Sweet'n'Spicy Warm New Year's Drinks (For Adults)

Traditional warm New Year's Day drinks with a twist. These warm drinks are a great way to warm up on a chilly January 1st.

Irish-Mexican Hot Chocolate: A creamy spin on a sweet-hot classic.

½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. hot chocolate mix powder
½ cup boiling water
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp. milk chocolate chips, melted (sub: chocolate syrup)
1.5 oz. (1 shot) Irish cream

Mix dry ingredients in a large mug. Add boiling water and stir well. Stir in chocolate chips or syrup. Add milk and Irish cream. Stir and enjoy. (Optional: accent with pinch of salt. Garnish with marshmallows.)

Swedish Glogg: A hot spiced wine fit to keep even Vikings warm.

1 bottle (750 mil.) port wine
1 bottle (750 mil.) red wine, fruity
1 cup rum
1 cup brandy
8 whole cloves
1 whole cardamom pod (cracked)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 orange peel, cut in thin strips
¼ cup white sugar
½ raisins
½ cup slivered almonds

In large pot, simmer wine, cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel over low heat 10 minutes. Add brandy, rum, and sugar and simmer (do not boil) 4-5 more minutes, stirring often until sugar dissolves. Keep warm, covered, on very low heat. Aside, mix raisins and almonds, and place a spoonful of mixture in bottom of each mug or teacup before ladling in glogg.

Mulled Hot Apple Cider: Cinnamon meets sweet.

1 quart water
1 quart apple cider
1.5 cups rum (clear or spiced)
½ cup brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
1 tsp. orange zest
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch allspice
1 pinch salt
1 piece cheesecloth or 1 coffee filter

Using cheesecloth or coffee filter, make secure bundle of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In slow cooker, combine water, cider, and rum with spice bundle. Cover and heat on low for 1 hour or more. Serve with cinnamon sticks.