Caffeine Headaches

If you frequently consume coffee or tea, it's not unlikely that you've experienced caffeine headaches before. Caffeine headaches are the result of excess caffeine consumption or caffeine withdrawal. They are usually felt most strongly behind the eyes, and can range from fairly mild to completely debilitating. (Hey, caffeine withdrawal wasn't recognized as a disorder without good reason!)

You can learn more about caffeine headaches, including causes and cures, with my new article on caffeine headaches.

Have you experienced caffeine headaches before? How did you cure them? Share your tips with other readers in the comments below!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Banana Smoothie (NA)

This is a tasty recipe for a non-alcoholic Banana Smoothie that is easy to make and fabulous for summer afternoons with the whole family. One of the best parts of this mocktail is that you probably have the ingredients right there in your kitchen. If you want to spike this drink add 1 ounce of banana liqueur or vodka. If you're really crazy, you can use a flavored vodka like vanilla or banana (it's hard to find but out there).

Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 sliced bananas
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a blender in the following order: honey, vanilla extract, bananas, vanilla yogurt and ice.
2. Gradually increase the blending speed and blend until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour the drink into a chilled hurricane or cordial glass.

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Egg Nog Recipes

Love it or hate it, egg nog is a traditional holiday drink that's not going away anytime soon. (I thought I hated egg nog for years, and then I realized that I just don't really like uncut cream and whole milk in my drinks. Call me boring, but now I make egg nog with low-fat milk or a dairy alternative.)

Luckily, there are many ways you can make egg nog, so there's something to please (almost) everyone. Non-traditional favorites include cooked egg nog (which skips any risks associated with consuming raw eggs), dairy-free egg nog and spiked egg nog. You can explore traditional and non-traditional egg nog recipes, plus egg nog dessert recipes, in my egg nog recipe collection. Enjoy!

Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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What's Up With Cake and Other Dessert Vodkas?

What is up with dessert vodkas? This is the question I've been asking myself lately. At first I thought it was just a passing fancy that one or two vodka makers were testing out on the market, but then they began to multiply and though there are still only a handful of vodkas offered, it seems to be a big hit.

UV Cake Vodka

So, then I ask why, how, and what? The last part of that is simple astonishment that someone would conceive of making a vodka flavored to taste like cake, cupcakes, marshmallow, or whipped cream.? Yet, if we think about those drinkers - many of which read this blog - who enjoy the sweeter side of cocktails, this trend is really a natural progression in the distilled spirits market. Many people enjoy drinks that replicate the flavor of their favorite desserts and baked goods (i.e. Chocolate Martini, Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Pie, Wedding Cake) and these vodkas make these drinks even easier to obtain.

A little open-minded exploration and a conversation with Dean Phillips of Phillips Distilling, makers of UV Vodka, and I get it... these vodkas are simply fun and an answer by the vodka industry to consumer demand. Also, I've learned that, while at first these vodkas seem limited in their use in cocktails, they're actually quite versatile. Phillips pointed out that you could mix UV Cake with almost anything from root beer to pineapple juice. The recipes I scoured included the indulgent (Dark 'n Fluffy) to the more savory with a sweetened twist (Carrot Cake) and I think that, whether the flavor is cake, marshmallow, or whipped cream, these flavors are almost interchangeable with one another in cocktails. One thing I noticed is that all of them are excellent with coffee similar to Irish Coffee, whipped cream included of course!

I know, I know... purists find these (and most) flavored spirits detestable, for lack of a better word, but no one says that you have to drink them. There are just as many people who adore these new vodkas and I say go for it! Explore the flavor possibilities and share your discoveries with friends. We don't know what is up next in the vodka category but I have a feeling this trend is not going to end soon, so go with it and have fun with whatever drink you choose.

Read more about Dessert Flavored Vodkas and find more cocktails...

On a side note, if cake vodka blows your mind, check out Rumskey. Yeah, it's exactly what it sounds like (rum and whiskey in one).

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Thanksgiving Drinks

Do you know which drinks you're going to serve this Thanksgiving? Or, like most people, are you putting your drink menu off until the last minute, long after the food menu is planned? If you're in need of some ideas for Thanksgiving drinks, check out these suggestions for Thanksgiving coffee drinks, tea drinks and more:

• Thanksgiving drink pairings, including cocktails, beer and wine, as well as coffee and tea
• Pumpkin drink recipes, perfect for pairing with pumpkin pie
• Egg nog recipes, including many variations on a classic Thanksgiving drink
• Hot chocolate recipes, great for kids and adults

Have you decided which drinks are you serving this Thanksgiving? Share your drink menu with other About.com readers in the comments below!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Egg Nog Recipes

Like apple cider and hot chocolate, egg nog is a holiday drink that many people look forward to each year. Perhaps it's nostalgia. Perhaps its the warming spices, heavy cream or alcohol. Whatever the reason, egg nog is popular at many holiday gatherings. Here are a few of the many variations on egg nog recipes that you can serve during the holidays:

Rum Egg Nog Recipes

Rum is one of the most common liquors for spiking egg nog. These recipes spike egg nog with rum and rum alone. For egg nogs with multiple spirits, see "Other Spiked Egg Nog Recipes," below.

• Rum Eggnog is easy to make with the help of this how-to video.
• Cooked Eggnog can be made with or without rum.
• Rum Holiday Egg Nog uses Mount Gay rum, almond extract, vanilla extract, nutmeg and cinnamon for a warming flavor profile.
• Thanks to the bacteria-killing effects of rum, Make-Ahead Eggnog can be prepared over Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed at Christmas.

Brandy Egg Nog Recipes

Like rum, brandy is a popular additive for many egg nog lovers. Here are two of my favorite brandy egg nog recipes:

• Brandy Egg Nog is a quick, easy recipe akin to the type of egg nog cocktail you'd get in a bar or lounge.
• Homemade Brandy Egg Nog is a more elaborate brandy egg nog recipe.

Other Egg Nog Recipes With Alcohol

Beyond rum and brandy, there are lots of ways to spike egg nog. These recipes include multiple liquors, whiskey, peach brandy or other spirits:

• Old-Fashioned Egg Nog includes brandy and rum, as well as heavy whipping cream.
• Eggnog With Brandy, Bourbon or Rum is a versatile and detailed egg nog recipe.
• Chocolate Egg Nog provides a chocolaty, boozy flavor with chocolate milk, Kahlua and rum.
• Baltimore Egg Nog features peach brandy, plus regular brandy and light rum.
• Hypatia's Egg Nog includes Grand Marnier, rum and brandy.
• Bourbon Eggnog uses bourbon whiskey in lieu of rum or brandy.
• Easy Holiday Eggnog gets its kick from both bourbon and brandy.
• Vegan Egg Nog can be spiked with many vegan liquors, including various rums and brandies.
• Kenucky Egg Nog Spike is a spice-infused mixture of spirits that you can use to perk up plain egg nog.
• Egg Nog Martini is more a recipe for a martini with egg nog than an eggnog recipe, but it may be of interest to those who want their egg nog extra-heavy on alcohol.

No Alcohol Egg Nog Recipes

Although most of the recipes above can be made without alcohol, these are most easily adapted for non-alcoholic egg nog recipes:

• Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog is a great recipe for kids and adults.
• Cooked Eggnog can be made with or without rum.

Easy Egg Nog Recipes

Looking for quick, easy egg nog recipes? Look no further:

• As the name suggests, Easy Egg Nog is very easy to make.
• Brandy Egg Nog is a quick, shaken drink that can easily be made at a bar.
• These two recipes for Cooked Egg Nog are easy to make (plus you probably won't have to worry about salmonella even if you're a terrible cook).
• Easy Holiday Eggnog only requires six ingredients. If that's not enough to inspire a bit of holiday cheer, I don't know what is.
• Busy around the holidays? (Who isn't?!) Make-Ahead Eggnog can be prepared over Thanksgiving weekend and enjoyed at Christmas.

Healthier Egg Nog Recipes

There's no denying that egg nog is unhealthy. These egg nog recipes may not be healthy, per se, but they are healthier than most egg nogs!

• Low Fat Egg Nog and Low Fat Spiked Eggnog use fat-free dairy ingredients.
• This Low Carb Egg Nog recipe uses Splenda for a lower carbohydrate count. This Low Carb Egg Nog recipe uses milk, unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk and the sweetener of your choice.
• This Vegan Egg Nog recipe is made with tofu and soymilk instead of milk and cream. This Vegan Eggnog gets its creamy texture from soymilk, non-dairy whipping cream and vegan vanilla pudding powder. This Vegan Eggnog uses silken tofu, soy ice cream and rice, soy or almond milk.
• Diet-Friendly "Virgin" Egg Nog cuts the calories, fat and alcohol found in traditional egg nog.
• No-Egg Nog is an egg-free version of classic egg nog.

Large Batch Egg Nog Recipes

If you're cooking for a large group, check out these recipes for large batches of egg nog:

• Hypatia's Egg Nog is makes about 12 servings of spiked egg nog.
• Homemade Brandy Egg Nog makes 16 servings.
• This party-friendly Festive Egg Nog recipe makes 32 servings of spiked or no-alcohol egg nog.

Regional / International Egg Nog Recipes

Variations on egg nog are consumed around the world. Here are a few regional and national recipes worth trying:

• Mexican Egg Nog (or Rompope) is an alcohol-optional egg nog made with almonds.
• Coquito (Puerto Rican Egg Nog) is a traditional punch that is made with cream of coconut, rum and spices and served at Christmas and New Years celebrations.
• Eierlikoer, also known as Egg Flip, is a German style of egg nog that requires multiple spirits and a whole vanilla bean.
• Advocaat is a type of Dutch egg nog. It can be made without dairy, topped with whipped cream, or folded with whipped cream to make a dessert called Tokkelroom.
• Likier Jajeczny is a Polish style of egg nog made with French brandy and rectified spirits. It is steeped for four days and served cold.
• Lon's Egg Nog is from Lon's Restaurant at The Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Although I don't usually associate warm drinks with Phoenix weather, I hear it's very good!

Unusual Egg Nog Recipes

Some egg nog variations step far outside of holiday tradition. These unusual egg nog recipes include everything from coffee to chocolate liqueur to cider.

• Chocolate Egg Nog is a spiked egg nog with a chocolaty flavor.
• Baltimore Egg Nog features peach brandy.
• Less like egg nog recipes than recipes that use egg nog as an ingredient, Egg Nog Latte and Cold Coffee Nog combine egg nog's flavor with a caffeine kick.
• Tea Nog is an egg nog-like tea drink made with sweetened condensed milk.
• Although Cider Nog (a blend of egg nog and non-alcoholic cider) is a classic non-alcoholic drink, you probably haven't tried it in recent years.
• White Christmas is a chocolaty cocktail with an egg nog base.
• Bourbon Eggnog uses bourbon, cognac and Grand Marnier to create an unusual variation on classic spiked egg nog recipes.

Read on to discover egg nog dessert recipes.

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Coffee Grinders

To make the freshest cup of coffee possible, you should grind the beans yourself. Then you know it's fresh and you can also adjust the coarseness of the finished coffee.

1. Braun Aromatic Coffee Grinder

Now this is a grinder for the every day coffee drinker. It's got a stainless steel blade and can hold 2.5 oz of coffee beans. You can tuck the cord in to keep your counter tidy. $25

2. Delonghi Electric Coffee Grinder

It's hard to believe you can get a Delonghi for such a low price. This burr grinder comes in white or black. You can even set it for a certain number of tablespoons of ground coffee. $30

3. Solis Maestro Coffee Grinder

Another high-quality, conical burr grinder. It's clean and quiet, and it doesn't heat up. That helps to protect the essential oils and flavours in the coffee. It can hold 5oz of ground coffee when you're done. $100

4. Capresso Burr Grinder Select

The conical burr of the Capresso grinder grinds your coffee to uniform size every time. Simple to use with just one button operation. $60

5. Krups Fast Touch Grinder

Krups Fast Touch Coffee Grinder

Here's a name we all know and love. The Krups coffee mill is small and just right for folks on a budget. It's a blade grinder, and could be used for spices or herbs too. $22

6. La Pavoni

These grinders will add a stylish element to your counter-top, in either brass or chrome finish. Lots of features, with 9 settings and 1/4 lb bean capacity. $230

7. Kitchenaid Blade Grinder

A simple blade grinder that comes in standard white and black, as well as red (for a snazzier look). $40

8. Kitchenaid Pro Line Grinder

You'll be grinding your beans like a pro, with the Pro Line grinder. It's a compact burr grinder that runs with a low speed to prevent overheating your beans. The hopper holds 7-oz of beans and most of the parts are dishwasher safe. $150

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