Drinking in the Holidays

Photo credit: kevin dooley via photopin cc

We hosted the first of three Christmas celebrations at our house last night. What fun! We filled the evening with chatting, eating, gift opening, more eating, more chatting, and a rousing game of Bingo! I tested two new adult beverage recipes from the Hy-Vee Seasons Holiday 2012 magazine. My mixology efforts were well worth it because both were a big hit! I'm looking forward to imbibing a bit more of both delicious drinks during the winter months as well as adding them to my list of "must have" item each Christmas.

Sparkling Cranberry Martini
3 c. Hy-Vee cranberry juice
4 oz triple sec or other orange liqueur
2 tbsp grenadine syrup
2 (750 ml each) bottles sparkling wine, chilled
Citrus peel, for garnish

Instructions
In a pitcher, combine cranberry juice, triple sec and grenadine syrup and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. At serving time, pour 1/4 cup of cranberry juice mixture into a sparkling wine flute. Top with 4 ounces sparkling wine. Garnish with a citrus peel.

White Hot Chocolate
2 c. Hy-Vee 2% milk, divided
3/4 c. Hy-Vee vanilla-flavored white baking chips
1 c. whipping cream
4 oz Godiva white chocolate liqueur*
4 oz Absolut vanilla vodka
Whipped cream and ground nutmeg or cinnamon, for garnish

*I substitued Bailey's Mint Chocolate Liqueur

Instructions
Combine 1 cup milk and white baking chips in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until baking chips have melted into the milk. Add remaining milk and cream, and continue stirring until very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in white chocolate liqueur and vanilla vodka. Serve in mugs garnished with whipped cream and ground nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired.

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