Hot Buttered Rum on a cold winter's night

Hot Buttered Rum's and Ginger Cookies

I thought I might as well chime in on the "hot" drinks that everyone is blogging about. I've seen recipes for mocha's and hot chocolates, but one of my favorite holiday drinks are Hot Buttered Rums. I make the batter around Thanksgiving and if I'm lucky it will last until the middle of January. It's a very sweet drink, so you can't drink more than one in a sitting. Usually. I guess there are always exceptions to the rule. But they are really, really sweet.

Christmas time, when I was young, would be spent between my maternal and paternal grandparents homes. They lived one block from each other. My paternal grandparents would make Tom and Jerry's during the holidays, my maternal grandparents would have Hot Buttered Rums. Honestly, I've never made the Tom and Jerry's. I guess because I just love the HBR's so much.

They are best on a snowy day, of course. And with a good homemade cookie.
An old movie, or a good book, don't' hurt much either. If it can all come together at the same time, it's heaven!

Hot Buttered Rum

1 lb real butter
1 lb brown sugar
1 lb white sugar
1/2 gallon real vanilla ice-cream

melt together over slow heat. Store in a jar or Tupperware container in the fridge for a few days, then freeze and use when you need it.

I like mine with hot milk, but most people like their's made with just hot water. With milk, it's like a warm butterscotch treat. Mmmmm.

Use 2 Tbls of the batter
1 oz light rum
mix together in a coffee mug and add boiling water or hot milk.
Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.

The cookie you should make?

Spicy and Soft Gingersnaps.(a combination of 3 recipes) (if it sounds similar to your recipe, it probably is...thanks. I give you credit. I just can't remember exactly who I borrowed this combination from. but they are really REALLY good)

1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
2 cups flour, plus 2 tblsp
cinnamon and sugar for rolling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream together the oil, sour cream, sugar and molasses. Stir in the egg. Add pepper, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Stir in flour. The dough will be soft and sticky. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in cinnamon/sugar and place on cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are spread and looking crackly. for softer cookies, under bake slightly, for crispy ones, let them go a minute longer. Let cool on cookie sheets for two minutes. Transfer to rack .
Mmmmm.....good.

My Back yard Birds in last week. They are right outside my kitchen window. One thing I love about my kitchen. I could bake and watch the snow fall all day!