HOLIDAY BEVERAGE FAVES (my delicious low-cal buttered rum)

[trisham]

Irish coffee

1.5 fluid ounce Irish cream liqueur (optional)
1.5 fluid ounce Irish whiskey
1 cup hot brewed coffee
2 tablespoons whipped cream
1 dash ground nutmeg
Sugar or Splenda to taste

[I still care]

Does anyone have a good non alcoholic eggnog recipe?

I probably keep the eggnog industry afloat every Christmas, and the price is appalling. I keep thinking I should make my own - even if it is not cheaper it will probably taste better.

[Lazlo in PA]

Low-Cal? Fat free? Are these recipes from Michelle Obamas approve holiday cook book? Fat is tasty.

[Red_Devil 232]

Can you explain what these two ingredients are?

Tea butter?

Tea nutmeg?

[earglasses]

Scandinavian Glogg - yum! Here’s a good recipe from about.com (http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/restaurantsdining/r/gloggrecipe.htm):

• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1/2 liter inexpensive brandy or vodka
• 10 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (broken down)
• 1/2 orange peel (dried or fresh)
• 1/2 lbs sugar (regular or lumps)
• Optional: 5 cloves, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup almonds, 5 dried figs

Heat the wine and brandy spices, fruit, and nuts in a pot. Do not boil; simmer for about 45 minutes. Then strain out all of the solid additions. Serve hot over sugar, perhaps with some raisins, almonds, or extra brandy...

[9YearLurker]

I love hot buttered rum!

[T Minus Four]

I was confused also until it dawned on me that she means TEASPOON (usually abbreviated in recipes as “tsp”)

[trisham]

There are quite a few through google:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,193,158172-235195,00.html

[T Minus Four]

Hot-Buttered Rum / about 85 cals depending on proof / I use Capt Morgan Private Stock dark rum for this. SERVING Put tea "Butter" in mug. Fill to brim with boiling water. Top w/ whole cloves. BUTTER Mix tbl powdered Butter Buds, packet Equal, oz rum.

Translation:

Hot buttered rum mix:
Combine:
1 T powdered Butter Buds
1 packet Equal (I would use Splenda)
1 oz dark rum

To prepare:
Measure one tsp of mix into a mug. Fill mug half-way with boiling water. Top off mug with more rum. Forget the cloves.

[Red_Devil 232]

Thanks, that makes sense.

Although there is a thing called tea butter or Tibetan tea

And there is a nutmeg tea - Hippies and druggies say it is a hallucinogenic

[mouse_35]

This recipe from Alton Brown has a cooked and an uncooked variation. I use the uncooked one unless my eggs are over a week old. I just leave out the bourbon and add 1t. vanilla extract.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggnog-recipe2/index.html

[T Minus Four]

Sugar-free* Margarita:

In a blender, dump a can of Fresca and one whole pitcher-sized packet of Crystal Light lemonade mix. Pour in a few glugs of Tequila and fill 3/4’s or so with crushed ice. Blend away and enjoy - tastes just like the real thing.

(*never mind that alchohol converts to pure sugar in your body. But it does save a lot of calories if you’re going to drink anyway)

[Liz]

Mmmmm........sounds yummy.

[Cincinatus]

[Liz]

Sounds great.

The real Irish Coffee uses Demerara sugar-—and the cream should be half-whipped-—just floating like a cloud over the coffee.

[trisham]

Maybe I should just visit Ireland. :)

[Liz]

Top off with more rum. Forget the cloves.

Yoo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum.

[Liz]

Love that label. Is the ale spiced?

[SamAdams76]

Christmas is time to pull out the Madeira. Better than port, Madeira was the preferred drink of the Founding Fathers!

I'm not talking the swill that comes out of California either (which should only be used for cooking). Settle for no less than the Madeira that comes from the original source (tiny island off the coast of Portugal) and shipped over by boat. In fact, the longer that Madeira is exposed to the ocean and the elements, the better it tastes!

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, among many others, drank Madeira not just by the gallon but by the hogshead!