10 ways you know Christmas is coming at the Dowd's

Work... shopping... graduation.... cleaning.....decorating....baking....you notice blogging is squeezed out in all the hectic preparation. But I do want to touch base with all of you who are also in the throes of holiday preparation, and share a recipe that will surely make you much more relaxed at the end of a tough day at the mall or an evening untangling the Christmas lights. It is a recipe for eggnog, that, in our family is legendary and its pedigree is supposedly the recipe used in the White House. I posted this last year, and Epicurious editor Tanya Wenman Steele wanted to make it - I hope she didn't forget, but if she did, here it is for her and any of you who want to taste the very best eggnog there is! But first, here are ten ways you can tell Christmas is coming to the Dowd house:

1) Bags under my eyes.

2) Smell of Pine-Sol everywhere.

3) Bags of packages hidden in every closet and the basement.

4) Lots of whispered conversations

5) Lists everywhere.

6) Dark circles under my eyes.

7) 30 Christmas balls all around in different stages of being painted with a design I do annually.

8) Dowds go to the liquor (ABC) store

9) The "snowman room" is set up.

10) We make the eggnog!!

Dowd "White House" Eggnog

12 eggs, separated (I use pasteurized eggs so I don't have to worry about the dangers of raw eggs)
1 lb confectioner's sugar
2 cups bourbon (nothing from the cheap bottom shelf of the ABC store)
2 cups rum (See above tip)
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart half and half
Freshly grated nutmeg

Beat egg yolks until light in color and slowly beat in the confectioner's sugar. Very slowly, beat in one cup of bourbon and 1 cup of rum. Once liquors are incorporated, let this mixture to stand at least an hour before continuing. This will help get rid of the "eggy" taste.

Next beat in the remainder of the liquor and one quart of half and half, and then refrigerate for at least three hours.

Next beat the egg whites until stiff and beat the whipping cream to soft peaks (This will take longer with the pasteurized eggs, but add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and keep whipping-it will happen ). Fold egg whites into egg yolk-sugar and liquor mixture until incorporated fully, then fold in whipped cream thoroughly. Grate nutmeg over the top.

I store mine in large plastic pitchers with lids so that each time, you can shake up the eggnog to make sure everything is well incorporated. Makes about 1- 1 1/2 gallons eggnog.