Time to bring in some holiday cheer!

As the holiday season quickly approaches have some great concoctions waiting for your holiday guest. Here are some great cocktails that are sure to to please.

Traditional Egg Nog

-6 eggs
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
-1 quart milk* divided
-1 teaspoon vanilla,
-Garnishes or Stir-Ins, optional

In large saucepan, beat together eggs, sugar and salt, if desired. Stir in 2 cups of the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160°F. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 cups milk and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Just before serving, pour into bowl or pitcher. Garnish or add stir-ins, if desired. Serve immediately.

*For faster preparation heat milk until very warm before stirring milk into eggs and sugar.

GARNISHES AND STIR-INS
Choose 1 or several:

Chocolate curls
Maraschino cherries
Cinnamon sticks
Orange slices
Extracts or flavorings
Peppermint sticks or candy canes
Flavored brandy or liqueur
Plain brandy, rum or whiskey
Fruit juice or nectar
Sherbet or ice cream
Ground nutmeg
Whipping cream, whipped

Mulled Wine

Ingredients:

-3 cups Water
-1 cup Sugar
-12 Cloves
- 2 Cinnamon sticks
- 1 Lemon peel
- 750 ml Red wine
- 1/4 cup Brandy

Mixing instructions:

Simmer 3 cups water with, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and lemon peel in a stainless steel pot for 10 minutes. Add wine heat to a "coffee temperature" (DO NOT BOIL) then add the brandy.

Castillian Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Sugar
- 7 tsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1 qt Milk

Mixing instructions:

Shift the cocoa and sugar together into a medium-sized saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, and stir into the cocoa and sugar until it is a smooth paste. Begin heating the mixture, stirring it with a whisk, and gradually pour in the milk. Continue stirring with the whisk as you bring the liquid to a simmer. Allow the chocolate to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until it is thick, glossy and completely smooth. Serve steaming hot in coffee mug. Serves six.

Crockpot Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

Mixing instructions:

Tie orange peel, cinnamon, ginger root, and allspice in an 8-inch square of 100-percent-cotton cheesecloth. -- Combine apple cider or juice, apple brandy (if desired), and honey in a 3 1/2-, 4-, or 5-quart crockery cooker. Add spice bag. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove and discard spice bag. Ladle cider into cups. Makes 8 eight-ounce servings if you didn't use apple brandy, 9 if you did.