Nifty Notions for A Warm Winter Treat

One of my favorite things to do in the Winter is to curl up on the couch and read a good book while sipping a warm and delicious treat. In those quiet moments, I can come to terms with the grey and hazy skies and frosty temperatures of Winter and let go of my longing for Summer. Here are a few of my favorite hot sippables to warm the soul....


1.) Spiced Hot Cocoa

6 cups skim milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until lukewarm; stir the cocoa powder and sugar into the warmed milk until dissolved. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, chili powder, nutmeg, and cloves. Heat another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


2.) Hot Vanilla
1 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe mug. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar, then stir into the milk. Mixing the cinnamon into the sugar first will help to keep it from floating on top. Stir in the vanilla. Place mug in the microwave and heat for 1 minute and 40 seconds, or longer for a warmer drink. Stir before drinking.

3.) Classic Hot Apple Cider
6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

4.)Warm Autumn Punch
2 oranges
8 whole cloves
6 cups apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/4 cups pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stud the whole oranges with cloves, and bake for 30 minutes.
In a large saucepan, combine the apple juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the nutmeg, honey, lemon juice, and pineapple juice.
Serve hot in a punch bowl with the 2 clove-studded baked oranges floating on top.