Italian Cream Sodas

Shara introduced our family to these yummy drinks. They are so good and fun to create! One of my favorites so far is Vanilla/Mango. Mark likes the Mango/Blood Orange. However the Peach and Pina Colada (Pineapple/Coconut) aren't too bad either! You Southerners can purchase the flavors at "Smart and Final" - We in the north have to order them online.

Here's the "recipe":

http://becomingbetty.blogspot.com/2009/10/italian-cream-sodas.html

HOT SPICED PUNCH

Tonight was our Young Women in Excellence and I was in charge of refreshments. We served pumpkin rolls and Wassail. This recipe is in Grams Cookbook (pg. 3) by Melanie. I think it's the best Hot Drink (Wassail type) ever!

5 qts. water
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
4 c. sugar
1 large pineapple juice
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 c. lemon juice
Boil water, sugar, cloves and cinnamon together for 5 minutes. Add the juices. Heat all together and serve hot.

Jamba Juice Wanna-be

I think I made the best homemade smoothie I've ever had...

I added:

some blueberries
some peaches
some strawberries
a little orange juice
a lot of ice

Blend and serve.

Almost like going to Jamba Juice with out the price!

Pina Colada Smoothies

Sorry-I didn't take a picture, but these were so good. We had them as an after-swimming-treat, and everyone wanted seconds, and thirds. And finally it was all gone.

I got the recipe off of facebook from a friend (Wendy).

¼ can frozen pineapple juice concentrate (size of can: normal add three cans water size, and it makes just under 2 qts.)
1 can coconut milk (just the normal size you buy on the Chinese food aisle-I don't think there's even a choice of size).
½ to 1 cup sugar, to taste
Ice cubes
Milk

Put all ingredients in a blender, then pour milk about 3 inches from the top. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Wendy's advice: Buy 2 cans of coconut milk so you can make it twice...you'll want more, promise

Frosty Drinks

Camilee found this recipe and it has been a favorite of our since she gave it to us. We made these for FHE treats on Monday and it was a hit as always.

This is how yummy these are!

Strawberry-So good!

Chocolate-almost tastes like a Wendy's Frosty!

1 ½ C. cold water

1 ½ C. powdered milk

2/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 – 1 ½ trays ice

1/4 C. of cocoa or handful of frozen strawberries or any other flavor

Place ingredients in the blender and mix. It’s also great with some peanut butter or a banana added.

Fresh Squeezed OJ

Nothing better than fresh squeezed OJ straight from Germaine's orchard! We are enjoying it immensely! We'll sure be sad when they're gone.

Eggnog

I know this isn't much of a recipe, but it's one of our favorite things during the holiday season!

Eggnog

Equal parts eggnog & seven up

Enough ice cream to make a thick shake.

Blend together and enjoy!

Hot spiced apple cider

6 cups apple cider
1/4 cup real maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips

If you don't have all the fancy ingredients to start out with it seems like a pricey little drink but think of it this way-- it'll be really inexpensive next time you make it!

1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. (or if you don't have a cheesecloth I used some tea bags I found at the health food store. The bags I found are sold in packs of 100 empty tea bags. I had to use a few to fit all the ingredients.) Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.
4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into mugs

This was so good and stronger than I thought it was going to be so be sure to not cook it too long. The way it made my house smell was almost better than drinking it!

Drinks

Here are a few recipes for some drinks that we like to make. I like the peach one the best, but Jeff doesn't like peaches (he's weird) so I don't get to make that one very often.

Orange Julius
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 C. milk
1 C. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
ice cubes ( I use 12, the more you use the thicker it gets)
Mix together in blender.

Peach Splash
1 1/2 C. peaches
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
2 C. milk
ice cubes
Mix in blender.

Pyramid Punch
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 2/3 c. sugar
ice cubes
Mix in blender.