Favorite Holiday Feasting Rum Recipes

I don't do a lot of cooking at home but when the holidays come round I do enjoy getting into the kitchen. One of my favorite ingredients to use during this season is dark Rum for its mellow warm zeal. The three following recipes are my favorite of them all, one for eggnog grog, one for rum balls and one for a fantastic venison (deer) sauce. To prepare these I typically use one of three brands of dark Rum: Myers's, Whaler's or Captain Morgan. They all well work well and bring satisfying results, though of the the three my preference is Myers's because of its full-bodied flavor of molasses.

Ingredients:

¼ cup unsalted butter

½ cup whipping cream

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

dash of salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 cup venison drippings (room temperature)

2 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

Preparation:

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cream, pepper, garlic sugar and dash of salt. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in venison drippings and rum until mixture reaches even appearance. Serve over freshly prepared venison steaks, tenderloin, roast or sausage. Also makes a tasty rich sauce for cooked scallions. For a less heavy sauce reduce amount of whipping cream as desired.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

¼ cup sugar

dash of salt

1 quart whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

¾ cup bourbon

1/3 cup dark rum

Preparation:

Beat eggs, sugar and salt together in large saucepan.

Stir in two cups of the milk

Cook this mixture over low heat, stirring constantly to avoid milk from scalding and be careful not to allow eggs to curdle while heating.

When mixture is thick and leaves a shiny coat on a spoon remove from heat.

Now stir slowly into this mixture the bourbon and rum.

When appearance is even fold in remaining milk.

Slowly stir in the extract of your choice.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Cover with plastic and set in refrigerator. Thoroughly chill at least three hours.

Serve in individual glasses or mugs. Sprinkle with cinnamon or add cinnamon sticks/toasts for festive appearance.

Ingredients:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white sugar

3 tablespoons corn syrup

½ cup dark rum

2 ½ cups vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies, crushed

1 cup finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans or shredded coconut.

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Preparation:

1st step: Heat chocolate chips on stove over low heat, stirring continuously. When this mixture is melted and smooth, turn heat down to lowest setting. Add sugar and corn syrup and stir for five more minutes. Remove from heat. Pour in rum and stir slowly. Add now the crushed vanilla wafers or cookies and mix with wooden spoon. Add the chopped nuts. Mix until ingredients appear evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate until chocolate dough is firm (usually 2-3 hours).

2nd step: Remove the chilled dough from refrigerator. Over clean wooden surface or one covered with wax paper, roll out the dough and form into bite-size balls. Now layer the working surface area with ground nuts and confectioners sugar. Roll the balls over this mixture. When all balls are evenly covered place on plate or in pan and cover. Store this for three-7 days before serving in order to enhance flavor.