Snow Punch

 For the elementary Christmas party of 2016, the them was "Snowman".  The recipe used for "Snow Punch" was delicious!  I found it on creationsbykara.com.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot water
3 oz evaporated milk (6 Tbsp)
1/2- 1 tsp almond extract (I used a teaspoon)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 2-liter bottle of 7UP®
Whipped cream and sprinkles (optional)

Combine sugar and water in a small glass bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or till sugar is dissolved. Cool and stir in evaporated milk and almond extract. Pour into a large punch bowl and add vanilla ice cream. Use a potato masher to break ice cream into small chunks. Slowly stir in the 7UP®.
Spoon into serving glasses. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles if desired. Serve immediately.

Serving it from the snowman punch bowl made it extra fun!

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

The oldest boy made homemade hot chocolate today and all of us thought it tasted like Starbucks! I actually thought it was a little better!  He's racking up quite a few recipes now. He's even got himself a notebook keeping them all for the future.  So neat!  I'm glad he likes to cook and try new things. And we're all glad he likes to share them with us!

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE 

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup boiling water

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup half-and-half OR evaporated milk (He used evaporated milk.)

Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring continually.  Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes.  Be careful not to scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and half-and-half and condensed milk.  Pour into mugs and serve! 

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Sweet Tea Concentrate

Our Life Skills teacher gave me this recipe. It sounds really good, and sounds like something that would be good to keep on hand or to serve when you were having company.

Sweet Tea Concentrate
Yeilds: 20 servings (5 cups concentrate)

2 medium lemons
4 cups sugar
4 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups Elnglish breakfast tea leaves or 20 black tea bags
1/3 cup lemon juice
EACH SERVING:
1 cup cold water
Ice cubes

Directions:
Remove peels from lemons; save fruite for another use.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat; add tea leaves and lemon peels. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain tea, discarding tea leaves and lemon peels; stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer to a container with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To prepare tea: In a tall glass combine water with 1/4 cup concentrate; add ice.



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Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Here is another recipe from my two son's Life Skills class.  It's a recipe from Taste of Home. I get the privilege of teaching my boys in the Life Skills classes today and tomorrow, as I teach them and the other students about etiquette.  They told me they were not going to talk to me....almost like they were going to pretend I wasn't their mother! Not easy to do in a town of less than a thousand people! Haha!

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

1 and 1/2 cups vanilla or plain yogurt
2/3 cup orange juice
2 medium rip bananas, cut into chunks
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons honey

In a blender, combine all ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately.  Yield: 2 servings.
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Hazelnut Mocha Smoothies

Two of our sons are in a life skills class this year. Since Home Ec was my very favorite class, and that was what I wanted to do - teach Home Ec (but they cut most of those programs from schools around here and from most colleges) I was thrilled it was being brought back and my boys were able to take it!

Fifteen year old, Jacob, needs some help in the cooking department, apparently.  Last week, in class, they were making a dessert. The recipe called for 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda.  The teacher caught him just as he was putting the last 1/2 CUP of baking soda in! He had already put in the whole CUP!!!  She scooped out as much as she could, but then they decided to go ahead and bake the dish! It didn't blow up, but she took it out of the oven, just as it was about to.  He'll never live it down, will he??!

He's learning, and so are the others in the class. That's what matters.

Recently they made this smoothie.  It was Jacob's favorite, since he likes getting a taste of coffee from time to time.

Hazelnut Mocha Smoothie

1 cup milk
1/2 cup Nutella
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
6 ice cubes
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Chocolate curls, optional

In a blender, combine the milk, Nutella, and espresso powder; cover and process until blended. Add ice cubes; cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Yield: 3 servings
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Bubbly Love Potion Punch

(SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  The PLAYLIST is working again!  Turn up your volume and listen to some cute and fun songs!)

Need a fun punch for a Valentine's Day party?  Try this Bubbly Love Potion Punch.  It's pretty, pink (sorry the picture doesn't show it as pretty as it really is), and very good!  

Bubbly Love Potion Punch

Makes 4 to 6 servings

One 12 ounce can pink lemonade concentrate

4 cups raspberry sherbet

One 12 ounce can Sprite (or other lemon/lime soda)

In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water.

In a blender, combine the sherbet with 4 cups of the lemonade mixture; mix until combined. Pour into individual glasses. Add the soda, stir gently and serve.

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Tea Punch

Note from Lori: This recipe was originally posted in 2009, but when I came across it today, I realized it was almost the same recipe that a friend used a few weeks ago at a baby shower.  The only difference is that she adds Sprite to it before serving. She calls it "Tea Punch" and it is really good!

Mom posted this recipe below and it was called "Tiger Tea" by her friend.   I'm calling it Tea Punch for this post and because of the addition of the Sprite, so that both names are in the archives.  ENJOY!

Posted by Donna:

I tried this recipe for the first time this weekend. About three years ago, a family friend told me she fixed this beverage for a group of friends and that everyone really enjoyed it. For some reason last week I decided it would be fun to try it out; and since our daughter and her family were coming for the weekend, I thought they could tell me whether it was a keeper or not.

3 qt. water, divided

6 individual tea bags (I used green tea just because that's what I had on hand.)

3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate

3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup sugar

In a large pan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Remove from heat, and add the tea bags. Let the bags steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Stir in the lemonade and orange juice concentrates, sugar and remaining 2 qt. of water. ( I tasted the tea after adding only 1-1/2 qt. of water and liked the taste without the full 2 qt. of water.) Either way is fine, though. Serve over ice. I also think this would be a very good hot tea.

We all thought it had a very good taste. Our nine year old grandson probably liked it more than anyone. It is something that I will definitely make again soon. The taste reminds me somewhat of the spiced tea mix that was so popular years ago that used Tang. I guess that's why I want to try it as a hot tea.

Our grandson told me to tell everyone that if you drink this Tiger Tea, you will grow a Tiger's Tail!!!!!!!!! I told him I would be sure and post his comment along with the recipe. So, if you're brave enough to try this recipe, just remember we warned you!!!!!!!!!!

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Mocha Punch

For a vintage-themed baby shower yesterday, we served a pretty colored Mocha Punch.  A friend has this beverage server, which is BEAUTIFUL, and I remembered that at my nephew's wedding they had a Mocha Punch.  My niece-in-law shared the recipe with me so that we could serve it to the guests.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but it's really good!

I'm sharing the two variations of the recipe.  We used the bottom recipe for the shower. FYI:  I didn't read the instructions, so didn't have everything refrigerated in advance.  We cooled it off with ice to speed up the cooling process and it worked just fine!

Mocha Punch

Brewed Coffee (1/2 gallon) - 64 oz
Sugar (1 cup)
Milk (1/2 gallon)
Chocolate ice cream (1/2 gallon)

Instructions:
In a container combine coffe and sugar
Stir until sugar is dissolved
Refrigerate until chilled
Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl
Add milk, mix well
Add ice cream and stir well
(Some recipes added 1 tsp. of vanilla)

Recipe Variation:

20 cups of brewed coffee
1 cup vanilla creamer (liquid)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
1/2 gallon milk

Follow directions above....

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Flavored Sugar

Posted by Lori:

I found this great recipe for flavored sugar that can be added to tea.  It's a full sugar recipe, but the recipe could be adapted to sugar free by using a sugar substitute and sugar free flavored drink mixes.  I have to add some sweet flavoring to my tea.  I don't like it at all just plain!  Apparently that's the way it is in the south.  My husband was in Georgia in April and he said that unsweetened tea wasn't even an option on the menu!  Unfortunately, unsweet is the only way he likes it, so his beverage selection was always water.

I hope you enjoy making your tea even tastier with this recipe!

Flavored Sugar

1 cup sugar
1 package (0.23 ounces) unsweetened lemon, cherry, or strawberry (or your preferred flavor) flavored soft drink mix

In a small bowl, combine sugar and soft drink mix.  To serve, stir 2 teaspoons flavored sugar into 6 ounces of hot or cold tea.
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Orange Creamsicle Drink

Posted by Lori:

A few weeks ago I made this beverage for my daughter's junior class.  It isn't the kind of thing that everyone is going to like.  In fact, I think in their class of about 20, only half of them liked it.  It was the same ratio in my family.  I liked it, so I'm posting it for you!

For a special presentation of the drink, I bought inexpensive 8 ounce water bottles and used the water from them to make the drink.  After that I refilled the empty bottles with the drink and made decorative labels for them.  A cute and inexpensive presentation idea!


Orange Creamsicle Drink


In a clean jar with a matching lid, mix one part Tang, one part powdered milk, and two parts instant vanilla pudding. Stir thoroughly and then put two heaping tablespoons of the mix into an 8 ounces of water.
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Indian Tea

Posted by Lori:

My sister-in-law, Deborah, makes this tea.  We had it last weekend when we stayed the night with them.  It's soooooo good! 

I've posted an almond tea recipe on here before, but this one is even better!  Thankfully, she let me share it with you.  It would be especially pretty for a shower or reception with lemons floating.  She says you can make it "fancier" by adding 7 UP, Sprite or Ginger Ale.
INDIAN TEA

4 gallon size tea bags
1 cup sugar/Splenda/Truvia
1 can frozen lemonade (it's the larger one - She wasn't sure of the exact ounces)
1 Tablespoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
(My sister-in-law uses Honduran or Mexican vanilla. She says you can really tell a difference and if she doesn't have it...she just leaves the vanilla out of the tea.)
Boil water - probably 1/2 gallon or so and put the tea bags in there to steep for 5-10 minutes.

She recommends putting the tea and water in a gallon container at this point. Then add the sugar or splenda - let it dissolve. Add the lemonade and flavors. Fill the container with water to make one gallon.

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Raspberry Lemon Punch

Posted by Lori:

This is one of those recipes that you just "know" will be good - without having tasted it before.  I bought a new cookbook at Sam's Club called "Celebrating Party Foods".  It's from Leisure Arts, and it has some great recipes that I am looking forward to trying.  This "Raspberry Lemon Punch" will be one of the first ones to try!

Raspberry Lemon Punch

2 cans (12 ounces each) pink lemonade concentrate, thawed and divided
6 cups water, divided
1 lemon, thinly sliced
6 whole fresh or frozen raspberries
1 half-gallon raspberry sherbet
4 cans (12 ounces each) lemon-lime soda, chilled

NOTE:  PREPARE ICE RING A DAY AHEAD OF TIME.  Recipe doesn't say this, but you could use a Bundt pan if you don't have an ice ring mold.  Other recipes suggest jello molds or other cake pan shapes.  I'll use a Bundt pan because I don't have any other type of mold pan.

For ice ring, combine 1 can pink lemonade concentrate and 3 cups water in a half-gallon container.  Pour 3 1/2 cups lemonade in an 8-cup ring mold; reserve remaining lemonade.  Freeze ice ring 4 hours.

Place lemon slices about 1 inch apart over frozen lemonade. Place raspberries between slices.  Pour remaining 1 cup lemonade over fruit.  Cover and freeze until firm.

To serve, combine remaining can lemonade concentrate and remaining 3 cups water in a half-gallon container.   Pour lemonade into a punch bowl; add spoonfuls of sherbet.  Add lemon-lime soda; stir until blended.  Dip ice mold into warm water 15 seconds.  Place ice ring in punch bowl.  Serve immediately.
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Banana Slush Punch

Posted by Lori:
For our oldest son's birthday, he requested Banana Slush Punch.  I have had it several times before at weddings and showers, but had never made it myself.  This is the recipe I used.  Unfortunately, I didn't read the recipe really well and only let the "slushy" part thaw for one hour before serving it, so it wasn't too slushy!  Thankfully, I divided the mixture and still have some frozen for another time.  Either way, my son was pleased!

Banana Slush Punch
4 cups sugar
6 cups water
5 mashed bananas
1 can frozen orange juice
1 can frozen lemonade
1 can pineapple juice
2 quarts 7-Up soda ( room temperature)

Bring water and sugar to a boil.  Boil for three minutes, then allow to cool.  Make frozen juices according to directions on cans.  Mix bananas and all juices together, then add the sugar water.  Freeze mixture.  Allow to thaw for 2 or 3 hours before serving.  Just before serving, add the 7 UP slowly.  Serve while still slushy.
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Spring Surprise

Posted by Lori....Created by Lauren:
My daughter made up this delicious drink for she and two of her brothers tonight.  When another brother and I got home from a ballgame we got a little bit, too.  It was great! (I don't think my husband tried it.  She made him nachos, though)

I asked her if she knew what she had done to it.  Here is what she estimates:

Utensils:
2 quart pitcher
Long spoon

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peach yogurt
pink lemonade drink mix - fill lid of mix to the 2 quart line
fruit punch drink mix - fill lid of mix to the 1 quart line
4- 5 cups orange juice
Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water

Stir well.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Serve over ice, if desired.

A funny thing is that I looked at beverage recipes this afternoon, thinking about making one to post for tonight.  She must have read my mind and also known that I wouldn't get home until 8:15 p.m.! It was such a good tasting creation and and a very pretty color, too!
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Pineapple Tea

Posted by Lori:

For our Hawaiian meal last week, I made this Pineapple Tea.  I really liked it, but the rest of my family didn't.  Our children don't even like plain tea and my husband doesn't like any type of sweet tea.  I was all alone on this rating but I give it a thumbs up! :)

Pineapple Tea

4 cups water
4 tea bags
4 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

In small saucepan, boil 4 cups of water.  Remove from heat and add 4 teabags to pan.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Squeeze teabags and discard.  Stir in sugar and pineapple juice.  Serve over ice.
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Almond Tea

Posted by Lori:

Last week at the Christmas Open House where I have a small little gift-item booth, a customer asked if we were serving Almond Tea.  I had never heard of Almond Tea, but she said it was great.  I searched for a recipe and found this one from Southern Living.  I made it last night (I only made 1/4 of a recipe.) and it's very, very good!  It says to chill it and drink it cold, but I liked it hot.  It's fruity, with a mild tea flavor, plus the subtle hint of vanilla and almond.  It's a perfect beverage for your up-coming holiday gatherings.

Almond Tea
12 cups water, divided
4 family-size tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Garnishes: lemon, lime, and orange slices

Bring 4 cups water to a boil: pour over tea bags. Cover and steep 10 minutes; discard tea bags.

Bring remaining 8 cups water and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring constantly; boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tea, lemon juice, and extracts. Chill. Serve over ice; garnish, if desired.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 1997

This post is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.

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Punch

Posted by Donna:

This weekend was Open House for several of the businesses in town. Each store had wonderful drinks and eats for the customers. One of the stores was serving a punch that was one of the best I've ever had. The lady who made it was kind enough to share the recipe. She didn't give exact measurements---just a rough explanation of how she made it.

Apple juice

7-Up

Orange slices

Combine the juice and 7-Up in a dispenser or punch bowl. Add the orange slices. I asked if the juice and 7-Up were equal amounts, and she said just about the same. These three ingredients worked well together---everything was just right.
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Morning Sunrise Punch

Posted by Lori:

Yesterday, on the last day of summer vacation, I took the kids for a picnic breakfast at our nearby Sonic Drive In.  They ordered their food, but also decided to order their "Sonic Sunrise" drink.  All four of the kids liked it.

Today was the first day of school and usually on this day I fix them a special after-school snack.  However, today I also had a funeral to attend and needed to make a cake for the funeral meal, so I didn't have time to make a special snack.  I thought about the "Sunrise" drink and then thought about the Cherry Limeade recipe mom posted last week.  This recipe for Morning Sunrise Punch is a close match to Sonic's drink (so my children say!).  I haven't had the one at Sonic, but I drank several cupfuls of our homemade version.

Morning Sunrise Punch

1  (25.3 ounce) bottle lime flavored sparkling water (the one I found was Perrier brand)

1 (20 ounce) bottle Sprite (or other lemon-lime soda)

10 ounce jar of maraschino cherries and juice

3 cups orange juice

3 limes (use 2 for juice and 1 for garnish)

2/3 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients together in large pitcher.  Stir until sugar dissolves. Add crushed ice as desired. Serve with lime garnish (or could slice and float in punch). Refrigerate any left-over punch.

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Morning Orange Drink

Posted by Donna:



Well, I must say this certainly hit the spot the other morning for breakfast. I'm at the age where your pill box increases somewhat, and one of the medicine bottles has a label that says to drink orange juice or eat a banana every day while taking the medication. I love orange juice, but I'm wimpy and can't handle too much of the acid---same with bananas. Anyway, I've tried to find a solution to this and I think I've found it. I've had this recipe stored away and found it again last week. It is a good drink to start off the day.


Morning Orange Drink


1 can (6 oz.) frozen juice concentrate

1 cup cold water

1 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar ( I didn't put this much)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

10 ice cubes


Combine the first five ingredients in a blender; process at high speed. Add ice cubes, a few at a time, blending until smooth. Serve immediately.

The only problem with this drink is that you do have to serve it immediately. Otherwise, the "froth" goes away. It's such a quick drink to make and above all , it tastes great and it's healthy.
I got this recipe out of an old Taste of Home magazine. I've got so many recipes torn out of magazines--I'm not sure I'll ever get around to making them all. Probably not!!!!!!




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Cherry Limeade

Posted by Donna:

Cherry Limeade and Cherry Sprite with extra cherry syrup are my favorite soft drinks. As I was sitting in a medical clinic today and thumbing through a magazine, I found this recipe. I'm anxious to try this and see if it closely resembles my "downfall" at Sonic.


Cherry Limeade

1 bottle lime sparkling water
1/2 cup lime juice
2/3 cup cherry juice (I think the recipe suggested Cherry Jubilee)
2 T. super fine sugar
Lime wedges for garnish (optional)

Stir together until sugar is dissolved. Pour over ice and garnish with wedges, if desired.

I wrote down half of this recipe---then Larry had to finish the rest of it since I was called back for my app't. I'm taking for granted that the second half is accurate. After I make it, I'll get back and edit the recipe if I need to.










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