Lighter Christmas Milk Punch

Lighter Christmas Milk Punch

1 gallon of 1- or 2-percent milk
1 qt. fat free half-and-half
1 qt. Silk Nog (or reduced fat eggnog)
1 cup Kahlua
1/2 to 1 cup brandy
Sugar or sweetener to taste
Dash pumpkin pie spice

Mix milk, half-and-half, Silk Nog and Kahlua. Taste and add brandy and sugar or sweetener to suit your taste. Chill half of the mixture in the refrigerator and put the remaining half in the freezer until soft-frozen. To serve, mix halves and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice over the top.

Note: Want to make a naughty version to go with this nice one? Replace the skim milk with whole milk, use a half-gallon of store-bought eggnog or boiled custard in place of the fat-free half-and-half and the Silk nog, and up the brandy amount to 1 to 2 cups.

Christmas Coffee

Christmas Coffee

1/2 c. powdered non dairy creamer
1 c. mini chocolate chips
2 T. vanilla powder
1/4 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 c. instant coffee crystals
Chocolate Stir Spoons

Combine nondairy creamer, powdered sugar, powdered vanilla, and milk powder. Layer with coffee and chips into two cup jars. Tap between layers to settle before adding next layer.

GIFT TAG DIRECTIONS:

For each mug, place 1/4 cup of mix in a mug, and add 2/3 cup boiling water. Stir until dissolved.

Christmas Buttered Rum

Christmas Buttered Rum

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
Rum or brandy
Boiling water

Cream together butter or margarine, brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon with electric mixer. Blend in softened ice cream.
Turn into a 4 cup freezer container. Seal and freeze, mixture will not freeze solid. To serve, spoon 2-4 Tbs. ice cream mixture into each mug. Add 3 Tbs. rum and 1/2 cup boiling water to each mug. Stir well. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

-Women's Circle Home Cooking's Christmas Snacks, 1986

Chocolate Cinnamon Stirrers

Chocolate Cinnamon Stirrers

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon flavored oil
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
24 (4-inch long) cinnamon sticks

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in flavored oil. Dip about 2/3 of each cinnamon stick into melted chocolate. Place on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill about 30 minutes or until chocolate hardens.

Haunting Hot Chocolate

Haunting Hot Chocolate

1 medium orange
3 cups whole milk, divided use
2/3 cup vanilla-flavored baking pieces or vanilla-flavored candy coating
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Purchased marshmallow ghosts
Whipped cream (optional)
Ground nutmeg (optional)

Remove peel of orange with vegetable peeler; set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup of the milk, the vanilla-flavored baking pieces, orange peel, and nutmeg; whisk over low heat until baking pieces are melted. Remove orange peel. Whisk in remaining milk and heat through. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Serve warm in mugs. Add a marshmallow ghost, dollop with whipped cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.
Makes 5 (6-ounce) servings.
Snagged from cooksrecipes. com

Mexican Hot Cocoa

3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, cocoa and cinnamon in small, heavy-duty saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract. Beat with wire whisk until frothy.

Makes 3 servings.