On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

……churros.  Usually a treat that you only get at a fair, right?  Well, they are surprisingly easy to make at home.  A few years ago I discovered this recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine and made it one Christmas for my family and they loved it.   No, churros aren’t a traditional holiday treat, but they are so yummy when paired with hot chocolate and a roaring fire on a cold winter night.

Most of the ingredients you probably have on hand already in your pantry, but you might not have the tools.  Be sure to get a pastry bag with a large star tip and a deep-fry thermometer before you begin.

CHURROS

(a recipe by Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients

Makes 20

• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 5 to 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

1. Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Bring milk, butter, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, stirring, until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from sides of pan, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and let cool 3 minutes. Add eggs, and stir until batter is smooth. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (such as an Ateco #828).
2. Heat 4 to 5 inches oil in a large Dutch oven until it registers 330 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Holding pastry bag a few inches above the oil, squeeze out batter, snipping off 4-inch lengths with a knife or kitchen shears. Fry 6 to 8 churros at a time, turning once, until deep golden brown all over, about 5 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Photo credit: Martha Stewart Living

Martha, of course, eats her churros with homemade hot chocolate, but I have found that both Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa and Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate are delicious and rich.  I have the Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate Pot and now making hot chocolate is a breeze; you just pour the milk in the pot (no water! sacrilege!), heat it in the microwave, add the chocolate, insert the wand and “froth to perfection” as they say in the directions.  Then I top it with marshmallows and whipped cream.  A dusting of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick adds a little spice and decorative flair.  Enjoy!

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The 12 Days of Christmas by Funkidivagirl

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me….the words to the song.

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me….Christmas cards.

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me….Chili Dawg.

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…..a Christmas vacation.

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…..Santa Claus.