Christmas Beverages & Snacks

Christmas Recipes - Great beverage and snack ideas for your holiday entertaining, compliments of the JBU staff and readers.

Beverages

Christmas Punch

1 (46 oz) can apple juice
18 oz pineapple juice
1 cup white karo syrup
3 packages cherry Koolaid
3 cups sugar
4 quarts water
1 large bottle 7up

Mix first 6 ingredients, blending until sugar is disolved. Add 7up before serving. Garnish with orange slices and other fruit as desired.

Hot Cranberry Wassail

48 oz. cranberry juice
23 oz. pineapple juice (half of a large can)
5 c. water
¾ c. sugar
1 T. iced tea mix with sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon & ½ tsp. ground cloves in a cheesecloth bag

Bring to a boil in a large pot and then simmer. Delicious!

Fluffy Hot Chocolate

8 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking cocoa
4 cups milk
1½ cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs. 4 servings.

Hot Cran-Apple Cider

64 ounces apple cider
32 ounces cranberry juice
½ cup brown sugar
4 sticks whole cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 orange, sliced (stick cloves in orange slices)

Mix first four ingredients in large saucepan or coffee urn. Add orange slices. Heat through. Serve hot in mugs. (After 30 minutes or so, remove the orange slices and cinnamon sticks or the cider will turn bitter.)

Old Fashioned Egg Nog

3 eggs
3 tbsp sugar
3 cups whole milk or cream
2 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon (optional)
Nutmeg (optional)

Beat eggs well. Add sugar and beat again. Add milk (or cream) and vanilla, beat. Add cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste. Serve hot or cold.

Snacks

Spiced Nuts

1tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cup sugar (divided)
3 T. water
1 cup pecans or almonds

Mix cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.
Mix 1 cup sugar and 3 T. water in saucepan. Boil over medium-low heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add nuts and stir to coat.
Put spoonfuls of nuts in cinnamon sugar toss until well coated.
Separate nuts and let cool on a hard surface.
Store in airtight container.

For those who love any type of Chex mix snack recipe, here is a link to a list of a variety of salty and sweet favorite Chex mix snack recipes:
www.chex.com/Recipes/Recipes.aspx