More of my homemade Christmas gifts

Winter Orange Pomegranate Iced Tea

  3 cups water

  1 navel orange, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

3 inches stick cinnamon, broken

6 whole cloves

4 orange-flavored or black tea bags (decaffeinated, if you like)

1 cup orange juice

1 cup pomegranate juice

2 - 3 tablespoons sugar

12 orange wedges or chunks

6 lime wedges or chunks

6 6-inch wooden skewers

Ice cubes

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, orange slices, cinnamon and cloves. Bring just to boiling; remove from heat. Add tea bags. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags; discard. Strain tea mixture through a fine mesh strainer; discard orange slices and spices.

2. In a glass pitcher, combine strained tea mixture, orange juice, pomegranate juice and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

To serve:

3. Place 2 orange wedges and 1 lime wedge onto each skewer. Serve tea in glasses filled with ice cubes. Add fruit skewers to each glass.

Christmas Cookies Mix in a Jar

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)


Layer the ingredients in like this:
First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Second: oats
Third: m&ms
Fourth: chocolate chips
Fifth: brown sugar
Sixth: white sugar
Seventh: chopped pecans (optional)


Instructions:
Add
1 slightly beaten egg1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated.

                                                      Cranberry - Raspberry Sauce

3 cups fresh cranberries (12 oz)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix cranberries, brown sugar and water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick and all cranberries have popped. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Strain cranberry mixture, pressing berries to extract juice; discard berry skins. Stir jam into warm juice. Cool 30 minutes.

Marinated olives, feta and sun dried tomatoes 

 Brown sugar - vanilla - cinnamon body scrub

Cranberry Cocktail Mixer

For each drink, combine 4 ounces of mixer with 2 ounces of vodka in a cocktail shaker with ice; strain into a chilled martini glass.

Ingredients

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups cranberry juice

Bring zests, sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat; stir until sugar has dissolved. Let cool. Put juice into a large container; stir in zest mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour or overnight. Strain; pour into an airtight bottle. Mixer can be refrigerated up to 1 week.

Moisturizing Kitchen Hand Scrub

Olive oil moisturizes, lemon freshens and is especially good for removing onion and garlic odors from the skin, the sugar/salt combo exfoliates dry skin and renews the appearance of your hands. 

1 1/2 c sugar

1/3 c kosher salt

zest of 1 extra large lemon (or other citrus)

1 c olive oil

1/4 tsp pure lemon extract, optional

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If you would like a slightly stronger fragrance, add the extract. Spoon into a pretty jar, tighten the lid. Wipe any spills or drips from the outside of the jar. Alternatively, you can use orange or lime zest for a different fresh citrus smell. For an extra touch, tie a pretty bow around the jar if you plan to gift this scrub. This makes enough for a 1 pint canning jar.

Roasted Cranberry-Clove & Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer 

 combine the Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer with champagne and a few whole cranberries for a festive toast during the holiday season and the Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer with splash of bourbon..a low ball glass and a cozy night by the fire. 

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer

Makes 1 cup

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup water

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Sprinkle the cranberries with cloves and roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat.

Combine the clove roasted cranberries with the sugar-water mixture and allow to steep for at least 1 hour.

Strain and pour into canisters.

Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer 

Makes 1 cup

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup water

1 clementine; peeled and pith removed

Juice of ½ clementine

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat.

Add the clementine peels and allow to steep for at least 1 hour. Stir in juice and vanilla extract.

Egg Liqueur

• 1/2 liter (2 cups) milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
• 5 teaspoons of vanilla sugar
• 1 tablespoon of rum
• 375 ml (1 1/2 cup) vodka

Boil milk up milk. Beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar until foamy. Add cooled milk while stirring. Add rum and vodka.

Gingerbread Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into large pieces
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, sugar, and honey. Stir in ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, or double layer cheesecloth.

Gingerbread Latte

• 2 fluid ounces espresso coffee
• 2 tablespoons gingerbread flavored syrup
• 1/2 cup milk, steamed
• 1/8 cup whipped cream
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

• In a coffee mug, combine espresso coffee with flavored syrup. Pour in steamed milk. Top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla powder.