11 Simple Winter Drinks

  I noticed that weather has been cold and nasty in many parts of the country.  I got stuck for several days in a town where the only hot drinks I could find were your standard coffee or tea.  Nothing more than that.  I would have killed for something a bit more exciting.

There are drinks out there that are easy to make and not too hard to create with ingredients from the pantry.

1. Chai Tea - mixed crushed cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fennel, and other spices are added to milk, brought to almost a boil, add a tea bag or two and let steep for 10 minutes.

2. Heat some apple cider with mulled spices, orange zest, and ginger, let steep a bit and serve.

3. Make hot chocolate from scratch, add in some ground up chipotle and cinnamon, steep and enjoy.

4. Blend a few eggs in a blender, pour in a heated mixture of cream, sugar, and nutmeg, blend until frothy. Add a bit of brandy if you want some alcohol in it.

5.  Add a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream into a hot cup of cocoa to add richness and flavor.

6. To create a quick toddy, add Frangelico to hot water, top with whipped cream.

7. Mix hot almond milk with cocoa powder, maple syrup, and melted dark chocolate to create a nice warm drink.

8. You can also mix some unsweetened almond milk with tumeric, ginger powder, nutmeg, vanilla, and cayenne pepper, heat and serve.

9. How about a hot chocolate where you mix nutella into milk, add cocoa powder and sugar, heat and enjoy.

10.  Enjoy milk mixed with cocoa powder, equal amounts of brown and white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt, and vanilla.  Heat it up and top off with whipped cream.

11. Ever thought about mixing pear nectar with water, tea bags, orange juice, stick cinnamon, whole cloves, and orange peel.  Heat and simmer for 10 minutes, sweeten with a bit of honey.

Do you have a favorite winter drink?  Feel free to share it in the comments section.  Let me know what you think.  Enjoy the weekend.