Close to Home: Holiday Drinks--Low calorie

Every fun Holiday Party starts with a festive drink. ?I love to have a themed cocktail at every party even a cookie exchange. ?Check out the Rudolph noses we did last year. ?However festive and only once a year, these drinks can pack on unwanted calories. ?Close to Home partnered with DailyBuzz Food and Sweet'N Low as a tastemaker to come up with a festive low calorie drink.

This is what I had to work with !!

This is what I came up with !?

Nothing says the holidays more than the flavors of Cranberries and Oranges. ?I chose this one because not only for the ease but the look. ?How festive with the floating cranberries. ?This recipe is created for one beverage but you could probably make a pitcher of the mixture and then add the tonic water to serve.

Cranberry Orange Gin Fizz

?(2-inch) orange rind strip
1 tablespoon fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup ice cubes
3 tablespoons gin
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/4 cup tonic water
Preparation

Muddle orange rind strip, fresh cranberries, and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes, gin, and fresh orange juice. Cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour into an 8-oz. glass; top with tonic water. Serve immediately.
*Frozen cranberries, thawed, may be substituted.
FROM:Norman King, Southern Living

I found some great Holiday and New Year's Eve Drink recipes on Real Simple and thought I would share them. ?I also thought I would share adapted as lower calorie. ?Wherever you see sugar, use Sweet'N Low for a sweeter and lower calorie Holiday beverage.

Serves 4| ? Pomegranate Martinis
Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup Cointreau
lime slices, for garnish
Directions
Chill 4 martini glasses. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and ? cup water to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the vodka, juices, and Cointreau. Add 2 cups ice and stir until well chilled.
Strain the martinis into the chilled glasses; garnish each with a lime slice.

Mulled Wine with Cranberry

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 pieces star anise
3 cups dry red wine (such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the cranberry juice cocktail, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the wine and cranberries and bring back to a simmer. Serve warm.

Easy Blender Eggnog
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 large eggs
3/4 cup brandy
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream, sugar, and nutmeg just to a simmer.
In a blender, blend the eggs on low speed for 1 minute. With the motor running, gradually add the hot cream mixture. Blend until frothy, about 30 seconds more. Add the brandy and blend to combine. Serve warm.

Lemony Gin Punch
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup club soda
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup gin
lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in the honey, and let cool.
In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the club soda, lemon juice, and gin. Serve over ice; garnish each glass with a lemon wedge.

Mango Fizzes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon sugar
1 orange wedge
2 1/2 cups sparkling wine
3/4 cup mango nectar
1 teaspoon orange bitters
orange zest twists, for garnish

Directions
Place the sugar on a small plate. Rub the rims of 4 Champagne flutes with the orange wedge, then dip the rims in the sugar to coat.
In a large pitcher, combine the wine, mango nectar, and bitters. Serve in the prepared flutes; garnish each with an orange zest twist.

This was a compensated post from Daily Food Buzz and Sweet'N Low. ?All the opinions are mine own.

Source: http://www.stayingclosetohome.com/2012/12/holiday-drinks-low-calorie.html

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