Thanksgiving Beverages

 
Fireside Cider

This is a great recipe for those cold winter days. It also
makes your house smell great!

1 (32.00 ounces) bottle cranberry-raspberry juice
1 (32.00 ounces) bottle apple juice
2 cups cold water
8 whole allspice
4 whole cinnamon sticks
6 bags apple-cinnamon herbal tea
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix all ingredients***EXCEPT tea bags*** in crockpot and simmer approximately 4 hours or until hot.

Add tea bags, cover, and let stand approximately 1/2 hour prior to serving.

Crockpot can be kept on low/simmer setting to keep warm and cider may be served all day long.

Holiday Cranberry Wine

3 cups chopped cranberries (use food processor)
2 1/2 to 3 cups granulated sugar
1 (3 liter) bottle semi-dry white wine or any other white wine you prefer

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Transfer to 1 gallon glass jar or 2-1/2 gallon jars. Keep in refrigerator 30 days at least. Strain with cheesecloth.

Reserve cranberries for a special holiday dessert, served over vanilla ice cream. Keeps indefinitely in refrigerator.

Holiday Eggnog Punch

4 cups commercial dairy eggnog
2 (10 ounce) bottles ginger ale, chilled
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate thawed and un diluted

Combine eggnog, ginger ale, and orange juice
concentrate in a large bowl; stir well. Serve immediately.

Hot Cocoa For A Group

1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups cocoa powder
1-1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup hot water
1 gallon milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon * optional

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt.

Add hot water slowly, mixing well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes.

Add milk; heat to serving temperature, stirring occasionally. DO NOT boil. Remove from heat; add vanilla, cinnamon if desired, and whip with a whisk.

Serve hot, with whipped cream or marshmallows if desired. This recipe can be doubled and kept in the crockpot for easier serving to large groups.

Hot Spiced Cider

This recipe uses an automatic coffee maker to brew the cider. If you don't own one, heat it in a slow cooker or a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 large orange, quartered with peel
2 quarts apple cider

Place filter in coffee basket, and fill with brown sugar, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt, nutmeg, and orange wedges. Pour apple cider into coffee pot where the water usually goes. Brew, and serve hot.

Hot Spiced Wine

A wonderful hot drink that can sit all day in your crockpot if you wish. Invite some friends to help drink this.

2 bottles dry red wine
3 apples (cored and sliced)
3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and stir. Cook on low for 4-12 hours or high for 1-2 hours.

Kahlua & Coffee Hot Drink

8 cups prepared coffee
1/2 cup sweetened instant chocolate drink mix
1/4 cup powdered coffee creamer
1/2 cup Kahlua or Tia Maria
Whipped cream, optional
Grated chocolate

In a crockpot, combine the coffee, chocolate drink powder, coffee whitener and liqueur; stir well. Cover and cook on Low for at least 3 hours, until hot.

Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate, if desired.

Mulled Cranberry Cider

Mulled cranberry cider, like mulled wine, is a cold-weather tradition. This warm, comforting drink is easy to prepare and is a great finale for a holiday meal. This recipe is for 2 quarts, which will serve up to 6 to 8 people; the amounts can be multiplied without any problems.

Yields 16 servings.

2 quarts cranberry juice
2 oranges, zested
14 whole cloves
1-1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups honey
2 cinnamon sticks

Pour cranberry juice into a slow cooker; set on high. To the juice add the zest from the oranges, cloves, cranberries, vanilla extract, honey and cinnamon sticks. Heat, stirring occasionally, until hot and steamy, about 20 minutes.

Perfectly Festive Eggnog

6 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart milk
1/3 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt

Beat eggs; mix in condensed milk, vanilla, quart of milk and salt.

Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in to egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve chilled.

Makes 11 servings

Pumpkin Nog

Make spiked pumpkin nog by adding a jigger of rum to each serving.

Yields 10 servings.

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 cup whipped cream
1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a blender or food processor, blend the pumpkin, ice cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace in batches.

Pour into individual cups. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Spice Bags For Warm Winter Drinks

8 sticks cinnamon, broken into small pieces
2 whole nutmegs, crushed
1/3 cup whole cloves
1/3 cup minced dried orange peel (or 1/4 cup ground)
1/4 cup whole allspice berries
Optional: garnish with cinnamon sticks,
slice of orange, lemon peel

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Tie in sachets of 1 tablespoon each in a double thickness of cheesecloth; transfer to an airtight container. One sachet of the mixture will flavor 1 quart of cider, tea or wine.

To use, simmer 1 quart of the chosen beverage with 1 sachet for 20 minutes; ladle into mugs. If desired, add a garnish or a sprinkling of additional spirits.

Spiced Coffee with Brandied Whipped Cream

3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1-1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup freshly ground coffee
5 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 cups water

Using an electric mixer, beat whipping cream in large bowl to soft peaks. Add powdered sugar and brandy; beat to peaks. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

Place ground coffee, cardamom, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in coffee filter. Using spoon, mix gently. Add water to coffee maker and brew according to manufacturer's instructions.

Divide coffee among 8 cups. Garnish each with a dollop of whipped cream and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.
 

Thanksgiving Cooking

Cooking Notes

 

 

 © Cooking Notes 2006