Three Festive Drinks to Warm Your New Year's Day

Celebrating the New Year conjures visions of champagne, glitter and looking forward to a new start. Shake up your usual New Year's beverages with these three warming, delicious recipes. One for the grown-ups and two suitable for the little ones, each recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Hot Sangria with Winter Fruit Compote

Ingredients:

2 (750 mL) bottles merlot or cabernet wine
2-3 cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp. Whole cloves, tied in a cheesecloth
1 fresh bag cranberries
5 tangerines, peeled and sectioned
1 large navel orange, peeled and sectioned
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
cinnamon sticks (for garnishing the mugs)

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, pour in the wine, and then add the cheesecloth of spices. Simmer on medium-low.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, tangerine and orange segments, ½ cup brown sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, covered, and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low until it thickens, then take off the heat.

3. When ready to serve, reduce heat on the wine to low, fish out the cheesecloth and pour the reduced fruit mixture into the wine.

4. Pour into glass mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Russian Friendship Tea

This was my mom's favorite winter-time warm drink.

Ingredients:

2 cups instant Tang
½ cup unsweetened iced tea mix powder
1 tsp. Each ground cinnamon and allspice
1 lemon, sliced

Directions:

1. Combine all and mix well.

2. To use: Fill mugs with boiling water and 2-3 teaspoons to taste.

3. Garnish with a lemon slice in each mug.

Hot Pomegranate Apple Cider

Ingredients:

1 gallon apple cider
½ bottle pomegranate juice, such as PomWonderful
1 large orange, sliced
2-3 cinnamon sticks
pomegranate seed (optional for garnish)

Directions:

1. Combine all in a large pot and simmer on medium-low until warm.

2. Garnish with pomegranate seeds in each mug.