Kristen's Lime Punch

This recipe was originally published on December 4, 2014.


It's party planning time and you know what that means--scrambling for the fave recipes that will wow your crowds. If you need a super easy, incredibly tasty punch, this is your lucky day. It goes well with any venue you can throw at it. Do you wonder about the name?  I first tried this at a Pampered Chef party given by my friend, Kristen, in Horizon City, Texas back in the late 90s.  Kristen, if you are out there in the blogosphere and happen to see this recipe, say hello!  Last time I got a Christmas card you guys were still in the midwest and your husband was working at...hmmm...Indiana University?

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
6-oz. can of frozen  limeade concentrate
Juice of 2 limes
2 liter bottle of lemon-lime soda

Boil sugar and water together until sugar dissolves.  Chill.  Squeeze juice of 2 limes and add to chilled sugar water.  Make the limeade according to directions on can.  Add to sugar-lime water.  Add lemon-lime soda to taste--don't use the whole 2 liter bottle.  Just taste as you go.

Toast to America! (my family will totally get this.)

TIPs: 

• I like to add crushed ice (Sonic ice is the best, if you can get it!) or make a decorative ice ring ahead of time from the punch before adding the soda.
• Just googled this great tip from Chowhound.com for rimming glasses with sugar (or salt)--get a section of a tangerine or clementine, cut a small slit in it and then run it around the rim of your glass.  Dip glass in sugar and viola!

Mango Lemonade

Over the past several days I have had the opportunity to taste two different versions of Mango Lemonade--one at Outback Steakhouse, and one at Applebee's.  They were both good, but the Outback version was OUTstanding!  I tried to replicate that at home.

Ingredients:
Mango syrup, nectar or fresh puree
Lemonade, tangy

1.  Pour desired amount of lemonade in glass.  Add mango to taste.  Add ice.

The quantities you use are according to your taste.  Make sure your lemonade is tart, and if you have carbonated water try using that.  I didn't have any and I think that would be closer to the Outback version.  So good.  And you get more than one free refill if you make it at home!

Cranberry Punch

I recently threw a baby shower for a dear friend of mine and wanted to try a new punch recipe for it.  After stumbling across this one, I decided to give it a try but I have to admit to you that I really didn't expect much.  I mean, punch is punch, right?  WRONG!  One sip of this punch and I was in love....this, this would be my new go-to punch recipe!!  And I got so many compliments on it that I just knew I had to share it with you.  Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
4 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. almond extract
2 quarts ginger ale, chilled

1.  Combine all ingredients except the ginger ale.  Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2.  Combine juice mixture and ginger ale in punch bowl or beverage dispenser.  Garnish with orange slices if desired (you could freeze these in advance to keep the punch cold).  Serve and get ready for the compliments!

Source:   adapted from the recipe I got on Pinterest (but I think it linked to DrinkedIn)

Pink Grapefruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

pink or ruby red grapefruit, peeled, membrane removed
1 banana
1 c. frozen strawberries
1/2 c. orange juice, chilled

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.   You may find a whole grapefruit is too sour for your taste buds so add half first and do a taste test to see if it needs more.

Source:  craftylittlegnome.com

Apple Cider Punch

Ingredients:
6 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups orange juice, cranberry-raspberry juice, or orange-mango juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 750-milliliter bottle sparkling white grape juice

1.  Combine the apple cider, orange juice, and lemon juice.  Store in fridge until ready to serve.
2.  Just before serving pour juice mixture into punch bowl or beverage dispenser.  Add sparkling grape juice and stir well.

Source:  Better Homes & Gardens

Green Smoothie [For Beginners]

So... have you fallen into the Green Smoothie craze yet? If not, you really should. My husband and  I have been doing green smoothies for about a year now. I can honestly say that it's been the best "eating" decision we've made as a couple.

I know that if I have this smoothie for either breakfast or lunch, I instantly have 4 (1/2 cup) servings of fruit and 2 servings of veggies (if you use 2 cups of spinach).

Don't let the ingredients or color of the drink shy you away. This is a GREAT beginners recipe. I PROMISE you won't be able to taste the spinach! This makes a 32 ounce serving. It'll be really filling, and really tasty!

Beginner's Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup water (you could also use juice, I just don't want the extra calories)
1 cup light vanilla yogurt
1/2 c. unsweetend natural apple sauce
1 frozen banana
1 heaping cup of frozen strawberries
1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach

Directions:
- Put the ingredients in the blender in the order they are listed.
- Blend!
- Enjoy!

If you are doing Weight Watchers (like I am!) this whole drink is 4 points. You may be able to find a yogurt with less points... if you notice the only points in this drink is from the yogurt.



Want more of my smoothie ideas?
Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Jamba Juice's Strawberries Wild Knock Off

Yummy Healthy Smoothie

So, how many of you are doing the "set a goal to lose weight" goal AGAIN this year?  Oh, come on, you know you did.  It's like the number one New Year's Resolution EVER!!  Anyway, it hit me tonight, as I looked at my calendar (didn't have time to check it yet this week.  What is that about?) that it was my week to post on Thursday.  After cleaning the kitchen and living room this morning, vacuuming up copious amounts of pine needles from the Christmas tree, going to my 3rd Zumba workout this week, doing a couple of loads of laundry, going back to work after the long Christmas break, working like crazy to catch up at said work, getting my entry ready for our Arts Council photo contest, running to the bank, yadda, yadda, yadda....I got home from work and had about 30 minutes to breathe and throw down a fold-over ham sandwich before a 6:00 planning meeting at church, prior to the youth meeting at 7:00 pm. I did NOT have time to whip up an amazing recipe to post, but I do have time to make a smoothie for my breakfast in the morning!  So I am going to go do that right now and snag a few pictures and then I will  be sharing that smoothie recipe with you!  Now we can work on our weight loss goal together!

Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen fruit, we like blueberries
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt, we like to use 2 containers of Activia
1/3 cup of Whey Protein, chocolate flavor
1 heaping tablespoon low fat peanut butter
Honey, to preference
Ground flax seed, about a tablespoon or so
1/2 banana
1/4 cup quick oats (or less), or a packet of instant oatmeal of desired flavor
6 oz. low fat milk, we use 1%

1.  Place the fruit in a blender, food processor, or "Ninja" and process for a few seconds.
2.  Add remaining ingredients and process until desired consistency.
3.  Pour desired amount in a glass and ENJOY your healthy beverage.

Creamy Hot Chocolate

We found this recipe several years ago and hot chocolate has never been the same! This recipe beats every homemade concoction we've tried--and there are some goodies out there.

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (we've used other brands and they work, too.)
1/2 Cup unsweetened Cocoa (we usually use Hersey's brand)
1.5 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
3 Cups Hot Water
3.5 Cups Milk*
Mini Marshmallows (opt)
Whipped Cream (opt)
Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Chili Powder (opt)

1. In a large sauce pan, over Medium heat, combine Sweetened Condensed Milk, Cocoa, Vanilla, and Salt. Mix Well.
2. Mix in the water and the milk. Heat through, stirring frequently. Do not boil.

Serve with mallows or whipped cream and a dash of spice. Questioning the chili powder? Ever seen the movie "Chocolat"? That's where we got the idea and it really is quite good.

*The original recipe called for 6.5 Cups Water, but we like it with the milk. It makes it creamy.

Source: All Recipes, with slight variation

Red Hot Apple Cider

Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net/imagerymajestic

Oh my!  It's my day to post and I totally spaced it!  Husband is out of town on business and I have been cleaning and decorating and just playing, because I can be up late and not wake anyone up.  Looks like I could have remembered to blog a recipe, doesn't it?  So if you need a little warming up this afernoon/evening, then I have gotten this post up JUST FOR YOU!  We had dinner with some friends one night during the Christmas season and Trini served hot cider that was so yummy.  I asked her for the recipe and she just laughed.  When you see the ingredients you might laugh, as well, but once you taste it you will be like, oh my gosh.



Image by flickr.com/begautrea

Ingredients:
Apple Cider or Apple Juice
Red Hots candies

1.  Pour desired amount of apple cider or juice in a stove top teapot or in a saucepan.
2.  Pour desired amount of Red Hots into pot/pan, according to how spicy you want your cider.
3.  Heat to desired temperature.
4.  Pour into mug or cup and enjoy....you may want to put a cinnamon stick in for garnish.

Here's another fun hot drink tip:  Another friend, Adrianna, puts cinnamon sticks in her water when she is heating it for instant hot chocolate.  Kind of a quick way to sort of have Mexican Hot Chocolate.  Yummmm...also good when making instant oatmeal.

Source:  Trini Marquez, El Paso, Texas

Blueberry Lemonade

Nothing says "summer" like good old fashioned lemonade.  This one has an even healthier twist with blueberries, one of nature's super foods.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
4 cups water
4 cups blueberries
1 - 1 1/4 cups sugar (depending on your taste for sweet or tart)

Directions:

1.  Process ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2.  Pour through a wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding solids.
3.  Serve over ice.  Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Source:  Southern Living

Instant Christmas Wassail

Just in time for Christmas! If you've never had wassail before, I've been told it's similar in taste to Russian tea. I've never had Russian tea, but I know I like wassail!

Ingredients:

1 C Tang

2 C sugar

1 1/2 C lemonade mix

2 t cinnamon

1 t ground cloves

1. Mix well.

Source: My mom

When serving I like to pour the water in first and then add the wassail mix and stir; I think it incorporates better that way as opposed to putting the mix in your mug and then adding the water.

Yields more than the quart pictured above (not more than a cup more--I didn't measure it).

Pink Milk

My kids love Charlie and Lola, a couple of cute British kids that used to come on the Disney Channel. We own pretty much every book and DVD on those two. One of Charlie and Lola favorite drinks is pink milk.



I found a recipe which involved ice cream, milk and strawberries, i.e., ingredients I did not have. So I adapted the chocolate milk recipe below. For pink milk, simply substitute strawberry powder for the chocolate powder (and yes, I do prefer Nesquik).



Pink milk
1 quart water
3/4 cup dry powdered milk
1/2 cup strawberry milk mix

Whisk together dry ingredients in the bottom of a pitcher. Slowly add the warm water as you are stirring. Chill for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.


Adapted from: I Can't Believe It's Food Storage

Chocolate Milk

My kids love chocolate milk. I mean, whose kid doesn't? But let's face it, milk is expensive. So to save a little dough I started keeping chocolate milk (made with non-instant powdered milk) in the fridge.

Chocolate Milk

1 quart warm water*

3/4 cup non-instant dry powdered milk

1/2 cup chocolate milk mix (We prefer Nesquik.)

Mix the dry ingredients in the bottom of the pitcher, then stir in the warm water. Chill for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving

No one has complained that it doesn't taste as good as fresh milk (just don't let them see you mixing it!). Go ahead and double it; it's gonna disappear fast.

Then check out the post above for a sweet variation.

*Crystal Godfrey claims that the powder will dissolve easily in any temperature water. I don't like to argue with the experts, but I have been much more successful mixing it with warm water and then refrigerating.

Source: I Can't Believe It's Food Storage

Nutella Hot Chocolate

I love Nutella.  Love, love, love it.  And once again, Pinterest provides another scrumptious idea on how to use it.  This is yummy, quick, and easy.  You can play around with the amount of Nutella to suit your personal taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1-2 Tbsp. Nutella (I eyeballed it)

1.  Place milk and Nutella in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, whisking until Nutella is fully incorporated into the milk.  (You could probably use one of those little cocoa machines with the spout too.)
2.  Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy.

Source:  found on Pinterest (no original source cited there)

Harry Potter Butterbeer

I found a recipe on Pinterest for Harry Potter Butterbeer and was so excited to try it.  I made it, but was disappointed with the flavor of the actual drink (the topping was pretty good).  But I decided it was worth trying to salvage so I tried again.  The original recipe calls for butter flavoring and rum extract in the cream soda, but I found that this made the soda taste diet-y and weird so I just used plain cream soda.  Hence, there is no "butter" in this "beer".  But I ran this by a ten-year-old expert who has been to the Harry Potter theme park and tasted "real" Butterbeer....he liked it.  So I guess I'm good to go.

Ingredients:

2-liter bottle of cream soda*

1 cup whipping cream

7 oz. jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp. rum extract

1.  Chill the soda completely before "assembling".

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, marshmallow creme, and rum extract until smooth and combined.

3.  Pour cream soda into cups, allowing head room.  Drop the topping by spoonfuls into soda.  It will float and fizz.  Serve!

Source:  adapted from Design Dazzle Blog

*The first time we tried this we bought A&W Cream Soda, but didn't realize until after we drank it that it has caffeine.  I was able to find a no-caffeine cream soda at Lowe's Foods....Polar brand soda.

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Hot Cocoa Mix

This is a family must have and is so easy. Be creative - Sprinkle different flavors of the powdered creamers into individual servings (we like French Vanilla and Cinnamon). My favorite however, is melting a little bittersweet chocolate and drizzling it in - Yum! We use a a Cocoa-Motion to "whip" up a larger batch.

Ingredients:
7 cups Instant Powdered Milk
2 cups nondairy creamer
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened good quality cocoa (I use Guittard All Natural high fat - don't notice that last word)

1. Mix all ingredients in large container with a whisk until well blended - You can also mix this in a 2 gal zippy bag that you shake.
2. Store in 2 gal zippy bag or other container - stores up to 9 months

To make individual cups:
1. 1/3 cup mix
2. 8 oz warm water
3. A titch of milk or cream
4. Stir and enjoy

Source: Adapted from a Family Recipe and Make a Mix

Pumpkin Pie Shake

I love the fall season and all that comes with it. I especially love the fall food we make! Pumpkin pie spice is one of my favorite spices. So, I tweaked a recipe that I found for milkshakes and came up with the yummiest milkshake ever! The only downside to them is that they are highly addictive. I had one for breakfast this week.... Shh...don't tell. Hope you like them!

2 c vanilla ice cream
1 c milk
2/3 c canned pumpkin
1/4 c packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
3 Tbsp. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender, process until smooth. Pour 3/4 c ice cream mixture into each of 4 glasses. Top each with about 2 tsp. whipped topping; sprinkle with the addtional pumpkin-pie spice, if desired.

adapted from Cooking Light

Morning Orange Drink

Well...I have quite a few recipes that I have taped to the blank pages in  my copy of our Brew Family Cook Book that I have always wanted to try, but have never gotten around to.  Oh come on.  You know you do the same thing!  This recipe looked yummy and so I tried it this afternoon and yeah, it was good.  Very refreshing on a 98 degree day.  And somewhat like an Orange Julius, so enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
10 ice cubes

1.  Combine the first 5 ingredients in a blender; process at high speed.
2.  Add ice cubes, a few at a time, blending until smooth. 
3.  Serve immediately (probably because it will separate if it sits a while).
4.  Yield:  4-6 servings.

Source:  Country Woman Magazine

"It's a Breeze" Tropical Smoothie

One of our favorite summer treats, especially on the hottest of days, is a fresh smoothie!  The ingredients are simple, the kids love to help, and guess what? There's no added sugar!

Ingredients:

3 cups 100% Apple Juice

About 2 cups frozen Dole Mixed Fruit (strawberries, mangoes, peaches, pineapple)

1 or 2 bananas (optional)

1.  Measure juice into a blender or smoothie machine

2.  Blend until smooth

Serves 6-7