By Debbie Gregory.

We want to share some easy and delicious cocktails to serve during the holiday season.

We want to include a disclaimer and say this because we care.   The holidays are a time to party and often when some party, they consume too much alcohol.   This can create some awkward table talk but more importantly, we want to emphasize not to drink and drive.   Not only do you place yourself and your loved ones in physical jeopardy but others as well.   If the police cite you, you can be looking at legal costs of at least $10,000 or more depending on the city and state.  It is the best way to ruin your holidays and your lives so do not drink and drive.

Today, there is not any excuse with services such as UBER and LYFT.  Please put their apps on your phone and use them if you need to be somewhere and had a few drinks even if you think you are fine.  There is the solution of one person who does not drink that day or at all to be the “designated driver”.

Enjoy your holidays but be safe and care about yourself and others.

Below are two cocktails to enjoy.   Let us know what you think and send your own drink recipes to info@vamboa.org

Hot Toddy – serves one but you can double and triple depending on how many and use a small tea pot

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup of Hot Water
• 1/4 Cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 Tablespoons Brewed Hot Espresso
• 2 Tablespoons Bourbon
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• Dash of Cinnamon in a mug

Directions:

• Stir all of the above together (your cinnamon is in the mug already)
• Add 1 Chai Tea Bag
• Let Steep for 5 minutes
• Discard Tea Bag
• Garnish with a slice of lemon and a cinnamon stick

Cranberry Cosmo – Serves one but you can mix for more

Ingredients:

• 4 Lime Wedges
• 5 Tablespoons of Vodka
• ½ Tablespoon of Simple Syrup
• Splash of Cranberry Juice

Directions:

• Muddle you 4 lime wedges in a cocktail shaker
• Fill the shaker with ice
• Add rest of ingredients and cover and shake for approximately 30 seconds
• Strain into a martini glass
• Garnish with fresh or frozen cranberries

As you can tell by the various recipes I share, my goal is to spend the most time with friends and family and not be chained to the kitchen or work so hard preparing meals that I miss out on the true experiences of sharing this time with the people I love the most.

Wishing everyone the best of the holidays and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2020.

Debbie Gregory

By Debbie Gregory.

VAMBOA, the Veterans and Military Business Owners Association and our staff want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday filled with joy.

We have the highest regard for those who serve, past and present.  The men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform and their loved ones have made many sacrifices so that the rest of us can live well and prosper.   They have written a blank check up to and including their lives for our country and are courageous patriots.

Those who have served are uniquely suited to be entrepreneurs.   Veteran and Military Business Owners have a keen understanding of how to execute a plan to achieve their goals.   Veteran and Military Business Owners have the know- how to build and manage teams.     They are disciplined and understand that success might come after numerous challenges and even a few failures.

We salute you and the families that support you.   We hope that all of you will take time out during the holidays with all the extra demands upon you to experience the joy of these special days with your friends and family.

VAMBOA wishes everyone the best of the holidays in December including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Las Posadas, Diwali and Chinese New Year.   Each one has special joys including meanings, traditions and foods to experience.  Our holiday wish for you is to please give yourself some much-deserved time to take it all in and enjoy the moments with those people who mean the most to you.

Many holidays are commercialized and often we are focused on gifts and all that we must do instead of people.   Let’s think of the true meaning and magic of these special times.    The time and experiences with those people who mean the most to each of us are the real gifts and are irreplaceable.

We all can be kind and perform random acts of kindness.  The holidays and the beginning of a new year are a wonderful time for kind acts and continuing them into 2020.    There is much more that unites us as Americans than divides us.

Joy to America and to the World!

Sincerely,

Debbie Gregory

CEO, VAMBOA