Merry Christmas! No recipes for today but recipes for New Year’s Eve.

Peppermint Nog Punch

2 quarts (8 cups) cold milk

1 package (3.5 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

5 packets Sweet’N Low

1 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1-1/2 tsp.vanilla extract or rum extract

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

10 ounces ginger ale

1 quart peppermint ice cream

2-4 drops red food dye

1/2 c. rum, optional

Peppermint candy canes

sprinkles

Thaw ice cream for 30 minutes on counter top. Combine pudding and milk into a bowl and whisk until it thickens. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, extract and Sweet’N Low. Stir in ginger ale and heavy whipping cream. Add ice cream to mixture and whisk to combine well. Add food coloring a drop at a time, stirring well after each addition until desired color achieved. Pour mixture into champagne glasses and top with sprinkles. Place candy canes in ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. Top each glass with crushed candy canes to garnish.

If peppermint ice cream is unavailable, use Eggnog Ice Cream flavor or Vanilla/Custard Ice

Cream. Peppermint extract can be added for additional flavor.

Jingle Juice Holiday Punch

1 bottle (750ml) Whipped Vodka

1 bottle Pink Champagne or Sparkling Rosé

1 2-liter bottle Cherry 7-up

Cranberries for garnish, optional

In a punch bowl or large pitcher filled with ice, combine all of the ingredients. Stir well. Serve over ice and garnish with cranberries.

Spiced Wine

2 bottles (750ml each) of red wine

3/4 c. apple cider

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

2 oranges, sliced into rounds

2 lemons, sliced into rounds

2 star anise

1 vanilla bean, split in half

1/2 c. brandy

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and place over medium-low heat.

Heat the mixture for 60 minutes, making sure not to bring the mixture to a boil.

Once the flavors have come together, strain out the spices and reserve the citrus rounds for serving.

Serve the warmed wine with a round of lemon and a round of orange.