Vanilla and Nutmeg Soya Latte (v)

I'm usually a black coffee drinker but fancied a milky latte this morning to go with my raspberry and white chocolate cupcake.

For one latte you need:
150ml soya milk (I find Tescos value doesn't curdle)
150ml fresh coffee
1 tsp vanilla sugar
freshly grated nutmeg
an aerolatte or other milk frothing device

Heat the milk and sugar in a large mug and then whip into a frenzy until a good head is formed (fnar fnar). Add the coffee and mix gently. Top with a generous grating of fresh nutmeg. Go and hide for 30 mins whilst you drink it...

Sweet Lassi

This is really good with a curry but also when the weather is hot and you're fed up with drinking water...

To make it you need:
2/3 tub of plain yogurt, the cheap thin stuff works best
2 good handfuls of ice
4-5 cardamom pods, seeds removed
1/4-1/2 cup caster sugar depending on taste
500-750ml cold water depending on how thick you like it

Place everything in a blender and blend for 5 mins till frothy and mixed. Check the taste and adjust sugar and water as necessary. Serve topped with a little more crushed cardamom if you like.

Vanilla Milkshake

Similar to the banana milkshake but sans the banana, obviously.

For one person you need:
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
150ml milk
marshmallows and gold stars to decorate

Blend the milk and ice cream together. Decorate. Drink.

Banana Milkshake with White Chocolate

A sort of healthy drink-snack. Sort of...

For one person you need:
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 banana
150ml milk
Sprinkle of white chocolate stars
Cocktail cherries

Blend the milk, banana and ice cream together till smooth and fluffy. Pour in to a tall glass and decorate with the chocolate stars and cocktail cherries. Feel like a child again...

Chocolate Milkshake

One for the children so they don't feel left out ;-)

For one person you need:
2 scoops chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup cold milk
mini marshmallows
silver stars
straw

Blend the ice cream and milk in a blender till smooth and frothy. Pour into a glass and decorate with the marshmallows and stars. Serve with a straw and wait for the slurping...!

Gin and Cassis Cocktail

Well, it *is* New Year's Eve ;-)

For one person you need:
1 shot gin
1/2 shot lemon juice
1 tsp icing sugar
1 small bottle tonic water
1 shot cassis
lots and lots of ice.

Combine the gin, lemon and sugar in a cocktail shaker filled 1/2 full with ice. Shake till well mixed. Strain in to a tall glass filled with more ice. Add the tonic water and stir well. Pour the cassis in to the middle of the glass. Chin chin.

Bucks Fizz

So I didn't want to do a Keith Flloyd and get too squiffy on champers whilst preparing dinner. And MIL doesn't really like dry sparkling so we had bucks fizz instead. Yum. As it was Christmas we used freshly squeezed orange and clementine juices for an extra festive edge.

For one bucks fizz you need:
1/4 cup fresh juice
dry sparkling white wine
Star sprinkles

Put the wine in a champagne glass and top up with juice. Dust with sparkly star sprinkles and quaff. Lush.