If you can’t pop in to the L.A. stores, they’ll mail Cupcakes in a Jar—a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week—that are even better than cupcakes in a paper wrapper.

Cupcakes in a Jar are hand-crafted cupcakes in a glass Mason jar, sliced and layered with fresh fillings, whipped frostings, ganache and a selection of scrumptious toppings.

The reusable jars keep the moisture in, and the jar cupcakes, which have much more frosting than convention cupcakes, stay fresh for a week. You can have just a nibble a day, or more.

YUMMY CUPCAKES’ “JAR OF THE MONTH” CLUB

Six- or 12-month memberships are available for $21 to $24 monthly, plus shipping. The lucky giftee will receive a four-flavor assortment, a rotating mix of classic and seasonal specialty flavors.

Order yours at YummyCupcakes.com.

Today, calories be damned. Here are the real deal, classic egg nog, along with four wonderful flavored egg nog variations.

FULL STRENGTH EGG NOG RECIPES

If you’re not counting calories, take a look at these delicious recipes:

 
Here’s how to make flaming egg nog.

While it’s quite elegant, you don’t need a punch bowl and handled cups to serve egg nog. Use whatever glasses you have, and pour the nog from a pitcher.

MORE EGG NOG DELIGHTS

Egg nog doesn’t need to stay in a glass. Here are options from cookies to truffles:

 
THE HISTORY OF EGG NOG

Who invented egg nog? The facts aren’t clear, but here’s the egg nog history as we know it.

A kitchen scale can be a welcome gift.
Photo courtesy Eat Smart Products.

While you wouldn’t give one to just anybody, if you have loved ones who are always voicing their need to take off a few pounds, they’ll love you for hearing them and helping them achieve their goal.

A kitchen scale is not just a “diet scale”: It’s very useful for weighing recipe ingredients, not to mention calculating postage, for those of us who still use snail mail.

The EatSmart line offers economically priced multifunction home scales, perfect for everyday tasks. They include a Calorie Factors Book making it easy to achieve goals such as portion control and calorie counting.

The EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale shown in the photo comes in black, burgundy chrome, white with a chrome top or all-white.

Check out the line at EatSmartProducts.com.

Delicious and addictive (you can’t help but want another cup…and another), there’s a good reason to steer clear of the egg nog bowl: the calories.

Our survey of five supermarket brands showed 190 to 230 calories per tiny four ounce portion. That’s without the rum and brandy, not to mention the vanilla ice cream added to many party egg nog recipes. Have a cup or two and you can easily consume 1000 calories.

So, you might want to taste just a spoonful (or none at all) of the real thing, and celebrate with one of our four diet egg nog recipes.

Diet egg nog is not the same richer-than-rich experience; but it’s a the first step toward a new years’ resolution to eat a healthier diet!

Tomorrow: Egg nog recipes with lots of calories.

Until then, here’s the history of egg nog.

Handmade candy canes are available in five
flavors. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE
NIBBLE.

Most of us are used to sugary candy canes with intense mint flavor.

But Laughing Moon Chocolates turns out artisan candy canes that dial down the sugar and the intense flavor, reinterpreting the candy cane as an elegant confection.

Even better is the flavor selection: Cinnamon, Maple, Peppermint, Spearmint or Wintergreen.

They make delicious party favors (tie one up with the napkin for Christmas dinner).

Candy Canes are available in different shapes and sizes. A 6″ candy cane in the traditional shepherd’s crook shape is $4.50.

Laughing Moon can create candy canes in the shape of initials or hearts.

Order online at LaughingMoonChocolates.com.
Check out the history of candy canes, plus six ways to use candy canes.