Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Cocktail

This morning I awoke cautiously optimistic that today will be a little more subdued and hopefully void of too much exercise and excitement like we experienced on Wednesday. Really, one day like that a week is plenty for me, thank you very much. Plus, it is Friday after all, and since mini #1 has pre-school this morning that means it’s just mini #2 and I left to our devises for a little while. Also, Mr. Monogram has been out of town since Wednesday morning and will arrive home late tonight after the boys are asleep and usually they start winding down a bit if they know their dad Is on his way home. But don’t worry; I’ll keep you posted on the home front.

However, in the event today does start to take a turn as Wednesday did (or *someone* decides to start playing with mommy’s jewelry again), I’ve already figured out how to stay one step ahead of the mini’s or at least calm my nerves a bit more, and that my friends, is in the form of my friend, Mr. Martini. Yep, when times get tough, the tough get drinking. But it is the holidays’ after all and if I’m going to turn into a lush that only Sandra Lee could appreciate, then these martinis might as well be merry, right? So for your own drinking pleasure and enjoyment, or more realistically, for your own holiday get together’s, here are a few merry martinis and Christmas cocktails to get your party started. Que the Black Eyed Peas....Everybody, everybody, let's get into it.Get stupid.Get it started, get it started, get it started.Let's get it started (ha), let's get it started in here. Let's get it started (ha), let's get it started in here!

Santa's Sleigh Cocktail
White sugar crystals, preferably coarse
2 cups store-bought eggnog, chilled
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
4 cinnamon sticks

Dampen the rims of 4 martini glasses and then line the rims with sugar crystals.
Combine eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg, and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and garnish each glass with a whole cinnamon stick.

Peppermint Twist
1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
1 oz. Kahlua®
1 oz. Brown Creme de Cacao

Fill a shaker half full with ice cubes. Pour all ingredients into shaker and shake well. Strain drink into a Cocktail glass and serve.

Spiced Martini
1/2 cup cinnamon vodka
3/4 cup vanilla vodka
3/4 plain vodka
4 ounces Amareto

In a pitcher combine 1/2 cup cinnamon vodka, 3/4 cup vanilla vodka, and 3/4 plain vodka Using a mini pumpkin as a glass, measure 3 ounces spiced vodka and 1 ounce Amaretto

Ginger Snap
3/4 oz. Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum®
1/2 oz. Ginger Flavored Brandy
4 oz. Egg Nog
1 Ginger Snap

Whirl ingredients in blender. If desired, garnish with additional ginger snap for dunking.

Sparkling Pear & Cranberry Cocktail
Serves 8; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes
2 tablespoons dry cranberries
1/2 cup organic pear nectar
32 ounces Moscato d'Asti wine
8 small sprigs fresh rosemary

Put cranberries in a small bowl; add 2 tablespoons warm water. Soak until cool, about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and refrigerate until serving. Divide pear nectar evenly among eight tall champagne glasses. Add cranberries, and then gently pour the Moscato d'Asti into the glasses. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig.

Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
1 1/4 oz. Light Rum
1 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Grenadine

Mix the light rum, lemon juice, and grenadine. Add the ice cubes and fill to your own taste with Cranberry juice. Add a wedge of lemon on your glass and voila! Enjoy!

Cranberry Tree
1/2 cup chilled champagne
1/2 cup cranberry juice
Fresh cranberries threaded on a skewer

In a champagne glass combine chilled champagne and cranberry juice. Garnish with cranberry skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Holiday Raspberry Champagne
1/2 cup chilled champange
1/2 cup raspberry syrup
Fresh or frozen raspberries

In a champagne glass combine chilled champagne and raspberry syrup. Garnish with raspberries. Makes 1 serving

Mistletoe Kiss
1/2 cup chilled champagne
1/2 cup pear juice
Mint sprig
Tiny green holiday ornament

In a champagne glass combine chilled champagne and pear juice. Garnish with mint sprig and ornament. Makes 1 serving.

Pomegranate Martinis
1 orange, cut into wedges
Sugar
3 cups vodka or gin
3/4 cup pomegranate syrup
1/3 cup dry vermouth
Ice cubes
Small pomegranates (optional)

Rub orange wedges around rims of 12 martini glasses. Invert glasses into a dish of sugar to coat rims; set glasses aside. In a small pitcher, combine the vodka, pomegranate syrup, and vermouth. Place ice cubes in a martini shaker. For each drink, add 1/3 cup of the syrup mixture; shake. Strain into one of the prepared martini glasses. Garnish with a small pomegranate, if desired. Makes 12 drinks.