Winter warmups

It’s hard to look outside and not think Brrrrrr. Winter’s chill seems to go right to the bone, and there’s no better time to curl up with a warm drink and a good book — or good company.

Looking to treat yourself or your guests? We’ve put together some hot drinks sure to please any taste — plus a chocolatey whipped topping you can use to dress up any coffee or dessert.

Mexican Coffee (pictured above)

3/4 cup (175 mL) ground dark roast coffee (regular or decaffeinated) or to taste
2 tsp (10 mL) Club House ground cinnamon
6 cups (1.5 L) water
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1/3 cup (75 mL) chocolate syrup
2 tbsp (30 mL) light brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) Club House pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream (optional)

1. Place coffee and cinnamon in filter basket of coffeemaker. Add water to coffeemaker; brew as directed.

2. In small saucepan, simmer milk, chocolate syrup and sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Stir milk mixture and vanilla into brewed coffee.

3. Pour into serving cups. Garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: News Canada. For more recipe ideas, visit www.clubhouse.ca. For more ideas to dress up your coffee, see Turn coffee into dessert.

Spiced Cranberry Juice

4 1/2 cups cranberry juice
4 dried apricot halves
2 tablespoons cranberries
2 tablespoons raisins
4 whole cloves
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Strain juice mixture and pour into mugs and serve hot or chill and serve cold.

Makes 4 servings.

Submitted by 50PLUS.com reader JSC788

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The Best Hot Chocolate

In a large pot bring to a boil:

3 cups water
100 grams unsweetened Chocolate, grated
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves

Keep at a LOW boil until chocolate is melted.

ADD:

2 cans or 3 cups evaporated milk. (Skim and 2% evaporated milk is available and can be used as well.)

Remove from heat and add 1 tsp butter. (Editor’s note: remove cinnamon stick and cloves before serving.)

Stir and serve!

Submitted by 50PLUS.com reader Astarsaphire

Chocolate Whipped Cream

2 cups chilled whipping cream (500 ml.)
1 cup icing sugar, sifted (measure before sifting)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/8 Tsp. salt

Sift sugar, cocoa and salt together. Stir into cream in a deep bowl until blended. (It takes a
while for the cream to start absorbing dry mix, as icing sugar and cocoa are very dry.)

Keep stirring and scraping down sides of bowl til blended. Beat on high until stiff. (It doesn’t take very long.)

This topping is also good on apple pie, strawberry pie or banana cream pie.To really impress your guests, use as topping on after-dinner hot coffees such as Monte Cristo or Spanish Coffees. They will love it!

Submitted by 50PLUS.com reader Firesign

For more recipe ideas, check the 50PLUS.com recipes section.