Holiday Cocktail Recipes

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Kick off your Christmas gathering with one of these fun festive holiday cocktails!

BEER NOG- A beer lover's Egg Nog you can make in a cinch!
  •  4 large eggs, separated 
  •  1/2 c. sugar
  •  1 1/2 c. milk 
  •  1 c. heavy whipping cream
  •  nutmeg, vanilla
  •  Brown Ale
  •  Bourbon or Dark Rum (optional)

Preparation:
Separate the eggs. Beat the sugar into the yolks, milk and cream until smooth. Season with a dash  of nutmeg and dash of vanilla. Beat the egg whites, fold into eggnog.
Fill a 6-8 oz glass 1/4 full with beer (optional: add 1/2 oz rum, be careful not to go overboard too much rum can overwhelm the beer's flavor). Fill glass with eggnog.

ROSY CHEEKS SHOTS
  •  1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
  •  1/4 c. Chambord
  •  3 Tbs Raspberry Vodka
  •  2 Tbs. Vanilla Vodka
  •  1/2 c. ice cubes
  •  8 fresh raspberries

Preparation:
In a blender, combing whipping cream, liquors, and ice cubes. Cover and blend thoroughly. Pour mixture into eight 1.5 - 2 ounce shot glasses, garnish with raspberries and serve immediately.

THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE - for a dessert drink, with three ounces of straight alcohol
  •  1 ounce peppermint schnapps
  •  1 ounce Kahlua
  •  1 ounce Bailey's

Preparation:
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly then strain the ingredients into a chilled martini class

RED HOT SANTA-TINI - to spice things up
  •  Cocoa powder
  •  Cayenne pepper 
  •  Thai chili pepper 
  •  Whipped cream
  •  Chocolate liquor
  •  Vodka (to add a bit more heat, choose chili-infused vodka)

Preparation:
Rim a martini class with a cocoa powder and pinch of cayenne pepper mixture. Shake together 2 oz vodka and 2 oz chocolate liquor and pour into glass, top with whipped cream and garnish with a small Thai chili pepper.

THE GRINCH - for those who aren't a fan of the typical Christmas-y drinks
  •  2 ounces Midori
  •  1/2 ounce lemon juice
  •  1 teaspoon simple syrup

Preparation:
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Tips for Hosting Christmas Dinner

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Pulling off a dinner party doesn't have to be daunting, nor do you need to be a gourmet chef to qualify. If you're hosting Christmas dinner this year, see below for some simple tips to prepare for the big day: 

1. Plan the menu around your kitchen - Why choose multiple oven baked dishes if you only have one? Use stove tops, portable burners, ovens, microwaves for a complete meal that works in and around your kitchen.
2. Choose recipes that can be made ahead of time - All you have to do on Christmas day is pop them in the oven to reheat. This will save you kitchen time and thus give you more relaxation time.
3. Keep the guest list doable - See how big your space is, how many chairs you have, how big the table is - over packing your apartment will cause more chaos than necessary. Have family coming in from out of town? Reserve them a room at Hotel Zero Degrees and get 10% off the best available rates with the promo code = Holiday (available 12/22 - 12/30)
4. Don't do it alone! - When family is around you (hopefully) will be getting offers to help, don't turn them away. Assign different tasks (cutting veggies, watching the stove) to different people, even if there is no cooking to be done having someone wash whatever dishes accumulate in the sink will be a huge help.

And finally, the food is not important. Christmas is a joyous occasion and gives you the chance to spend it with the people you love. So prepare the meal as best you can, don't stress, smile and enjoy yourself this year!

Big thanks to MasterChef Adam Liaw for some of the above tips! Are you a master host? Share your tips with us on our Facebook page!

Attn: Residents! Festive Fancy Pants Holiday Party

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Attention Moderne Residents! In case you missed our announcement earlier last week - we'll be having a 'Festive Fancy Pants Holiday Party' on December 12th. Break out your Fanciest Festive pants and come enjoy an evening with us- prizes will be given to the Top 3 Fancy Pants, chosen by popular votes.

The party will be from 6pm - 8pm on Thursday the 12th with food from Quattro Pazzi Restaurant. Make sure to RSVP by TOMORROW December 6th to Mia@rms-companies.com.

Also be sure to LIKE us on Facebook to stay up to date with local happenings and resident events!