Christmas Cocktail

Recipes

Easy Ideas to Make Simple Holiday Fun:

• swizzlers for drinks!  chocolate tipped peppermint stir stix for hot chocolate, soft peppermint stix for oranges or ice cream shakes, 
• crushed peppermints or sugar in the raw for rimming glasses of ginger ale or creme soda
• fresh cranberries, rosemary, thyme, or basil for garnishes to spruce anything up 
• sprinkle fire logs with Rainbow Flame Crystals for beautiful blue, green, emerald flames

Easy Gifts for Co Workers, Teachers, Etc.:

• Put a bottle of Bronco Bobs Chipotle flavored sauce and a small box of party crackers in a paper bag with the instructions to serve the sauce over room-temp cream cheese for a party snack.  You can find cute spreaders sold in sets of four at House Special Interiors or Pier 1 and add one of those to the bag, also.  Bronco Bob's gourmet sauces are now sold at the corner "gourmet" gas station!  
• Give a friend small bottles of the ingredients for Peppermint Stick drink listed below along with the recipe.  Add a small box of peppermint candy canes to crush for rimming glasses.  
• Check out the lobby of the nearest Cracker Barrel restaurant for great stocking stuffers!  They have old-fashioned rock candy swizzle sticks and unusual "retro" brands.  

Colonel Bob's Marinated Cheese

Pioneer Woman's "Mystery Rolls"

Pioneer Woman's Easy Goat Cheese Rolls

Steak Bites with Horseradish Sauce


Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos


Crab Artichoke Dip
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 C Hellman's Mayo
4 oz fresh lump crabmeat
1/3 C freshly grated parmesan
1/2 c white onion, sliced paper-thin
2 T melted butter
1/2 C bread crumbs
1/2 fresh lemon
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Squeeze out moisture from lump crabmeat.  Mix first five ingredients together.  Mix melted butter w/ breadcrumbs.  Top mixture with the breadcrumbs and bake in a quiche pan or pie plate until bubbly at 350 degrees.  Squeeze w/ lemon and sprinkle lightly with creole seasoning.  Serve w/ crackers.

CHRISTMAS COSMOPOLITAN

Ingredients:

1/2 Oz.  Cointreau 

1/2 Oz. Cranberry Juice 

1 Tsp. Lime Juice 

Fresh

1 Oz.  Vodka 

Mixing instructions:

Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Option: To garnish, float a few frozen cranberries after pouring.

PEPPERMINT STICK

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Oz. Crème De Cacao 

1 Oz. Cream 

1 Oz.  Peppermint Schnapps 

Mixing instructions:

Skake well with ice, strain into glass.

 DOWN EAST HOT BUTTERED RUM

Ingredients:

4 cloves (whole)

2 tsp brown sugar

1-1/2 oz gold rum

1 cup apple cider

1 lemon peel

Cinnamon stick

Grated nutmeg

Small pat butter

Mixing instructions:

In a warmed, heat-proof mug, add sugar and a little cider that has been heated to the boiling point. Stir until sugar is dissolved and add cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel and rum. Fill with hot cider, stir, and top with butter and grated nutmeg.