Wild Cherry Hibiscus Soda

I've wanted to try this recipe for several months, and last week I finally assembled all the ingredients and made it!  (would you believe I had to go out of town for plain sparkling water??)

I ordered the exotic ingredients such as wild cherry bark and hibiscus flowers from a wholesale company, where I also got this recipe.  Let me know if you need help finding them and I'll see what I can do. 

I have been wondering about using frozen or even fresh cherries (thawed, then dried?) instead of the expensive dried cherries.  I was also wishing that the leftover solids could be used somehow, but not with bark in the mix...

I am not sure how many drinks this will end up making, I got almost a quart of concentrated extract, and have been using about one shot (just under 1 ounce) per drink.  They are refreshing and delicious and I'm so glad I have that extract in the fridge!

**They call it ale, I call it soda.**

Wild Cherry Hibiscus Soda
Recipe from Frontier Co-op

4 cups water
1 cup dried cherries, chopped into ¼ inch pieces (do not use vegetable oil treated cherries!)
1 tablespoon Frontier Wild Cherry Bark
1/4 cup Frontier Hibiscus Flowers
2 cups Frontier Organic Cane Sugar

Place water in pan and add dried cherries and wild cherry bark.
 

Bring pot to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Turn off heat, add hibiscus flowers and sugar and stir until dissolved. Cover and let steep until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
 

Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve, then through one or more coffee filters into a clean, sterile jar. Store concentrated extract in refrigerator for up to three months.

To mix: Use a 1:6 ratio of concentrate to sparkling water. Adjust the ratio for more or less sweetness 

 according to your personal dietary preferences and desired taste.

Serve over ice.  Garnish the drink with whole frozen, pitted cherries.

Godiva Chocolate Coconut Truffle Iced Coffee

As part of Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I received two bags of Godiva coffee: Chocolate Truffle and French Vanilla flavors! I was asked to create a special iced coffee drink. Of course I started with the Chocolate Truffle Coffee...

If you'd like an iced coffee drink that doesn't get watered down, plan ahead and freeze coffee cubes in an ice cube tray. Otherwise you can use regular ice cubes. From there, you can use them whole or throw your ingredients in a blender for a yummy frozen coffee. Your choice.

Chocolate Truffle Coffee, dark chocolate sauce, and coconut syrup combine to make a luscious and refreshing Chocolate Coconut Truffle Iced Coffee!



Godiva Chocolate Coconut Truffle Iced Coffee
Serves 1

Godiva Chocolate Truffle Coffee, brewed and cooled
Ice Cubes or Frozen Coffee Cubes
about 1 tablespoon Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce
1 ounce Monin Coconut Syrup
Half & Half, to taste
Whipped cream, optional...or required...

Add Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce to a 16-ounce glass and fill glass with ice cube. Godiva Chocolate Truffle Coffee, filling up to about 1 inch from the rim. Add Monin Coconut Syrup, top off with half and half, and stir well until all chocolate is stirred in.

Enjoy.

The Citrus Shock

UPDATE: The polls are now OPEN! Go here to vote for your favorite of ten intriguing cocktails~hopefully you'll pick mine, The Citrus Shock! This contest was such a fun experiment. Good luck to all my fellow contestants! Enjoy! (polls close at midnight on Feb. 15th)




I was excited to receive an email from Matt of Marxfoods.com, asking if I'd like to participate in their Electric Mixology cocktail recipe contest. Of course! Marxfoods sent me a free sample of Szechuan Buttons to use in my cocktail recipe.


Szechuan Buttons are flowers from Africa and China which impart a tingling sensation on the tip of your tongue, and that is just at the beginning! Be ready for a numbing shock, perhaps some popping, then a citrus-like feeling with a hint of herby-citrusy flavor, then a salty sensation (not flavor, sensation!) These things are bizarre and fun!

We infused our tequila with buttons overnight, which imparts a mild, numbing, slightly tingly sensation to the entire drink. Amplify this sensation as you drink your Citrus Shock by nibbling on your very own Szechuan Button--you can eat the leaf too!

The Citrus Shock is delicious button-infused tequila flavored with citrus, with a boost of apple brandy and topped off with a gorgeous Szechuan Button and fruit slices. Cheers!


The Citrus Shock
Serves 1

1 ounce Szechuan Button-Infused Tequila (recipe below)
1/2 ounce Apple Brandy (such as Calvados; we used our friend's homemade Apple Brandy)
Juice from Orange Wedge (about 1/8 orange)
Juice from 1/4 Lime Wedge
Juice from Lemon Wedge (about 1/8 lemon)

Garnish: 1 slice clementine (or mini orange citrus fruit) + 1 slice lime + 1 Szechuan Button and 1 Szechuan Leaf


To prepare drink, add Szechuan Button Infused Tequila, Apple Brandy, and citrus juices to shaker with 1/2 cup ice. Shake to mix, strain into martini glass.

To prepare garnish, cut each fruit slice from center to edge on one side.


Fit clementine and lime slices together to form an "X."


Gently tuck Szechuan Button and leaf between slices in center so they stand up on top. Carefully balance entire fruit structure in middle of martini glass, and enjoy!



Szechuan Infused Tequila
Makes enough for 8 Citrus Shocks!

8 ounces tequila
2 Szechuan Buttons

Pour tequila in a glass jar. Crush buttons in a mortar and pestle or finely chop. Add crushed buttons to tequila, cover and let sit overnight or longer.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

I have a sweet little cookbook called, simply, Hot Chocolate. You might find it surprising that although I've owned this cookbook for years, I just can't remember ever making one of the recipes. I find it surprising too, a definite lapse in judgment.

So without further ado (or excuses), here is the first recipe we've tried. I mistakenly thought that 3/4 cup of milk "wouldn't be enough" for one serving, so I doubled this. Then it was sooooo rich I just couldn't drink it all. So start slow with this creamy delicious drink!


I had mine with Homemade Marshmallows! "Nutty perfume" is right, and I can't wait to try to frozen version!


Nutella Hot Chocolate
Makes 1 serving

The recipe is credited to Chuck Silverston, Paris Creperie, Brookline, Massachusetts. "The nutty perfume is heavenly in hot chocolate." says Chuck, who invented the minimalist delight. "I can't believe someone didn't think of this before. During the summer, the restaurant offers a Nutella Frozen Hot Chocolate, made the same way but with the addition of vanilla ice cream and plain yogurt. (you can be sure I am trying this as well!)

3/4 cup whole milk
2 heaping tablespoons Nutella
whipped cream (or homemade marshmallows)

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Add the Nutella and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Pour into a mug and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or marshmallows. Serve immediately.

Maple Scotch

There is something so seasonal about sipping maple scotch on cold nights. I plan to have some in stock all winter. Here's how I made it...

In a non-reactive sauce pan, bring the following to a boil:

• 1 cup pure (bottled, filtered) water
• 1/3 cup maple sugar (you can buy some at Savory Spice Shop)
• 1/4-1/3 cup evaporated cane juice (use a little less if you want it less sweet)
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 6 or 7 whole allspice berries
• 1/4 tsp caraway seeds

I boiled the allspice berries and caraway seeds in a reusable herb sack to keep them all together.

Boil this mixture until the sugar dissolves. Then let it cool completely before combining a 750ml bottle of scotch with the maple mixture. I used Ballantine's and poured it into two different Ball jars, adding 2 cinnamon sticks to the smaller jar just to experiment. In the larger jar, I kept the seed sack to allow the flavors to blend.

This will be ready to drink in a couple weeks, but the longer it sits, the better. You also might want to remove the cinnamon sticks after a couple weeks to avoid making it too cinnaminy.

Enjoy!

Horchata de Melon (Melon-Seed Drink)

I am posting this recipe for my friend Emily, who asked if I had a good Horchata recipe. I don't believe I've ever actually had horchata, but this recipe is from a very reputable cookbook, Diana Kennedy's The Essential Cuisines of Mexico, so it's worth a try. I hope she'll try it and let us know how it is. Or I will. (or if any of you does, please let us know)

I have a feeling this may not be exactly what you're looking for, Em, but you never know. I'll keep looking, too...I think the rice/almond mixture sounds kind of good, so now I want to try that one too.


Diana writes: Horchata, a milky-looking drink originally made of almonds or a small white tuber called chufa, was brought from Spain to Mexico, where it became popular in the Yucatan. There it is generally made by soaking and grinding raw rice, often with the addition of a few almonds, then straining and serving over ice. It is considered delicious, healthy and refreshing, but what drink wouldn't be refreshing in that heat? I had always thought it was just plain dull--but there are always surprises in Mexico.

After lunch one day at a friend's house, I went back to the kitchen and saw that the maids were saving the seeds from the cantaloupes that we had been eating for lunch. They were going to make horchata from the seeds. Some cooks rinse, drain, and dry the seeds, but I think this is the most delicious version of all.

Horchata de Melon
Melon-Seed Drink
Serves 1

Scrape the center fleshy part from 1 cantaloupe, seeds and juice included, into a measuring cup, and for every cup add:

1 cup cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

Put all the ingredients together in a blender jar and blend until very smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1/2 hour, then strain through a fine strainer and serve over ice cubes.

Sangria

You probably remember I was searching for a sangria recipe when planning our Housewarming Extravaganza. I found two great recipes in my friend Catherine's Williams-Sonoma Cocktails & Appetizers cookbook, for a White Sangria and this traditional Sangria.

The red Sangria is good and a bit easier to prepare than the White Sangria, but honestly I do like the White Sangria best. Most everyone enjoyed both kinds of Sangria.

I made a quadruple batch of this sangria as well. Didn't have room in the refrigerator to chill it for an hour, but since we served it over ice it didn't seem to matter!

Incidentally, this does not keep, even leaving it overnight the citrus was overpowering. Best to drink it within hours of preparation. Follow the link for several similar glass drink dispensers.


Sangria
Serves 6
Sangria is the beloved Spanish infusion of red wine and fruit. This recipe adds strawberries to the mix. When choosing the wine, look for something dry and of good quality. Choose one you would drink by itself.

1/2 each lemon and orange, sliced and seeded
1/2 apple, cored and sliced
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine (we used Black Mountain Merlot)
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 fl. oz) brandy
soda water (we used club soda)

1. Place lemon, orange, apple, strawberries and sugar in a large pitcher.

2. Pour in wine and brandy and stir with a long-handled spoon. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Just before serving, add up to 2 cups soda water. Stir again and serve over ice in tall glasses.

White Wine Sangria

I was searching for a sangria recipe (or two) when planning our Housewarming Extravaganza. I went over to my friend Catherine's house, and was perusing her cookbooks. In Williams-Sonoma Cocktails & Appetizers, I found a recipe for a traditional (red) Sangria, as well as this White Sangria.

Cath let me borrow the cookbook, and the rest is history. This White Sangria was my favorite of the two, refreshing and cinnamony, and beautiful in a clear glass container. We made a quadruple batch for our party, and very little was left. If you are looking for a simple drink with a lovely presentation that most people will like, try this.

Incidentally, this does not keep, even leaving it overnight the citrus was overpowering. Best to drink it within hours of preparation. Follow the link for several similar glass drink dispensers.


White Wine Sangria
Serves 6
This may be the best wine cooler you've ever had. Afloat not only with fresh fruit such as citrus and peaches, it is also infused with cinnamon sticks and fresh mint. Although blood oranges add a beautiful color to the white wine, regular oranges work just as well. (We used regular oranges)

1/4 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
handful fresh mint leaves
1 each lemon and orange
1 peach, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1/2 bottle dry white wine
soda water (we used club soda)

1. In a saucepan, combine 2/3 cup water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and half of the mint. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool.

2. Slice the lemon and orange. Place lemon, orange, and peach slices in a pitcher. Add wine, sugar mixture, and remaining mint. Fill pitcher with soda water. Stir well. Pour over ice cubes in tall glasses, adding some fruit to each glass.

Apricot Mixed Berry Spritzer

I believe this recipe came from an Everyday Food magazine, circa 2004, although I've been unable to find it online. I first used it in the Spring that year, when some good friends of mine joined us on the ranch for my birthday dinner.

This spritzer was such a delicious hit that I remember my friend Serena and I mixing up batch after batch all weekend long. Serena still makes and serves this fabulous drink. In fact, I had to ask her for the recipe again when I couldn't find my copy!

White grape juice is a key ingredient, otherwise the spritzer turns out brown. I know this because the teeny tiny grocery store doesn't stock white grape juice, and this time I had to use regular grape juice. The artist in me knew that the purple grape juice mixed with the orange apricot nectar would result in brown spritzer, but my desire for another batch of spritzer was too great to wait for white grape juice. I hope your spritzer is a lovely shade of apricot.

It is important that all the ingredients are chilled, and the berries are frozen. (you can either freeze your own berries separately on a cookie sheet, or buy a bag of frozen berries) This time I used a mixture of strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Unless you are concerned about presentation, such as for a party, you can simply garnish each glass with fruits separately, instead of measuring the entire amount. If serving for a party, use your best punch bowl or a lovely pitcher, and measure out the berries.

Also, I couldn't find seltzer water, so I used club soda instead.


Apricot Mixed Berry Spritzer
Makes 8 cups

2 cups apricot nectar, chilled
2 cups seltzer, chilled
2 cups ginger ale, chilled
2 cups white grape juice
2 cups mixed berries

Freeze berries.

Gently mix liquids together in desired container, punch bowl or pitcher (overzealous mixing will cause the carbonation to go crazy).

Add berries just before serving.

Instant Chai Mix

This quick recipe makes 10 servings of chai mix, perfect for gift-giving. It comes from the Pillsbury Christmas 2007 Cookbook. Chai is a sweet, spiced, hot tea, flavored with milk, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It is comforting, wonderfully spicy and fragrant. To make chai, follow the directions below for Instant Chai. If you are giving the mix as a gift, be sure to include a copy of the directions!




Instant Chai Mix
Ready in 5 minutes
Makes 10 Servings

1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup instant tea mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cloves

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Carefully pour mixture into a decorative, 1-pint food storage container. (I've used a ziploc for easy shipping).

Write directions for Instant Chai (recipe below) on a decorative card; attach directions to the storage container.


Instant Chai
Ready in 5 minutes
Makes 1 serving

2 tablespoons Instant Chai Mix
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup warm milk

Spoon the Instant Chai Mix into coffee cup or mug. Pour boiling water over the mix; stir to blend. Stir in the warm milk.

Min's S'Moretini

When we were at an Outback Steakhouse a while back, I noticed a drink by this name in their drink menu. I didn't order one, and hadn't tasted this drink. Of course all of Outback's recipes are proprietary, meaning they don't share. I did note that they use Monin Toasted Marshmallow flavoring. ( I will be curious, the next time we make it to an Outback, to see how their drink measures up to mine!)

I went on a quest, and quickly found Monin brand flavorings on the internet. I ended up ordering some directly from Monin. Man do they have some delicious-sounding recipes, with and without alcohol of course. With over 100 different flavors, it is a very enticing website. Stay tuned, you can bet I will be making more drinks!

I decided I wanted to make a vodka drink, modeled after the ne'er-tasted s'moretini, with Monin Toasted Marshmallow flavoring, some chocolate...and I took it from there.

If you don't want to buy all the specifically Monin components of this drink, I'm sure you can make substitutions. You will NEED the Monin Toasted Marshmallow, there is no substitute. You can use vanilla vodka instead of regular, and omit the Vanilla flavoring, or just add 1/4 teaspoon or so vanilla extract. Swirl the glass with Hershey's chocolate syrup or a different chocolate sauce/syrup instead of Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce. I bet it will taste yummy.

However, you may want to splurge on the Monin flavorings. (At least the scrumptious Dark Chocolate Sauce!) Either way, I know you will enjoy this smooth, creamy, luscious and decidedly grown-up s'more in a glass.

Min’s S’moretini

Serves 1

Hershey's syrup

1/2 graham cracker, finely crushed

Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce

ice cubes

1 1/4 ounce vodka

1 ounce Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup

1 squeeze Hershey's syrup

1/2 ounce Monin Vanilla Syrup

2 ounces half & half

• Rim martini glass with Hershey's syrup and crushed graham crackers.
• Swirl bottom third of glass with a generous drizzle of Monin Dark Chocolate Sauce.
• In cocktail shaker, combine vodka, Monin Toasted Marshmallow flavoring, Hershey’s Syrup, Monin Vanilla flavoring and half & half.
  
• Add a handful of ice cubes and shake until combined and chocolate is incorporated.
• Carefully strain into glass, and savor.

Number One says "It's yummy!"

Happy New Year!

Please drink Min's S'moretinis responsibly.

The Winner! Homemade Rootbeer!

Thank you everyone for your entries for YOUR Grandma's Recipes. Just when it looked like I'd have to choose between one of my mom's cookie recipes and one of my mom's other cookie recipes, reddquilter pulled this out of the hat!


Number One has been coveting this recipe for years, while I have never actually sampled a bottle. After reading the story behind this more-than-50-year-old recipe, and sweet reddquilter's relatively recent history with rootbeer making, I am sold.

I cannot wait for summer so we can make this! We are saving every brown bottle we can get our hands on. We may even hold off on drinking Corona for a time (because it comes in clear bottles!) and switch to a brown-bottled variety. That is commitment, my friends.

And now, reddquilter's story, followed by the recipe! Congratulations, reddquilter!


"Brian's family have been making homemade rootbeer for more than 50 years. When Brian was young his job was to bottle the rootbeer after his mom had mixed up the brew. He hated that job hence he hated the rootbeer. It is a bit different than most homemade rootbeers. With less sugar than most recipes and with the addition of hops which gives it a most unique taste. Brian now loves the rootbeer, which we make each summer. Our kids and grandkids love the brew as well. I think it was a test when I was dating Brian , if I liked it then I was in, if not, it was time for Brian to look for a new girlfriend. Good thing I love it, for I am very lucky to have Brian in my life !"

Lambert's Homemade Rootbeer

1 bottle Hires extract (sorry to say that Hires doesn't make this any more, so use Shilling instead)
7 1/2 cups sugar
Hops (steep 1/4 to 1/2 cup in 1 quart boiling water for 5 minutes, strain and then make sure to cool down before adding to rest of mixture.) You can find hops in most health food stores.
1/2 tsp. yeast dissolved in warm water
Add enough water to make 5 gallons.

Bottle and cap. If you can't find a bottle capper we have found that you can reuse pop bottles (the plastic bottles, either size and screw the tops on very tightly). However, old (recapable not screw top) brown beer bottles work the very best.

Lay bottles on their sides and store in a warm dark place for about a week (in summer). It will take longer in cooler climates. Chill and enjoy!

Lemonade

Lemonade is one of H-Bomb's favorites; we go through gallons of it in the summertime. We also serve it at almost every party. It is both H-Bomb's and Sawed Off's beverage of choice in restaurants.

It is very easy to make good lemonade. Lemonade that doesn't involve mystery powders or mixes. It is delicious to use real lemons, but with two little cowboys, I don't have that kind of time.

I use ReaLemon.
It is simply delicious. You could use other brands of lemon juice, but I've found the ReaLemon brand to be better,tastier and more consistent.

Choose an appropriately sized container; you can make one serving or two gallons! Another reason to love it. All you need is lemon juice, sugar, and water. I always measure the sugar first, then the lemon juice, then the water, and then my measuring cup is a snap to clean. Depending on the container, sometimes I use a funnel (if I'm making gallon jugs for a back-up party supply, for example)

Here are the measurements:
(you'll notice that you use equal parts sugar and ReaLemon)

1 serving: 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons ReaLemon; 3/4 cup water

1 quart: 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup ReaLemon; 3 1/4 cups water

2 quarts: 1 cup sugar and 1 cup ReaLemon; 6 1/2 cups water

1 gallon: 2 cups sugar and 2 cups ReaLemon; 13 cups (or however many it takes to fill your gallon jug)

2 gallons: 4 cups sugar and 4 cups ReaLemon; 26 cups water

Mix well, relax and enjoy!

Loomi Tea

As you may remember from my very first Taste & Create experience, I was on a quest to find Loomi for my Kuwaiti Chicken Mechbous. Loomi are dried black limes (also called Omani and mistakenly marketed as "lemons"). The limes have been boiled in salt water and dried in the sun until they are blackened. Loomi have a very distinct odor and taste, not like anything I'd ever had.


My partner for the event, Dita, now has a beautiful picture and a description of loomi and its various other names here.

While I was researching a source for loomi, (although popular in the middle east, it is not readily available in the states), I ran across a recipe for loomi "tea." Unfortunately the link no longer works, but luckily I had already copied the recipe! I am sad to lose the contributor's name, but I couldn't get there today.

Loomi "tea" is supposed to be very refreshing when it is hot, so I thought it would be a perfect drink for summertime in the desert. Today, I set out to make it. My plan is to allow the loomi to steep all day, since I did not think to make this last night. This afternoon, when it is nice and hot outside, I will break out the ice cubes and have a nice refreshing, hopefully pleasant drink!

If you'd like to make some loomi tea for yourself, you can buy dried limes here, just search for "omani."


I crushed the limes (hard little things!) in my mortar and pestle. That's Sawed Off's little hand/finger, pointing at and saying "Tea! Tea!" The limes smell wonderful when they are freshly crushed, you'll have to take my word for it as I realize they don't look wonderful!


Floating in the pot of water they look a bit odd...


You can see that they have already started to color the water...and they do smell great!

I am intrigued. The limes have been boiled and are now steeping in the pot. I let the limes steep for several hours, basically until the mixture had cooled. I think it would be a good future plan to boil this in the evening, and then let steep overnight.


Then I strained the tea through cheesecloth into my pitcher, and then gathered up the cheesecloth and squeezed all the juice out of the limes. I added the sugar and mixed it up.


Served over ice, this is a very refreshing drink! It has an unusual flavor, but it is delicious. And there is no caffeine, and very little sugar. Excellent.



Here's the recipe:

Loomi Tea

As for most Middle-Eastern drinks, you have to use your own judgment for sugar and intensity of flavor. The recipe below is only a starting point. Add more loomi or sugar as you think fit.

8 Loomi Lemons, crushed (I used 9, why not)
1/2 cup or more to taste, sugar
1 gallon water

Add a gallon of water to loomi in a non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, turn off burner and cool. (I put a lid on the pot)
Strain and then add the sugar. Let sugar dissolve at room temperature.
Stir, taste for sugar and chill.
Serve chilled with ice cubes.


Note: You can also leave the loomi soaking in the gallon of water overnight. In the morning, bring to a boil, turn heat off and strain and add sugar. But the recipe above can be used when making it in a hurry.

Also, crush the loomi into small pieces using a mortar and pestle. This brings out the flavor and sourness. In old days I am told grandmas would use their hands to crush the loomi as they soaked in the water.

Slush

This is very refreshing and very potent. Consume with joy and caution.

Mix this in a large non-reactive bowl. If you'd like, you can steep the tea and mix some of it in a saucepan before pouring the hot mixture into a bowl.

Pour 2 cups boiling water over 4 teabags, let steep 3 to 5 minutes. Dissolve 1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar in tea. Add 12 oz. can lemonade concentrate and 12 oz. can orange juice concentrate, stir until dissolved. Add 9 cups cold water and 2 to 2 1/2 cups vodka. Mix well. Pour in large container and freeze.

To serve, scrape out desired amount with a spoon or ice cream scoop.

Min's Mexican Hot Cocoa Mix

This makes a dry hot cocoa mix, and packaged in quart jars with raffia and/or ribbon it makes a pretty gift.

1 cup cocoa powder

3 cups powdered milk

1 cup sugar

dash salt (or two)

2 Tablespoons cinnamon**

2 Tablespoons Ghiardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate (no substitutes!)

Dried mini marshmallows (optional, but fun. To dry, if you live in the desert you can just leave them on a baking sheet in your kitchen for a day or two. Or, stick them in a dehydrator.)


Whisk all ingredients into powder until well-blended. Store in glass jars. To serve, add about 4 or 5 Tablespoons of mix to a mug of hot water.


**The cinnamon is what lends the "Mexican" flavor. You can leave it out for just plain old Hot Cocoa.

Min's Coconut Fruit Smoothies

This will make about 4 servings (if 2 are for little kids). We love these smoothies because they are refreshing and flavorful, and healthy! If you have strawberries or other fruit that are on the verge of going bad, just stick them in the freezer for when you will make these smoothies...

In a blender, place 1 or 2 whole bananas and 1 can coconut milk (preferably organic for best flavor). Turn on blender, blend coconut and banana until smooth, then while blender is still running add a variety of frozen fruit: strawberries, peaches, whatever you're in the mood for. Or just add one type of fruit. (we like strawberry. They also sometimes have a "smoothie combo" of fruit that is quite good.)

Add as much frozen fruit as your blender can handle: it will either fill up or thicken up to desired consistency. Spoon into cups and enjoy!

Hot Cocoa for A Winter's Night

Now, here's the thing. When Ad and I make hot cocoa, we add Peppermint Schnapps. It's minty and delicious. When Shell makes hot cocoa, she adds Bailey's Irish Cream. It's creamy and decadent.

Ad just tried his first cup of Shell's cocoa, and he wanted me to put it on the blog as "Ad's Hot Cocoa" because it's his favorite. But, truthfully we learned about it from Shell, so this is one of her recipes. And now, it's also one of ours. Ad said something about drinking Hot Cocoa with Bailey's every night!

So, here goes:

Hot cocoa (however you make it, we use Swiss Miss)
Boiling water
*Sometimes we add about 1/3 milk and 2/3 hot water
About one shot of Peppermint Schnapps OR Bailey's Irish Cream
Whipped cream is optional, but darn good!

Try it both ways. Let us know which you prefer.

OR, let us know what YOU add to your hot cocoa!
Cheers!

Shell's Vodka Cocktails

This is a great summer drink. My husband and I vacationed in Canada every year for a while and these were GREAT sitting out on the porch of the cabin! Very simple, economical (buy a bottle or 2 at Duty Free!) and you can change the flavor of water to suit your taste! Get the best vodka you can afford... Skyy, Absolut, Finlandia, Friz, Grey Goose, Chopin are all great. No need to buy the HIGH HIGH quality stuff, after all, you ARE mixing it with something. But if you use something too cheap, it will taste like you're drinking rubbing alcohol with lime. Not good.

What you'll need...

1 bottle of vodka (see above)

1 bottle of carbonated "sparkling" lime water (usually sugar, caffeine and sodium free!)

Lime slice for garnish

Get yourself a cup... any cup. If you're on vacation in a cabin, a coffee cup will do just fine. :) Put some ice in it. Add a shot (@2-oz) of vodka. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water. Add a slice of lime. The limes serve double duty... they add a little extra flavor and they also serve as markers to how many drinks you've had. Just add a new lime slice every time you refill!

You could use any flavor of sparkling water you like and an appropriate fruit garnish.

Min's Cosmopolitan

To start with, it is difficult to find a picture of the perfect cosmopolitan. The top one is the right shade of pink, but looks cloudy. If you Google "Cosmopolitan drink," you will find lots of drinks like this one; this one is much too dark. I do like the orange peel though, so it made the cut.I have quite unsuccessfully photoshopped the image below. The light pink is close, though a bit on the lavender side, but the lime peel is unnaturally green. Again, I like that curled detail. It is perfectly acceptable to just float a circle of orange or lime peel in the middle of your glass as well. But I am getting ahead of myself. Looking at this picture again, I would probably aim for a drink that is the same shade of pink as the table near the bottom.



Oh my, are there some sorry bartenders out there who can't make a decent Cosmo to save their life. It's a good thing I am around to show them the light. But sometimes, even my light and my secret ingredient aren't enough to pull the bartenders out of the dark pit of despair that is a lackluster and poorly executed Cosmopolitan. That, however, is a story for another day.

The key ingredient in the perfect Cosmopolitan is Finlandia Cranberry Vodka. It lends a hint of cranberry flavor as well as a hint of pink color, thus precludes the usual "splash of cranberry." No diluting these babies, and if your Finlandia is pink, there is no worry about the perfect "shade" of pink. (If you can't find the Finlandia Cranberry, I would go with Skye vodka, but that's just me. I'll provide an alternate recipe in case you are forced to use anything besides Finlandia.)

The next ingredient is Triple Sec. If you want to use a high quality (more expensive) liqueur, you can use Cointreau. But in my experience, as long as the triple sec has decent flavor, it will do.

The final ingredient, and a must, no substitutions, is Rose's Lime Juice. Fresh squeezed lime juice will not provide the desired result. You simply must use Rose's. This is what it looks like:

And here is what you'll need for one perfect Cosmopolitan:

1 shot (1 ounce) Finlandia Cranberry Vodka

1/2 shot (1/2 ounce) Triple Sec

approximately 1 generous Tablespoon Rose's Lime Juice (maybe 2)

1 cup ice cubes

Cocktail shaker

Chilled Martini glass

A steady hand


Combine all ingredients in the cocktail shaker. Shake gently and with that steady hand, pour carefully and strain into a Martini glass. Fill it right up to the rim. For extra flair, ever so gently float a curl of lime or orange peel in the center of your drink.

*I have noticed some "cosmopolitans" out there served with an offensive Wedge of Lime or other such nonsense. This simply unacceptable and boorish, do not even consider it.

Now. If there is some kind of problem. If you can't find Finlandia Cranberry in your teeny-tiny state controlled liquor store. Or if, God forbid, the Finlandia Cranberry you find is not beautifully pink, but rather sadly clear? Use the best quality vodka you can afford/find. Skye vodka seems to be a good substitute (it could be just the beautiful cobalt blue bottle). If you are using Another vodka or Clear Cranberry vodka, you will need to add the tiniest splash of cranberry juice to your Cosmopolitan mixture. You should wait to add the cranberry until it's in the glass, then gently stir, or just allow it to mix cloudily in as you sip. You don't want to get too much juice. You want the slightest hint of pink tinge in your Cosmo, not a diluted, cranberry juice colored mess. (this is why I don't recommend adding cranberry to the cocktail shaker--this is very much a visual effect).


And yes, ladies, this is a science. It does take some practice. We might even need to get together for some lessons on this one. Perhaps we could trade: Cosmo lesson for Photoshop lesson? I won't mind. And neither will you, once you've tasted the liquid beauty that is Min's Cosmo.

Post Script: The next time I make a batch of cosmo's, I'll be sure to take a picture. Then you'll know exactly what to aim for. How 'bout that?