Russian Tea

5 apple cinnamon teabags
3 cups boiling water
2 cups pineapple juice
16 oz. orange juice concentrate
16 oz. lemonade concentrate
9 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar (can use half splenda)

Directions & Story:  Pour 3 cups boiling water over tea bags and steep for 5 minutes.  Remove tea bags.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer.  You can also add whole cloves and cinnamon sticks while simmering.

I got this recipe from the wife of Dale's commanding officer.  She had us over for dinner while the guys were deployed to Afghanistan and I think I drank the entire pot of this cider (I was pregnant so it's ok).  I then made it a few times throughout the holiday season.  It makes the house smell amazing and is a great addition to any holiday menu.  After simmering on the stove I put it in a crock pot to keep warm.

Homemade hot chocolate

1.5 cups heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Notes/Story: Add all the ingredients to a crock-pot and let simmer on low for 3 hours. So tasty and creamy! (But also very rich!) It makes quite a bit...so I would either halve the recipe or make it when there are a lot of people around.
A couple days ago we were in a winter storm warning (first time this year!) and I was hoping for a snow day so I could make this yummy treat for my roommates and I. There ended up being no snow day (of course) but the weather was still very snowy, blowy, and cold so I decided to make this hot chocolate anyways! Coming home from class to this really was wonderful!

Fruit Slush

4 cups granulated sugar
6 cups water
Bring the above ingredients to a boil and cool 
Add:
1 - 46 oz can pineapple juice
2 - 12 oz cans frozen orange juice
1 -12 oz can frozen lemonade
Put in a 5 quart pail and freeze, stir mixture as it starts to freeze every 2-3 hours until frozen.
Scoop out a couple of large spoonfuls of slush into a glass and add ginger ale.

Story: Dianne made this for a New Year's Eve party, Christmas 2011 I made this, but omitted the sugar and water mixture, thus it became a fruit mixture with the ginger ale, Everyone thought it was good this way, too. It didn't make as much, but  was more concentrated. Easy and quick to serve for a cold beverage which ever way you choose to make it.

Percolator Punch (Cider)

1 quart apple cider
1 pint cranberry juice
1 pint orange juice

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon whole cloves
3 sticks of cinnamon

Method & Story;We purchased a lot from an elderly couple and had our new house moved to the location in the south east side of Casselton (1975). We were invited over for a light lunch and Florence served this 'percolator punch'. It was made as you would coffee. I've used a coffee maker that is a percolator, but I think it would work equally well heated on the stove and remove the spices just before serving. Our nice friendly neighbor was confined to a wheelchair and always had a smile.

Punch

1 jug red tempko
1 can frozen lemonade
1 bottle (large) squirt soda

Method and Story; We were invited to one of Kristin's classmates graduation party (1999). This punch was served, and it was so tasty we soon called Nancy for the recipe. Very easy, mix the tempko and lemonade together, and add the squirt when ready to serve. Very pretty, too.

Pumpkin Pie Milk Shake

15 oz canned pumpkin
2 cups milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup Splenda (or sugar)
2 cups frozen Cool Whip
Notes/Story: Blend all ingredients in blender. Serves 4.

Just made this for the first time today! I used Splenda and didn't taste too bad actually.