"Sugar-free" Egg Nog from Scratch

This is a variation of the from-scratch egg nog recipe I recently posted. I would definitely double it!

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener (I like the Splenda brand)
1 cup 10% cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (or less if it's fresh!)
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon, for topping

Instructions

Whisk the egg yolks and monk fruit sweetener together in a medium bowl until light and creamy.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg and salt. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer.

Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs.

Once most of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove.

Whisk constantly for a minute or so, until the mixture is just slightly thickened (or until it reaches about 160 degrees F on a thermometer). It will thicken more as it cools.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the eggnog through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher or other container and cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools. If you want a thinner, completely smooth consistency, you can add the entire mixture to a blender with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth.

Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Store homemade eggnog in the fridge for up to one week.

NOTES

I bought a fresh jar of nutmeg and I'm finding it very potent. I reduced it from 1/2 tsp for one batch to about 3/4 tsp for a double batch.

Egg Nog From Scratch

I have always thought egg nog was ... less than appetizing. But, my husband loves it, so I thought I'd make it from scratch and give it a try. Now it's a favorite for both of us. This version is inspired by Tastes Better From Scratch. I always make a double batch.

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup 10% cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon, for topping



Instructions

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and creamy.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, milk, nutmeg and salt. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer.

Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs.

Once most of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove.

Whisk constantly for a minute or so, until the mixture is just slightly thickened (or until it reaches about 160 degrees F on a thermometer). It will thicken more as it cools.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the eggnog through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher or other container and cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools. If you want a thinner, completely smooth consistency, you can add the entire mixture to a blender with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth.

Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Store homemade eggnog in the fridge for up to one week.

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

This is a variation on my basic cinnamon bun recipe.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. (Not 350).

Bun dough:

1 cup mashed potatoes
2 tbsp yeast
2 cups warm milk or potato water

3/4 cup softened butter
2 eggs beaten

1 cup mashed bananas
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

6 cups flour

Inside the buns:
3Tbsp melted butter (to spread onto dough)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (to sprinkle onto melted butter)
2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix potatoes and milk or potato water in blender. Pour into large mixing bowl. Add sugar and yeast.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add 6 cups flour and knead until soft. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch and make rolls (with brown sugar and cinnamon). Let rolls rise 30 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes.


Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp butter
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix. Heat to boiling. Pour over rolls when done or just before serving. Enjoy!

Sourdough Sandwich Loaf

 This is a work in progress. I don't know how to save it as a draft.

• 50g active sourdough starter – make sure it’s bubbly and fed about 12 hours before baking.

• 275g water – lukewarm water helps activate the fermentation process.

• 60g olive oil – adds moisture and tenderness to the crumb.

• 15g honey – adds just a touch of sweetness; maple syrup or sugar can be substituted.

• 500g all-purpose flour – this provides the structure and strength the bread needs.

• 10g salt – essential for flavor and helping to control fermentation.

You don’t need any fancy flour or equipment here — just a mixing bowl, a loaf pan, and a little care.

---

Instructions

Mix the Dough

Start by combining the sourdough starter, water, olive oil, and honey in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve everything, then add the flour and salt. Mix with a spoon or your hands until no dry flour remains. The dough will look a bit shaggy at first, but that’s okay — it will smooth out during kneading.

Knead and Rest

Transfer the dough to a clean surface or keep it in the bowl to knead. Work it for 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and slightly tacky. If kneading by hand, use the heel of your palm to push the dough forward, fold it back, and repeat. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Overnight Rise

After the initial rest, place the dough in the refrigerator for an overnight cold fermentation — about 10–12 hours. This slow rise improves both the flavor and the digestibility of the bread. By morning, your dough should be noticeably puffier and roughly doubled in size.

Shape the Dough

Lightly flour your countertop, then gently turn out the cold dough. Pat it into a rectangle, roll it up tightly like a log, and pinch the seam closed. Place the dough seam-side down into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Smooth the top and make a few shallow slashes if you like.

Final Proof

Let the shaped dough rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or until it domes nicely over the edge of the pan by about 1 inch. The exact time can vary depending on your kitchen temperature — don’t rush this step. A properly proofed loaf will feel airy and spring back slightly when pressed.

Bake

Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Once the dough is ready, place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 45–50 minutes. The top should be a rich golden brown, and the loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If your oven tends to run hot, you can cover the top loosely with foil halfway through to prevent over-browning.

Cool

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes to finish setting. Then gently remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slicing too early can make the bread gummy — so give it at least 45 minutes before cutting.

Orange Rolls, simplified

April 17, 2025 I made the full recipe of Citrus Buns, and for some reason, I had to fight the dough. It just didn't go as I had thought it would. Plus, it's a giant batch. Five-and-a-half dozen buns. So, I'll go back to my tried-and-true cinnamon bun recipe and adapt it to be my new orange rolls go-to recipe. As of today, April 18, I haven't tried it as written, but I'm fully confident it'll be great.

Bun dough:

1 cup mashed potatoes
2 tbsp yeast
2 cups potato water or milk
3/4 cup softened butter
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
6 cups of flour

Inside the buns:
3Tbsp melted butter (to spread onto dough)
2 cups sweetened coconut

1 cup white sugar

zest from one orange and one lemon

Blend mashed potatoes and potato water/milk. (I'm considering putting an orange in as well.)

Add the other ingredients and mix well. Add 6 cups flour and knead until soft. Cover and let rise 1 hour.

Punch and make rolls with coconut/zest filling. Let rolls rise 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Sauce:
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter

juice from one lemon

Mix. Heat to boiling. Pour over rolls when done or just before serving. Enjoy!

Banana Muffins and variations (spinach, pumpkin)

I have no idea where this recipe came from originally. It's in "the white recipe book" (aka a collection from a group of church friends about 20 years ago).

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)

1 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed*

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt*

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a small bowl, stir mashed bananas and baking soda together. Set aside.

Beat eggs in a small bowl until frothy. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add half of the eggs, mixing again. Add second half of eggs, mix again. Stir in mashed bananas, mix again.

Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Stir to moisten. Spoon into prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

I reduce sugar in most recipes. This recipe could be delicious with half the amount of sugar.

If you reduce the sugar, also reduce the salt.

Variations

You can use other ingredients in place of banana. We love a 2/3 banana with 1/3 spinach version. I use the blocks of frozen chopped spinach from Superstore. Half of one block is enough for one batch of muffins. Thaw it. Liquid can be added to batter, too.

Pumpkin muffins are great as well. Replace the entire portion of bananas with pumpkin puree, add 2 tsp pumpkin spices. For this version, use the full 1 cup of brown sugar.

Pumpkin spice mix (I make a big batch, usually about 8X this, and use 2 tsp at a time)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

Southwestern Egg Rolls

I have no idea why these are called egg rolls.... This is inspired by this social media post by Freddsters 

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds removed if you want it more mild)

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chili powder (guajillo variety, if you have it)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 cup black beans (I used a whole can of beans, drained and rinsed)

1 cup corn (I used a whole can of corn, drained and rinsed)

1 small package of fresh baby spinach or half a package of frozen spinach

1 lime, juiced

Shredded cheese of choice

10 large flour tortillas

Avocado Ranch Dip

2 avocados, mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 cup ranch dressing

finely chopped cilantro to taste

1 small clove of garlic, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Saute onion, jalapeno, and garlic for a few minutes.

Add spices and bell peppers, cook for a few minutes.

Add in beans, corn, and spinach, cook until spinach is wilted.

Mix avocado ranch dip.

Lay out all 10 tortillas, add cheese to each one, divide the filling evenly. Roll them up, lay them in a frying pan with a little olive oil until browned, turn to brown on each side. 

These make a great meal, about one to one-and-a-half per person is plenty. They are great as leftovers, and make a nice breakfast with a side of eggs.