The really thick stuff has carrageenan in it.
I used to make egg nog....beat raw egg yolks with sugar until they are lemon colored and make a ribbon...stir in half and half, vanilla, rum or brandy, beat the egg whites with sugar and flod into the eggnog...top with blobs of whipped creama nd dustw ith nutmeg.
do yous till want to make that for your kids...if so I'll look up the recipe.
you can make a good egg nog for kids by making a custard out of the eggs and milk and sugar...beat in more milk and flavor with vanilla and rum extract.
Linda C

We have made the Emeril one. It's awesome (but horrible for you).

Here is a link that might be useful: Recipe

Oh Lordy, Jessica...just reading that recipe makes me feel like I gained weight. I'll have to try it now. LOL!

Hubby will have a small amount of Egg Nog for the holiday seasons but no one else seems to like it. Yea, the yummy recipe can be pretty waistline unfriendly. I never touch that stuff! :-) Al

I was just thinking about egg nog yesterday, wondering if I will ever make it again. To me, the store bought stuff isn't worth it - the cost or the calories. If you're going to splurge on egg nog, make the good stuff.

We've used this recipe from Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cooking from 1966 for many, many years and it always gets rave reviews. Not calorie friendly, but it is fabulous.

Christmas Eggnog

3 egg yolks
3/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 C milk
1 C heavy cream
1 Tbsp sherry extract
3 egg whites
Grated nutmeg

Beat egg yolks; gradually add 1/2 C sugar and the salt, beating constantly. Gradually add milk and cream. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon. Cool. Add sherry extract; chill. Beat egg whites until stiff; gradually add remaining sugar, beating constantly until stiff. Fold into chilled custard. When ready to serve, pour into chilled punch bowl; sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 2 quarts.

Oh my! I am going to have to try both of those recipes, but I will leave the booze out for the kiddos.

Thanks so much!

Alexa

My favorite eggnog recipe is the one in the New York Times Cookbook, but it's one of those heart-attacks-in-a-glass recipes.

Last year I accidentally made a poor slob's eggnog after a party when I had some grocery store-bought eggnog and some Cool Whip left over. I folded the CW into the eggnog, and voila! I forget what the ratio was, but for someone who is not an eggnog connoisseur, it was fun, and DOES leave a white ring around your mouth!

It's not one of those "oh, my chocolate fell in my peanut butter - let's call it a peanut butter cup!" moments, but a good way to get rid of some leftovers.

I haven't tried this yet; it just appeared in this month's issue of Sunset magazine. I find their recipes quite reliable:

Coconut Eggnog
Time: 20 minutes, plus 4 hours to steep and chill.
Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients
1 pt. half-and-half
4 cinnamon sticks (3 1/2 in. long)
1 teaspoon whole cloves
5 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
1 1/4 cups light or dark rum (optional)
Ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg

1. Heat half-and-half, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan, stirring, until boiling. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Strain and return to pan.

2. Whisk egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk into half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until mixture reaches 160° (don't boil). Stir in coconut milk. Let cool, then chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

3. Buzz half of mixture at a time in a blender until frothy. Pour into a bowl and stir in rum if you like. Ladle into glasses and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Sunset magazine, DECEMBER 2009