Here's my favorite drink recipe:

1 bottle of dry red wine

Some Port - just add to taste
About five whole cloves of nutmeg
Three cinnamon sticks
Zest of one or two oranges (depends how much "orange" taste you like)

********************************

Just to be different, I'll give you a favorite holiday snack. My friends call it "Lou's Cheese."

1 cup of scotch (the only real whiskey)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans (for those allergic to walnuts)
1 round of Brie
A box of water crackers

The original recipe only called for a tablespoon of scotch, but the person who gave it to me wrote down the ingredients wrong. It turned out much better. Put the brown sugar in a saucepan on medium heat for a minute. Add the scotch and mix until it becomes bubbling syrup. Turn down to simmer. Pop the Brie into a microwave for 1 minute or until soft (depends on your oven).

Put the Brie onto a dinner plate. Pour the bubbling syrup onto the Brie, light it and bring it to the buffet table. Serve with the crackers.

Quite spectacular & never any leftovers!

********************************

Here's my favorite, along with a favorite quote for you:

12 egg yolks
1 box confectioners sugar
1 cups peach brandy
2 cups light rum
2 qt. whipping cream

Mix egg yolks with sugar and let stand on counter for one hour. After an hour, pour 1 cup peach brandy and 1 cup rum. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Add 1 cup rum and refrigerate for several hours, preferably over night.

Whip egg whites until stiff. Add whipping cream to egg mixture and mix in well with beater, fold in egg whites, top with nutmeg if desired and drive responsibly!

********************************

This is my Mom's Holiday Season Chicken Pate with Port and Figs. This recipe is not for the faint of heart or dieting, but well worth the effort for friends and family.

3/4 to 1-pound dried figs (calamata figs)
1C Tawny Port
2C chopped onions
1 stick + 1T unsalted butter
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks. (If you go a little over, big deal)
1/2 pound chicken livers, trimmed and halved
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 T (lightly chopped) fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh sage
2 to 3 tsp fresh lemon juice (start with 2 and add to taste)
French Baguette cut on diagonal as an accompaniment

Slice each fig horizontally into thirds and in a shallow dish let the figs macerate in the Port, covered for at least 1 hour or until they are softened.

In a large skillet, cook the onions in 3 T butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until they are softened and transfer the mixture to a food processor. Blend lightly.

In the skillet sauté the chicken breast chunks, patted dry, in l 1/2 T of the remaining butter over medium-high heat, for 3 minutes. Add half of the salt, thyme and sage and sauté for l minute more. Add to the food processor. Blend lightly.

In the same skillet, sauté the chicken livers, patted dry, in another l 1/2 T butter over high heat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the other half of the salt, thyme and sage and sauté for l more minute, or until the livers are golden on the outside but still pink within. Add to the food processor. Blend lightly

Drain the figs, reserving the Port, deglaze the skillet with the Port, scraping up the brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan and reduce the mixture until it is thick and syrupy. Add the liquid to the processor with 6 of the fig slices and puree the mixture until it is smooth.

Line a 3-cup bowl, 6 inches in diameter (I use three smaller bowl, so I can serve the pate one at a time or multiple locations.) with plastic wrap and line this with the remaining fig slices, pressing them against the plastic wrap without overlapping them.

Return the liver puree to the processor and add the remaining 3T softened butter (when the pate is room temp) and puree the mixture until it is smooth. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, Pour the puree into the bowl(s) smoothing the top, and chill the pâté, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 3 hours. Overnight is better.

Invert onto a platter, garnish with sprig of thyme and serve with French bread.

********************************

This drink is a crime against the sacred because it involves mixing Woodford Reserve – the very best bourbon, to my taste – with egg nog. Trust me; you'll taste the difference. Don't make a punch bowl of it, though; this is only for your very best friends.

Fill an old-fashioned glass a third full with commercial egg nog. Add an ounce or two of whole milk – if you use the egg nog full strength, it will be too sweet and you won't get the flavor of the bourbon. Add some fresh nutmeg and cinnamon, and a drop of real vanilla. Add the Woodford to taste.

Sip, don't drink.

Cheers!

For me, nothing is more festive than champagne/sparkling wine. To add some holiday cheer, simply pour a tablespoon of pomegranate juice into the bottom of a champagne flute, add your favorite sparkler and enjoy!

********************************

Speaking of eggnog ... Here is a recipe I'm trying over the weekend.

Ingredients

125 g (4 oz) butter
175 g (6 oz) flour
45 ml (3 level tbsp) ground almonds
90 ml (6 level tbsp) superfine sugar
300 ml (1/2 Pint) milk, plus 30 ml (2 tbsp)
1.25 ml (1/4 level tsp) ground nutmeg
2 eggs, separated
15 ml (3 level tsp) gelatin
45 ml (3 tbsp) rum
90 ml (6 tbsp) fresh double cream
Grated chocolate to decorate

Directions

- Rub the butter into the flour. Stir in the ground almonds with 45 ml (3 level tbsp) sugar. Add about 30 ml (2 tbsp) milk to bind the mixture to a soft dough.

- Roll out the pastry and use to line a deep 20.5 cm (8 inch) loose bottomed flan tin. Bake 'blind' in the oven at 200°C (400°F) mark 6 for 10 -15 minutes. Leave to cool.

= Gently heat the milk and nutmeg in a saucepan. Beat the egg yolks, one egg white and remaining sugar together. Pour on the heated milk, return to the pan and cook gently until it thickens. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

- Soak the gelatin in the rum. Stir into the hot custard to dissolve.

- Whip the fresh cream until softly stiff, then whisk the remaining egg white until stiff. Fold the fresh cream then egg white into the cool, half-set custard. Turn into a flan case and refrigerate to set.

- Remove the flan ring. Leave for 30 minutes at room temperature. Decorate with grated chocolate.

********************************

After a nice dinner, my favorite drink is:

One Glass = (No Ice)
1/2 Gin (Blue Bombay Sapphire)
1/2 Vodka (Absolut Pepper)
4 Drops of Angostura

Once is enough, twice can be dangerous! Of course, it all depends on the size of the glass!

Or, instead – a cool iced "Vailima" beer, (local beer) on the terrace of the 309 Suite, at the Aggie Grey's Hotel in Apia (Western Samoa) facing the sunset!

********************************

It's hardly a "recipe," but I've found that everyone just loves the Williams Sonoma mulling spices added to some apple cider... just keep them heated together in the crock pot, and you're quite the holiday hostess!

1oz Absolut Vodka
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Lime Juice Splash of Chambord for color and Rasberry flavor

- Chill one bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne to 38 degrees
- Remove clothes
- Slide into hot tub
- Open bottle
- Use remote control to start Johnny Mathis Holiday CD
- Insert straw in bottle
- Sip contents of bottle.