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Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Jell-o Shots With Sugared Cranberries 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Jell-O Shots With Sugared Cranberries! The holidays ring in the cheer with festive activities, enticing food, and snappy beverages. Make things awesome with dressed up Jell-O shots that cap off any occasion. Not only do they have an elegant look, but they satisfy the sweet tooth as a miniature dessert. By creating a garnish of fresh fruit with the sugared cranberries, it’s a classy finish with a gourmet twist! 
JELL-O SHOTS WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES 
For Make-Ahead Sugared Cranberries:

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup filtered water

12-ounce bag fresh cranberries 

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup filtered water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Add cranberries. To prevent cranberries from bursting, do not boil. Stir until well coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack. Let dry for one hour. Working in batches, roll cranberries in remaining sugar until well coated. Refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Store in airtight container. 
Ingredients for Jell-o Shots:

3-ounce package raspberry gelatin 

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup amaretto liqueur 

1/2 cup ice water

Sugared cranberries Rosemary sprigs
Instructions:

Empty contents of raspberry gelatin packet into a mixing bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add iced water and amaretto liqueur and iced water. Stir well. Pour into shot glasses. Refrigerate until set, 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs just before serving. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Zabaglione Parfait! That’s Italian. In English it translates to a decadent light custard, bordering on mousse, whipped into a parfait of romance-in-a-glass. Add fruit, toasted coconut, and a smidgen of nutmeg for a dessert that will have everyone exclaiming, “That’s Amoré!”
ZABAGLIONE PARFAIT 
Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream, whipped 3-5 minutes

3 egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon citrus peel, granulated 

1 pinch nutmeg 

2 drops almond extract 

1/4 cup sweet vermouth, or almond liqueur 

1/4 cup raspberry preserves 

Fresh raspberries 

French Vanilla Wafer Rolls

Toasted coconut 
Instructions:

In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use. In the bottom of a double boiler, bring water to a simmer and reduce heat to low. In the top of the double boiler, place eggs and sugar. Add granulated lemon citrus peel, nutmeg, and almond extract. Pour in sweet vermouth or amaretto liqueur. Whisk the custard mixture to create a light, fluffy consistency. Do not allow the water to boil. Continue whisking for 10 minutes, until the custard triples in volume. It will turn pale and frothy. The custard will be slightly thickened when ready. Set aside for 15 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard, reserving a portion for a garnish. The texture will appear like mousse. Place a dollop of raspberry preserves into the bottom of each parfait glass. Next, divide the custard equally between the parfait glasses. Top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle on toasted coconut. Finish with a dab of whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Dish up with a French vanilla wafer roll for nibbling. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter R

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Raspberry Pots de Crème! A taste of France is knocking on the door, and it arrives at your table in a little porcelain dish. The rich dark chocolate, with a hint of liqueur, satisfies that sweet craving at the end of a meal. Top off each pot de crème with luscious whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and a mint sprig for an extraordinary dessert that is sure to please. 
RASPBERRY POTS DE CRÈME
Ingredients:

2 large eggs, room temperature 

4 tablespoons sugar

Pinch sea salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels

4 tablespoons bourbon whiskey or preferred liqueur 

1 1/3 cups half and half

1 pint raspberries, fresh

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Whipped cream

Mint sprigs
Instructions:

In a blender combine eggs, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and bourbon whiskey. Blend to break up chocolate. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Do not scorch. Pour milk into blender while it is running. Blend 1 minute to cook eggs and dissolve chocolate. Immediately pour into small coffee cups or porcelain ramekins. Refrigerate 3-4 hours until firm. Warm the raspberry jam for 20 seconds in the microwave oven. Add fresh raspberries to make a sauce. To serve, place a dollop of whipped cream over the chocolate. Spoon raspberry sauce over whipped cream. Garnish with fresh mint sprig.

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter A

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Junkie Favorites: Amaretto Strawberries Romanoff! Have you ever tasted vanilla extract? Well, amaretto tastes nothing like that. It has a smooth sweet hint of almonds with just a smidgen of apricot undertones. When you fold it into Greek yogurt, it transforms a dish of fresh strawberries into a light and elegant dessert you could easily find on a gourmet restaurant menu. 
AMARETTO STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF 
Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur 

Fresh mint sprig
Instructions:

Wash strawberries; pat dry. In a small bowl gently stir yogurt and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Fold in amaretto liqueur. Transfer to a decorative dish, garnish with fresh mint, and place on a serving platter. Arrange strawberries around sauce. Serve with frilled toothpicks.