Eggless Egg Nog

Nothing like some good Egg Nog to bring in the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. The younger generation may not get (or like) this , but some of us seasoned folks understand the love for this drink. Egg Nog. along with the smells of winter, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking goods and turkey; all usher in the Season for Merriment and Celebration. 

As I have gotten older, I realized that lactose intolerance can inhibit my drinking of this fine beverage. I also find that raw egg kinda disagrees with me. This recipe is a great alternative! I substitute the whole milk for lactose free milk. 

 

 Am I happy? Yep!!    I think you will be too:)

Ingredients:

 

5 cups 2% or whole milk
1 3.4oz. pkg. Vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. Rum Extract
1/4 tsp. each of ground nutmeg, allspice, ginger

Directions:

 

Start with cold  milk and put about half of it, along with all other ingredients in blender and blend very well at medium to high speed.  Pour into serving pitcher and add remaining milk and stir well. Refrigerate at least 1-1/2 hours.

Stir before serving

Sparkling Cranberry Punch



 

 

Great Holiday punch for the family to enjoy.                         


Did you know that mint is said to be good for the digestion after eating a meal?

Don't consume too much though. It is also said that if you consume too much, it will interfere with your constitution (cause constipation)!!!

 

Ingredients:

1 large can jellied cranberry sauce
2 ¼ cups water
½ cup sugar
½ cup lemon juice
1 tsp. almond extract
1 ½ cups ginger ale
Clove -studded lemon slices
Mint

Directions:

Crush cranberry sauce in can with fork and empty into saucepan. Beat with rotary beater. Add water and beat until sauce is melted. Add sugar and cool. Stir in lemon juice, extract and 1 cup of ginger ale.

Just before serving, dilute with remaining ½ ginger ale, and serve well iced in frosted glasses. Garnish with mint and clove-studded lemon slices. Serves 12 punch cups.

White Hot Chocolate

Just the right amount of spice. Great alternative to regular hot chocolate. This can be topped with whipping cream or marshmallows. Yummedy Yum Yum!!!!

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

3 cups half-and-half cream, divided

2/3 cup vanilla baking chips
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. almond extract
ground cinnamon optional

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine ¼ cup of cream, vanilla chips, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Stir over low heat until chips are melted: discard cinnamon. Add remaining cream; stir until heated thoroughly. Remove from the heat; add extracts. Sprinkle each serving with ground cinnamon if desired.

Yields 4 servings

Percolator Punch

This recipe is an older one. Notice the “percolator” method.  Most folks now do not even use percolators. Everybody wants the “get it now” quick methods, but sometimes the slower method allows the flavors to blend better, giving you a fuller flavor.

Delicious drink for the Holiday Season, party time or anytime. Only two ingredient and easy.

Ingredients:

9 cups apple cider
½ cup cinnamon red-hot candies

Directions:

Pour apple cider into percolator: place candies in percolator basket. Cover and begin the perking cycle. When cycle is complete, remove the basket and leave punch in the pot to keep warm.

 

Yields 2 ½ quarts

Jolly Wassail Bowl (English Holiday Punch)

The Wassail bowl was a Christmas must in English homes. Carolers visited door-to-door, exchanging songs for a mug of the steaming brew.

“Wassail” is Anglo-Saxon for “Be of good health” and the word finally cam to mean the drink itself. The toast floating on the surface of the punch gave rise to the expression “to drink a toast”.

There are many versions of the recipe, but most of them are usually a base of mulled wine or cider.

2 qts. apple cider
4 cups orange juice
½ cup honey
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
4 sticks cinnamon
2 tbsp. whole cloves
2 tbsp. Allspice
½ tsp. Grated nutmeg

In a Dutch oven or large kettle combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat until hot. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out spices before serving. Makes about 22 (4 oz) servings.