Hot Holiday Punch

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but it was a huge hit!  Plus, it made the house smell soooo good!

Ingredients:

8 Cups apple juice
3 Cups cranberry juice
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp whole cloves
4 Cinnamon sticks
3 Cups bourbon (Jim Beam)

Method:

Add ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add bourbon and serve warm.  (Or to keep it hot for a long period of time, keep juices simmering and add bourbon directly to coffee mug before adding hot juices).

Festive Holiday Nuts

These were super-easy, and super-delicious!  I made them along with some other hors d'oeuvres the other night, and will certainly make them again when I go home for Christmas!  A good idea is to triple this recipe and put the nuts in cute bags or containers and give them for holiday gifts (hairdresser, cleaning service, teacher, boss, etc).

1 8oz container unsalted mixed nuts
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Tsp ground cloves
1/2 Tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 Tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 Tsp salt
1 Large egg white
1/2 Cup dried cherries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine the sugar, salt and spices in a bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix the nuts in the egg white.  Then toss the nuts in the dry ingredients.

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet, trying to spread them apart.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Scrape the nuts with a metal spatula, and bake an additional 5 minutes until dry.  Let cool.  Toss nuts with dried cherries.

Chocolate Chip Meringues

This recipe comes from my mom and is delicious!  If you are unfamiliar with meringues, they are light and fluffy cookies that have the same sensation as cotton candy.  They sort of dissolve and melt in your mouth.  YUM!

Makes about 30 cookies

6 large egg whites
1 1/4 Cup sugar
6 Cups (one 12oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cocoa powder, for dusting

To make:

Preheat oven to 175.  Line two baking sheets with wax paper.  Using mixer, mix egg whites on medium speed.  Continue mixing while adding in sugar one spoonful at a time.  Whisk until the egg whites form soft peaks (stand up).  The mixture should become foamy and firm, not runny. 

Fold in chocolate chips.  Spoon mixute onto cookie sheets into small amounts about 1 inch apart.  Bake until completely dry to touch (3 hours).  Let cool, and dust with cocoa powder.  Store in airtight container.