Does anyone like eggnog? I have a great recipe we've used for 20 years. This is based on an old recipe from the Pendennis Club.

Fred's Sipping Eggnog

1 quart cream
1 quart milk
1 quart Maryland Rye (or brandy)
1 half-pint rum (I use 2 cups)
12 eggs, separated

Sugar and Spices (adjust according to your preferences)
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Fill a mixing bowl with cream, milk, rye, and rum
In another bowl beat the egg yolks until they turn light yellow, then add them very slowly to the bowl of liquids, stirring all the time.
Add the sugar and spices.

Beat egg whites until stiff then fold slowly into the liquid mixture.
Store in refregerator for three days to mellow before serving. This serves 30 moderate cups.

Here's another version that might be easier to make. I've tried both and they're both wonderful - and potent.

The Recipe
Print
Recipe type: Cocktail
Author: Jennie Burke

Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients

12 eggs
2 1/3 cups sugar
2 cups cognac
1 cup jamaica rum
1 cup peach brandy
6 cups whole milk (feel free to substitute 1% � reduce sugar to 2 cups if you do)
2 cups heavy cream (you can reduce it to 1/2 and 1/2)

Instructions

Separate eggs. Beat Yolks until they foam. Add booze SLOWLY. Then add sugar. Add milk and cream.
This next part is really important. You need to beat the hell out of the egg whites. Beat them into a stiff, hard meringue. Then, SLOWLY, FOLD them into the egg and liquor mixture.
This drink is best served chilled. Top glasses with nutmeg. YUM!!!!

Waaaah!

I'm pregnant with baby #4, but this is the first time I've ever been pregnant at Christmas! I'm not a big drinker, but I do love to have a few nice warm and fuzzy drinks during the holidays. I can't even have a glass of wine on New Year's Eve.

I vote for this one:

Candy cane martini

{{!gwi}}

1.5 oz. vodka
1.5 oz. white creme de cacao
1 oz. peppermint schnapps
Ice
Preparation

In a shaker, combine the ice, vodka, white creme de cacao and peppermint schnapps.
Shake the drink vigorously until well mixed.
Crush candy canes with a rolling pin or other heavy object between wax paper sheets.
Dip rim of chilled martini glass in water and then dip wet rim into crushed candy canes.
Pour drink into glass and garnish with a mini candy cane.

Wow, Maire--I just gained 4 lbs. reading those recipes! They do sound utterly delicious. Potent is good. I don't know if I should serve 5 people enough for 12, however. LOL

Nicole, forgive me! However, remember I'll be jealous of you when you have your baby. (I loved the baby years.) :-)

Glenda, that looks wonderfully festive! Have you tried it?

No, I have not, but I sure would love to try it!

I just had a party and I wanted to have a signature cocktail. I had downloaded several red martini-type choices. Then, while I was browsing Williams-Sonoma, I found their pomegranate cosmopolitan mix. All you need to add is vodka and ice. I also bought red rimming sugar and limes for the glasses. Everyone enjoyed the drink and the mix is even good mixed with just sparkling water for those who don't drink alcohol. It sure made my life easier.

Hmm...I don't see the mix on their web site. I bought mine in my local WS store.

Those sound yummy!!! Ifr I'm drinking I drink scotch and water, or scotch, neat. Soooooooo boring.

I am just about to make appletini's and pomegranate cosmos for my Christmas party tomorrow night. Red and green martinis.

Pomegranate Cosmo

1 C. vodka
1 C. triple sec
1 C. pomegranate juice
1/2 C. Rose's lime juice

Appletini's

1 part vodka
1 part Rose's appletini mix

I will report back tomorrow how they were. If you're interested in egg nog, I posted a great egg nog recipe on jasdip's daily trivia quiz. It's really, really good. I would be making that, too but too many calories.

Georgysmom, is pomegranate juice available in supermarkets? I have the triple sec and Rose's lime juice.

I'm gonna have such fun taste-testing all these!! (Well, maybe not all.) LOL

I got to warn everyone ahead of time..if you come to my house during the holidays and want a red holiday drink you will probably end up with a shirley temple.....LOL

Susan..pomegranate juice should be readily available in most stores. That drink sounds very special...will have to try that.

These all sound great! I don't have a Williams-Sonoma store....somehow I doubt supermarket Cosmo mix will measure up, unfortunately.

Lynn, I drank scotch in my twenties.....until one night when I drank too much of it. That was the end of me and scotch. :-)

Have any of you heard of Root? It's an organic cordial by Art in the Age that tastes a lot like like root beer. I'm not crazy about root beer, but someone in my family is, and I'm buying a bottle today to give as a gift.

I'm not a big drinker but I've have bottled alcholic eggnog in my fridge since a day or two before Thanksgiving. It's not worth it for me to make it from scratch since it's just me sipping on it. They had at least 3 choices in the liquor store this year. I am partial to the Evan Williams brand - it's very creamy and delicious and has quite the kick. And guess what - I checked everywhere on the bottle for calories and it doesn't mention any. What a bonus LOL! (And anyone who posts a link to the caloric count in that stuff is going straight on the naughty list!)

I cut this recipe out of the newspaper many years ago! Set it up like an assembly line and made it in batches, then filled med. size bottles from Pier One to give as gifts. I used a hammer to gently break open the nutmeg. This was always a huge hit and anxiously awaited every Christmas :-)

I did try to make it one year with cheaper liquor brands. It just didn't work....... It's expensive to make at its best, but goes a long way and its all done at one time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kentucky Eggnog Spike

Yum, Glenda, that martini looks awesome!! I think I will make that when family comes, just need to get the creme de cacoa.

I made chocolate martini's once for hubby's family and they were soooo good.

found an online rebate/coupon for $8 off alcohol...

Here is a link that might be useful: rebate/coupon

FB also has a page with great holiday cocktail recipes

Here is a link that might be useful: cocktail recipes

Champagne is my holiday beverage of choice. For a festive (and tasty) touch, toss in a few pomegranate seeds.

The first time I had a hot buttered rum was at a lady's home in Brown County, Indiana. Brown County is hilly and wooded (at least back then) and very beautiful on a snowy winter day. This lady's house was amazing. She had traveled the world, literally, and had decorated her home with the beautiful things she found on her trips. We went to visit and she made us this drink on a cold night in winter with snow outside and a big fire in the fireplace. While we sipped, she told of stories of her travels. It was a wonderful and memorable night.

(This would also be good for a sore throat, I would think!)

HOT BUTTERED RUM (Rachael Ray)

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch salt
3/4 cup spiced rum
2 cups boiling water
4 sticks cinnamon, for garnish

Using an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup (or larger) measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Divide the buttered rum among 4 mugs. Garnish with the cinnamon sticks and serve.

Yummmmm, that candy cane martini looks great. Wonder if it tastes as good as it looks? My favorite Christmas drink is a "Cosmorita" I also love champagne. I've never thought of pomegranate seeds. I usually drop strawberries in champagne. But, I digress....here's the recipe. Pour in shaker with lots of ice and shake until frothy. Pour into martini glass garnish with orange and lime slices.

1 oz. tequila
1 oz triple sec
4 oz cranberry ,or cranberry/pomegranate juice
lots of lime juice

Love your recipes and comments--thanks!!

I have all the ingredients for the Cosmorita. I may do a private taste test tonight! :-)

I made myself a Mocha Nog last night and wasn't crazy about it, BUT that could be because I didn't have Kahlua Mocha (I used plain Kamora) AND my "egg nog" was a soymilk version from Silk. LOL

I bought the ingredients for the Candy Cane Martini yesterday, including the candy canes.

I found (and bought) Cranberry/Pomegranate juice, but not plain Pomegranate juice.

Jean, I'm going through the FB recipes now. Several look good, including the Bailey's Holiday Martini. Wish I had the Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, but I think I'm out of money!

Alisande, did you look in the juice aisle or in the produce section for the pomegranate juice? POM has a good one but I usually find it in a refrigerated case in the produce area.

I'm sure Cran/Pom will be nice!

Sorry Susan, I've been very busy. Cran/Pom will be just fine. I like that one better than the appletini although I'm sure some people prefer the appletini's. My shindig went well last night and now I'm trying to get up the energy to start cooking for tomorrows's luncheon. Tomorrow I will be serving mamosa's...I like to put a little grand marnier in them, too.

I'm not a champagne drinker. In fact, I'm more likely to choose a good red wine than these cocktails I'm obsessing on. LOL

Tonight I tried the Gingerbread Apple Cocktail (recipe is in my original post above). I must say it was very good even without the cookie crumbs and agave syrup. And even without the orange zest, since I didn't have that either. But I did have the Domaine de Canton. Go figure.

Thanks for the tip about the produce aisle, Chi83. I'll check it out. I can always add more pomegranate to the pom/cran juice.

Glad you had a good party, Georgysmom!

Non alcoholic Iced Tea......

I wouldn't worry about adding more pom, the original cosmo recipe called for cranberry juice the proportions were a little bit different. What you have should be fine. Try cutting the measurements in 1/4 and have a party by yourself to taste test , I think you will like it as is .