A very poor substitute for Noglies*

Christmas time's a-coming, and I haven't taken my summer holidays yet. That particular adventure starts next Wednesday, when Man and I fly West to ranching country. Yee-haw, we're going to take in a cattle auction. (This excites me).

While summer holidays are upon me, Christmas holidays are right around the corner... And nothing puts me more in a Christmas mood than cold weather (check) a starry sky (check) and a mug of eggnog and Baileys. Or milk and Baileys. Or water and Baileys. Really I'm not that picky.

Sadly, the bun in the oven takes priority over my own needs holiday cheer. I've been looking for alternatives. Hot chocolate (1c. milk, 3 tbsp cocoa, 2 tsp honey) has served me well all autumn, but the trees are heavy with dogberries and I need a pick-me-up with a little more punch.

Enter Irish cream coffee flavouring. The thought of adding artificial flavour to anything is on the far end of my Acceptable Kitchen Practices spectrum, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

A sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg, et voila!

Hey, at least the milk is full of calcium. 

 * Noglies: n. a drink containing eggnog, a generous serving of Baileys and a sprinkle each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Best enjoyed near a roaring fire in the months of November through March.