Holiday Cheer - Hot Apple Cider & Hot Cocoa

Well, we've had a week of goodies, so here's a couple of beverage recipes to go with them, Hot Apple Cider, curtesy of Leah Smith of A Cowboy's Dream and Hot Chocolate from Christina Scott of The Priceless Gift. ENJOY!

Leah's Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients
6 cups apple cider
¼ cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in a washed square of cheesecloth and fold up the sides to enclose the spices. Tie with a length of string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture. Heat over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until hot, but not boiling. Remove the cider from the heat and discard the spice bundle. Ladle cider into mugs and add a cinnamon stick to each if desired.

Christina's Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring to an easy boil while stirring. Continue to stir as mixture simmers for 2 mins. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs and add half-and-half to cool to drinking temperature.

This week's prize will is Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion and shower gel from Bath and Body Works. So be sure and leave a comment! I'll draw on Monday night, Dec. 14th.

Cate Masters won the $10 The Wild Rose Press gift certificate.

Tomorrow's recipe: Pumpkin Bread

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby