We’re officially in the holiday season!  It’s that time of year when we take out our winter clothes, prepare meals with our crock-pots, dress our cats and dogs in ugly sweaters, dodge elbows and grabby hands while shopping for gifts, drink peppermint mocha lattes from Starbucks, and for some of us… get warm and cozy with some holiday reading.  For your reading, listening, and drinking pleasure…

HOLIDAY READING
Melissa Brayden – Kiss the Girl
Lyn Gardner – Give Me a Reason
Ann McMan – Jericho
BL Miller – Accidental Love
RJ Nolan – L.A Metro

JINGLE ALL THE WAY
Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
Frank Sinatra – A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra
Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas
Michael Buble – Christmas
Puppini Sisters – Christmas with the Puppini Sisters

A LITTLE CHRISTMAS CHEER
Ultimate Alexander
-1 oz of cold brewed coffee
-8 oz of coffee ice cream
-1 or 2 oz of brandy
-1 oz of chocolate syrup
-Whipped cream
-Chocolate shavings
Process the cold brewed coffee, coffee ice cream, brandy and chocolate syrup in a blender. Pour into a glass and garnish with whip cream and chocolate shavings.

The Grinch
-2 oz of Midori
-1/2 oz of lemon juice
-1 teaspoon of simple syrup
Mix the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it off. Strain into a martini glass.  

Hot Buttered Rum
-2 oz of dark rum
-Cinnamon stick
-1 pat of butter
-1 slice lemon peel
-Boiled water
Put the cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and rum in a mug. Fill the mug with boiling water and the butter.  Stir the butter.  

Candy Cane Martini
-1.5 oz of vanilla vodka
-1.5 oz of white creme de cacao
-1 oz of peppermint schnapps
-Mini candy cane
Mix the vodka, creme de cacao, and peppermint schnapps in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a mini candy cane.  

Hot Cider Nog
-1 cup of half and half
-1/2 cup of milk
-1/2 cup of apple cider
-1 large egg
-1/4 cup of sugar
-1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-Pinch of ground nutmeg
-Pinch of salt
-3 oz of bourbon
-1/4 cup of whipped cream
-2 cinnamon sticks
Whisk together the first 8 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat and whisk occasionally, until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. (About 15 minutes). Stir in bourbon. Pour into a mug and garnish with whip cream and a cinnamon stick. Makes 2 servings.