Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider

Ingredients

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 6 cups cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. Serve hot. 

From: Mary Jane Bryan

Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

• 4 whole Cinnamon Sticks
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 8 whole Allspice Berries
• Orange Peel From 1 Orange
• Lemon Peel From 1 Lemon
• 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
• 6 cups Unfiltered (fresh Squeezed Is Great) Apple Juice
• 1/2 cup Dark Rum (optional)

Preparation Instructions

(Adapted from AllRecipes.com.)
Place cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, allspice berries, orange peel, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan. Pour in maple syrup and apple juice, then bring to almost a boil. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve in mugs.

From: Pioneer Woman

Egg Nog

A holiday tradition at my house- Mom makes the nog and we trim the tree. I am going to have to whip me up some this year.....

3 eggs, separated
2 T sugar (I think Mom puts in about 1/4 cup of sugar- make it to taste)
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c half-and-half
Fresh nutmeg

1. Beat the yolks with sugar until well blended. Stir in the vanilla, milk, and half-and-half.

2. Beat the egg whites and fold them in thoroughly. You don't need to be too gentle; they should lighten the drink but not be discernible. Top with grated nutmeg and serve.

From: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Brazilian Lemonade

This is the lemonade you get at Tucano's.

4 limes
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 cups ice

Wash the limes and cut the ends off. Cut each lime in fourths. Put the limes (peels and all) into a blender with water. Blend until chopped. Do not blend too long or the peel will give the drink a bitter taste. Just blend until the juice has been pulled from the limes.

Strain the liquid and discard the pulp, seeds, and peel. Put the liquid back into the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

From: Liesl Recht

Chocolate Shake

1-1/2 to 2 cups ice water
1-1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 1-1/2 trays of ice cubes, as much as you can spare
2 tablespoons corn oil (I used vegetable oil)
plus a 5-second squirt of non-stick spray for emulsification purposes

Place all of the ingredients into the blender, including the oil and the non-stick spray. Use less water for thicker milk shakes and more water for shakes that are easy on your blender motor. The blender should be about 3/4's full. Place the lid on. Process for a full 2 minutes. Pour into cups and serve. Makes 4 - 12oz servings.

From: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/index1.htm

Egg Nog

3 eggs
1/4 cup-ish sugar (to taste)
a capful (or 1/2 t) vanilla
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c half/half
nutmeg

Separate eggs yolks and whites. Beat the yolks with sugar until well blended. Stir in vanilla, milk, and half/half. Beat egg whites until fluffy (if you get any yolk in the whites, it will be hard to get it to fluff up). Fold whites in egg nog thoroughly. Don't be too gentle, the whites should lighten the drink but not be discernible. Pour in glasses and sprinkle with a little nutmeg.

Adapted from: How to Cook Everything