House Cleaning Tips and Hacks

Getting in the holiday spirit is easy when you’ve got tons of yummy drink recipes to choose from! We decided we’d choose our favorites for you to make. Tell us which ones you try!! 

White Christmas Margarita

1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries

1 cup tequila blanco 

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes), plus 4 lime slices, for serving 

6 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as triple sec 

3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk 

3 tablespoons superfine sugar 

1/2 cup light corn syrup 

2 tablespoons extra-fine shredded unsweetened coconut 

Kosher salt 

1 Divide the cranberries among the sections of a standard (12-cube) ice cube tray. Fill the tray sections with water and freeze until frozen, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

2 Add 1/2 cup of the tequila, 1/3 cup of the lime juice, 3 tablespoons of the orange liqueur, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of the superfine sugar to a large cocktail shaker. Fill with plain ice cubes and shake vigorously until well mixed and very cold.   

3 Pour the corn syrup onto a small shallow plate. Mix 1 tablespoon of the superfine sugar with the shredded coconut and 1 tablespoon salt on another shallow plate. Dip the rim of a margarita (or other wide-mouth) glass in the corn syrup, then dip the rim in the sugar mixture until well coated. Repeat with 3 more glasses. Pour the shaken margarita mixture into 2 of the prepared glasses. Add 3 of the cranberry ice cubes to each and garnish with a single lime slice.  

4 Repeat with the remaining cocktail ingredients, dividing it between the remaining 2 prepared glasses and adding 3 cranberry ice cubes and a lime slice to each.

Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

6 cups milk

1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

3 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

7 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, chopped

Whipped cream, for serving

Mini marshmallows, for serving

1 Combine the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon nutmeg and allspice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar, cocoa powder and spices are dissolved and the milk is steaming, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil.

2 Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until smooth. Divide among 6 to 8 mugs and garnish with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

Vodka Cranberry Punch with Apple Cider Ice Cubes

2 cups apple cider, or more as needed

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups cranberry juice cocktail

1 1/2 cups vodka

1/2 cup orange juice

6 cinnamon sticks

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 Fill two ice cube trays with apple cider and freeze 8 hours or overnight. You may need a bit more or less of the cider, depending on the ice cube tray that you use.

2 Meanwhile, heat the sugar, cinnamon and 1/3 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking the entire time. Cook until the mixture begins to bubble, then remove it from the heat. Allow it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3 Combine the cranberry juice, vodka, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and the cinnamon simple syrup in a large punch bowl or pitcher. Stir well and refrigerate for a few hours before serving-this will marry the flavors. Before serving, add the apple cider ice cubes and cranberries to the bowl or pitcher.

Creamy Eggnog Martini

4 ½ oz eggnog

1 ½ oz vanilla vodka

¾ oz Amaretto

Pinch each of nutmeg & cinnamon

Garnish: silver sugar nutmeg, cinnamon stick

1 Dip rim of glass in a little vanilla vodka then into silver sugar.

2 In a cocktail shaker, combine eggnog, vanilla vodka, Amaretto and a pinch of each spice.

3 Add a little crushed ice and shake.

4 Strain into prepared glass and enjoy!

The Mistletoe Kiss Cocktail

For the rosemary simple syrup:

½ cup water

½ cup granulated sugar

1 sprig rosemary

For the cocktail:

6 oz vodka 

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 oz rosemary simple syrup

Club soda

Handful of fresh cr

anberries (whole frozen berries are ok)

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 To make the rosemary simple syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes then remove from the heat and drop in the sprig of rosemary. Allow the rosemary to steep for about 15 minutes and then discard the rosemary. Pour the simple syrup into a glass jar or bottle, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate.

2 To make a small batch: Pour vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a drink shaker filled with ice. Cover and shake well to blend. Divide drink mix between 2 rocks glasses filled with ice, straining the ice from the shaker as you pour. You’ll only want to fill the glasses ¾-full. Top with club soda and a few cranberries for garnish. Add a sprig of rosemary to use as a stirrer.

Christmas Martini

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) 100% cranberry juice (not sweetened*)

½ ounce (1 tablespoon) Cointreau

½ ounce (1 tablespoon) lemon juice

2 teaspoons simple syrup or maple syrup

For the garnish: cranberries, rosemary sprig

1 Place the vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold.

2 Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary and serve. 

Peppermint White Russian

One part vodka

One part Kahlua

One part half & half

One dash peppermint extract

1 candy cane, crushed

Chocolate syrup or melted chocolate chips

1 Dip your glass into melted chocolate – use a pre-made syrup, melted chocolate chips, or something homemade!

2 Roll glass into crushed candy cane pieces.

3 Pour vodka, Khalua, and peppermint extract into a rocks glass.

4 Fill with ice, then top with half & half.

5 Add a seasonal stirrer and enjoy!

Cranberry Moscow Mule

4-6 rosemary springs, 1-2 inches long

washed ice

2 shots vodka, ice cold

4 shots unsweetened cranberry juice

1 12 ounce ginger ale, I used Cock and Bull but find your favorite

fresh cranberries

1 Add 1 short spring of rosemary to each mug or glass

2 Auddle lightly with a wooden spoon or something like that to release the flavors

3 Add ice

4 Add one shot of vodka to each mug

5 Add 2 shots of cranberry juice to each mug

6 Top with ginger ale

7 Garnish with 2 sprigs rosemary and fresh cranberries

SOURCES:

Food Network

2CookinMamas

Smells Like Home

A Couple Cooks

Little House Big Alaska

Happy holidays, everyon e!