a little christmas gift just for you:)...

remember this recipe card last year.?. well, i made this little one, this year, for my sister & i thought that i would share it with you guys. she just but some big marshmallows in cello bags & paired it with it. you could also do like a specialty dark chocolate candy bar if you wanted, or straight peppermint candy stirring sticks... the sky's the limit:) hope you like it. remember there are printing directions in the right side bar. merry christmas!

Rosemarie's Fresh Mint Lemonade...

jessica hosted recipe club last month & i have been dreaming about it ever since!  it is perfectly fresh & summery!  i also love that you can make a big batch of the syrup & use it slowly.  i hope you love it as much as i do!  happy bbq season!

-picture courtesy of cafefernando.com 

{rosemarie's fresh mint lemonade}

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup good orange juice (not from concentrate)

1 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup fresh mint leaves, firmly packed

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, mix sugar & water.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat & let cool.  Stir in juices & pour over mint.  Let stand 1 hour, then strain.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  When you are ready to mix drinks- fill a glass with ice, add a 1/2 a cup of Mint Lemonade Syrup, add water to desired concentration.

**if you want to make a large batch, mix chilled syrup with water to the desired taste.  Don't add ice until you are ready to drink or it will water it down.

count down to Thanksgiving #7- hot cranberry cider...

this is a pretty & easy make ahead drink for any cold day!  the clove studded oranges are really nice & festive.  it is nice also to be able to throw everything in the crock pot in the morning & not have to think about it again until you're ready to serve it.  

{hot cranberry cider}

4 cups cranberry juice cocktail

4 quarts apple cider

1 cup sugar

2 oranges, studded with whole cloves*

4 whole cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a large pot or crock pot.  Simmer on very low for several hours.

** clove studded oranges are very easy to make.  you can do any pattern.

count down to thanksgiving #3- katie's cranberry wassail slush...

this is one of the yummiest drinks that i have ever made!!!!  it is so different & delicious.  it has all of the flavors of the holidays & yet is cool & refreshing!  give it a try & i know you will and your family will not be disappointed!!!!

{katie's cranberry wassail slush}

3 cans cranberry jelly

2- 12 oz. cans frozen lemonade

1- 12 oz. can frozen apple cranberry juice

4 cups water

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Put all ingredients in a large bowl & mix with a hand mixer until combined.  The mixture maybe a little lumpy.  Freeze overnight.  Place frozen mixture in a large punch bowl & add 2- 2 liter bottles of cold gingerale.  Stir & drink up!

Coconut Kiss Kooler- Smooch!

*Recipe club last night was super fun and very delicious! I must say that my favorite things last night were the desserts! (I keep wishing I had more)) Yummy pumpkin coconut cupcakes and those fabulous 7 layer bars. One recipe club night I say we do only desserts- and everybody has to bring one! That would make for a very delicious and good time. Last night I made the drink and I made my recipe cards to go along with them, but I forgot to take the recipe with me to the store so I just tried to remember what was in the drink- my memory isn't too good, so I will post both recipes- the one I made up and the real one! They both are really good and simple!

Kesley's Coconut Kiss Kooler
2 bottles of ginger ale
1 can of coconut cream (don't put in the fridge)
1 large can of pineapple juice
grenadine syrup ( I put in about 1/2 of cup or so)

Pebble ice and cherries

Mix the cream of coconut and pineapple juice and grenadine syrup in blender then pour over the pebble ice and ginger ale. I totally forgot to garnish with cherries-but it would be totally cute too! Super yummy and really refreshing!


Coconut Kiss Kooler
12 servings

12 oz cream
9 oz coconut cream
18 oz cherry juice
12 dashes grenadine syrup
18 oz pineapple juice

mix in the blender add a cherry on top and you have one delicious drink to sip on!

... Seriously Citrus...

I love refreshing drinks in the summer!  These are perfect for BBQ's, Potlucks & any other dinner plans.  They are both super easy & so, so yummy!!!

{Lemon Ice}

2 TBSP pure lemon extract

2 TBSP citric acid

3 C. sugar

1 gallon water

crushed or pebble ice

In a large punch bowl mix citric acid and sugar.  Add water & lemon extract.  Add Ice just before serving.  You can also make this ahead of time by measuring out the sugar & citric acid into a Ziploc bag.  Then putting the water & lemon extract in a gallon container.  Mix together when ready to use.  

{Cucumber Limeade}

2 cucumbers (sliced)

4 limes (sliced)

1 can frozen limeade concentrate

1- 2 liter bottle Diet Sprite

Crushed Ice/Pebble Ice 

In a large punch bowl mix limeade & Sprite.  Mix well.  Add cucumbers & limes.  Let soak at least 15 minutes.  Add ice just before serving.  

...go ahead -- have a FIESTA!!!...

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I am posting a few of my favorite Mexican recipes... I hope you will take my advice & have yourself a FIESTA!!!!

{sazon goya powder is available in the mexican food package at most grocery stores}

{don't be nervous about the whole lime thing... I promise it's super yummy!}

Up & Running...Finally!

Well, I finally followed through & got the blog up. Recipe club is today at my house & I promised myself that I would have all the Blog info ready for everyone by today. Too bad that I had a month to do it & instead I put it off until... oh yeah-LaSt NiGhT!!! I will post all the recipes from tonight later, but I thought that I would start with my own. As the hostess, I am providing the drink. My cute niece Whitney's mother-in-law made this EgG nOg last year for Whitney's little boys blessing. I hate egg nog- but I couldn't get enough of this. So her it is *Trish Tophams Holiday EgG nOg* Oh... & for any who don't know if you just right click on this image & "save picture as" in your my pictures file, you can print it. It is 5X7format.