Dessert and Drink for the winter blahs, part 2

I guess technically the last post, with the Cranberry Currant Pie recipe, was the dessert, and this one is the drinks.  Oh well.  As you may have read about here, I pretty much had my ass handed to me by daily life last week.  So I took an extra day to get around to posting my favorite holiday drink recipes.  It'll be worth it, I promise.  You may even find something here that becomes a holiday favorite of your own.  Help yourself, share with your friends, and if you do find something that you love, leave me a comment, follow my blog by email or whatever your preferred method is, share my post on Facebook or pin me on Pinterest.  It will inspire me to keep the recipes coming while I finish putting together a couple of free sewing and craft tutorials that I'm working on!

On to the important stuff.  My current favorite, which I'm sipping happily while I put this post together, is Holiday Cranberry Mulled Wine.  I love red wine, and I don't generally like especially sweet drinks (although if sweet is your thing, there is a decadent, rich Peppermint Kiss recipe later in this post).  So this drink is toasty warm and tangy. The other thing about this recipe is that it is fast to make as far as mulled wines go.  The recipe calls for unsweetened cranberry juice.  Look for it in the natural foods section of the store if you can't find it in the juice aisle, or at a health food store. It will have a completely different flavor (one that is too sweet for me) if you use a cranberry blend or cranberry juice cocktail.

Holiday Cranberry Mulled Wine

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice (I use R.W. Knudsen brand)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 whole cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups dry red wine

Mix everything except the wine in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until the sugar dissolves,  then bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, uncovered.
Remove from the heat and stir in the wine.  Serve warm.  If you like, you can garnish with a cinnamon stick.


If you prefer something sweeter, actually quite a bit sweeter, the Peppermint Kiss may be the drink for you.  I don't care for drinks this rich very often but once in a while, usually on Christmas day, I have a serious craving for one.  It's almost like a dessert by itself.


The Peppermint Kiss

1/4 cup half & half
1 1/2 oz Godiva chocolate liqueur
1 1/2 oz creme de cocoa (dark)
splash of peppermint schnapps

Toss it in a shaker and give it it hell. I recommend putting it in a martini glass rimmed with peppermint schnapps and crushed peppermint candy. 'Cause you deserve it that way, that's why!


My last offering for this post is the Spiced Pear on the Rocks.  This is a favorite of mine in the fall as well as the spring. Splurge on the vanilla vodka and really good unsweetened pear juice!


Spiced Pear on the Rocks

Using a lemon wedge to wet the edge, rim a glass with cinnamon sugar.
Pour equal parts vanilla vodka and pear juice (again, I use R.W. Knudsen brand) in a shaker with ice and a generous pinch of powdered sugar. 
Shake away. 
Pour, over ice, into prepared glass.

A variation that I also enjoy is to use a chilled martini glass instead and add a splash of dry vermouth, for a Spiced Pear Martini.  Be careful, they go down really easily!