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Brandied Cranberry Sauce
When I think of decadent holiday cooking and cocktails, brandy always comes to mind. A generous amount transforms cranberry sauce into the most delicious accompaniment to turkey or your choice of roast. Holiday spices, cranberries, and dried fruit, which plumps while cooking, lend even more festive flavor. A touch of orange lends bright citrus that cranberries just seem to crave. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite feast of the year, and I’m always looking for new ways to serve up something that will make loved ones feel joyful. Special ingredients and little touches always seem to do the trick. While you could omit the dried fruit, I recommend a combination…
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Cranberry Orange Mocktail with Ginger and Spice
On the cusp of winter, which happens to be peak citrus season, I’m sharing my cranberry orange mocktail with ginger and spice. I love non-alcoholic drinks for the holidays, and with New Year’s Eve celebrations coming, this is a flavorful option that everyone can enjoy. Certainly you might put out some spirits for those who wish to add a splash, but this drink is absolutely delicious on its own. Berry flavor comes in the form of a cranberry spice syrup than can be used in lots of holiday drinks, while the citrus component can come from mandarins, blood oranges, clementines, or your preferred variety. Save a few slices for the…
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Carrot Cake Quencher Mocktail
Garnish this carrot cake mocktail with a slice of brûléed citrus and remember to tuck one into the drink for a bit of smoky sweetness. As a non-alcoholic brunch drink, this serves up the flavors of the spiced dessert with the brightness of clementine or mandarin juice, since I always add a hint of orange to carrot cake. A cinnamon simple syrup made with raw cane turbinado sugar, which retains some natural molasses, adds spice with deeper notes and just-enough sweetness to each cheerful glass. While a carrot juice and citrus mocktail is perfect any time of year, now is when clementines, tangerines, and many other citrus fruits that brighten…
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Mulled Apple Cider Mocktail
Cider intensifies after a simmer on the stove with cinnamon, all-spice berries, and cloves – plus a touch of orange. Chilled and paired with white tea, it becomes a refreshing mocktail that can be enjoyed any time of day. Garnishes of crystallized ginger, rosemary, and orange peel accent the flavors and keep the festivity going once all the holiday decorations are packed away. I use sprigs of rosemary as cocktails picks because they are so fragrant and cozy. White tea is light, bright, and a little bit floral depending on the variety, which makes it a great mocktail component that doesn’t tend to overwhelm fellow ingredients. Both the tea and…
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Blood Orange Glazed Carrots
Blood oranges have gorgeous interior colors, with some being uniformly crimson and others resembling a tortoise shell pattern. As you squeeze the fruit needed for these blood orange glazed carrots, the juice color will give an indication of the jewel-toned side dish you’re about to whip up in the skillet. I use a combination of purple and orange carrots, sometimes even yellow and white, as they each pick up the rich shade of the glaze in a subtly different way. A rainbow-hued bunch will transform in the skillet as the glaze reduces, and as an added bonus, each color has its own health benefits. Ingredients 1 pound carrots 1 tablespoon…
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