Hot drinks for cold weather

I have had a terrible cold the last week. And although dozens of my "friends" at the senior center have tried to make me drink hot toddies, I have refused, knowing it would either kill me or I would not wake up for days. I keep thinking with friends like that, who needs enemies? As for me, a good hot beverage is wonderful and does help clear up my head, and when I can taste it, it tastes pretty good. I have included several hot beverage recipes for you to keep in your files to have on hand all winter.

Spiced Apple Cider

1/2 gallon apple cider

1/4 cup maple syrup

4 cinnamon sticks

12 whole cloves

Place ingredients in a slow cooker. Turn on high for 1 hour or until hot. Reduce heat to low to keep cider warm throughout the day. Makes 8 (1-cup) servings

Hot Mulled Cider

1 quart apple cider

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 small cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve at once, garnishing with cinnamon sticks, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Russian Tea Mix

1 large jar orange flavored Tang drink mix

1 package dry lemonade drink mix

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup dry instant tea

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all together and store in airtight container. When ready to have a cup of hot tea, stir 2 or 3 teaspoons in a cup of very hot water. Adjust amount to your personal taste.

Cherry Cider

2 quarts apple cider

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1 (3-ounce) package cherry gelatin

Combine cider and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add cherry gelatin and continue cooking until gelatin is dissolved. Serve warm. Makes 2 quarts.

Red Berry Wassail

8 cups water

4 cranberry tea bags

Allspice, to taste

16 whole cloves

12-ounce can frozen raspberry/cranberry concentrate

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. Let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags and spices and serve while still hot. Makes 10 cups.

Breakfast Wassail

64 ounces cranberry juice

32 ounces apple juice

12 ounces pineapple juice, frozen concentrate, thawed

12 ounces lemonade, frozen concentrate, thawed

3 cinnamon sticks

1 quart water, optional

In a large saucepan combine juices, concentrates and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add water if desired. Serve hot or cold.

Spiced Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup cocoa, unsweetened

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

4 cups milk

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped cream

4 cinnamon sticks

Combine cocoa powder, flour and brown sugar in 2-quart saucepan. Stir in milk, cloves and 1 stick cinnamon. Heat just to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer on low, uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; remove cloves and cinnamon. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with wire whisk until foamy. Pour into coffee mugs. Serve with whipped cream and cinnamon sticks for garnish.

Orange Cocoa

3 cups hot coffee, freshly brewed

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

Orange zest, for serving

Sift the confectioners sugar with the cocoa. Then beat the cream until fluffy, gradually adding the confectioners sugar mixture, and continuing to beat until thick. Divide chocolate whipped cream evenly among 4 coffee cups or mugs, then pour coffee over the cream. Do not stir. Top each cup or mug with fresh orange zest and serve.

Spicy Hot Chocolate With Cinnamon

4 cups milk

1 ancho chile, cut into 4 pieces, seeds removed

2 cinnamon sticks

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped

4 cinnamon sticks for garnish

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, ancho chile and 2 cinnamon sticks; heat just until milk begins to steam, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; let steep, covered, 10 minutes. Place chocolate in a medium bowl; strain milk mixture into bowl, whisking to combine thoroughly. Discard the two cinnamon sticks. Return mixture to saucepan; continue whisking until chocolate has completely melted. Divide among four mugs and serve immediately, garnished with remaining cinnamon sticks.

As you well know, there are thousands of variations to each of these recipes. Be creative and make up your own by your preference of spice or fruit flavors. And as always, let me know when you come up with a new masterpiece. I would like to share it here in this column.

Be sure to get your cookie recipes submitted to the Southeast Missourian cookie contest. You won't want to miss this great contest.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.