

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Ingredients

• 3 quarts Apple Juice or Apple Cider
• 3 cups Orange Juice
• 2 cups Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 4 large Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves
• 2 large Star Anise
• 2 small Oranges sliced
• 2 small Lemons sliced

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Instructions

Combine everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Ladle it into some pretty glasses or coffee mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

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The last holiday cut-out cookie recipe you’ll ever need 

Submitted by Danielle, Product Marketing (LI)

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In high school, my best friend and I owned a cottage bakery service called “Pie in the Sky.” This was our go-to recipe for cookie cutters of any shape or occasion. One Valentine’s Day, we sold 20 dozen heart-shaped cookies to our schoolmates, and I still make these every Christmas to hand out to friends and neighbors.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 5 tbsp milk (2% or whole)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or food processor as you would with a pie crust. 
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and baking soda.
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing by hand until it just comes together, forming a short, shaggy dough. Do not overmix.
4. Flour your work surface and your rolling pin. Working in batches, roll out half the dough to a quarter-inch thickness. You may see streaks of shortening, and that’s fine. 
5. Use festive cookie cutters to cut out your cookies. Use a spatula to carefully transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake in a 325° oven for about 9 to 12 minutes or until they’re just set and golden. Do not let the edges brown.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack. Decorate with your favorite sugar cookie icing (recipe), best done with friends and brandy alexanders or wassail. 

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Grandma Hunny’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Submitted by Vincent, Marketing (LI)

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One of my favorite things my grandma makes is a peanut butter fudge that melts in your mouth. As a kid, it was always a great day when you opened the fridge to find a fresh batch of fudge waiting for you. 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup of milk
• 28 oz (one jar) of JIF creamy peanut butter 

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Instructions

In a pot, bring the sugar and milk to a boil until you reach a soft-ball state. (Soft-ball stage happens at 235–240 degrees Fahrenheit: When you transfer a small amount of syrup to cold water, it forms a soft, pliable ball.) Once you have reached this state, remove the mixture from heat and stir in peanut butter. After thoroughly mixing the ingredients together, the mixture begins to thicken. Place in a pie plate or something similar and let the fudge cool in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. 

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Holiday Rum Flip (basically the best eggnog )

Submitted by Jamie, Creative Director (LI)

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This cocktail is more or less an eggnog made in a shaker, but better and a bit lighter ( if you can believe that based on the recipe! ) I have been bringing this to holiday parties for 10+ years, and everytime I run out of everything because everyone wants 3 of them.  Which can be dangerous! Overall the recipe is easy and can be made in double batches if you have a large enough shaker.

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz dark rum (Cruzan single barrel estate, Meyers dark works well also and is easier to find probably, I have even made with spiced Jamaican, it all works)
• 1/2 oz heavy cream
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 1 fresh egg (whole)
• Grated nutmeg (non-negotiable!)
• Optional extra credit: ½ oz of St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur to add some depth beyond just a straight eggnog flavor (feel free to experiment with any spiced or seasonal-tasting liqueur)

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Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker and vigorously dry-shake, without ice—this is what makes the foamy frothy goodness.
2. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, any type will do, but it looks particularly fancy in a classic coupe.
4. Garnish with a light dusting of freshly grated nutmeg—this part is important, it adds the nose note which sets up the whole drink imo.