christmas jello shot

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 large package (6 oz.) lime Jello (or any green jello)
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup vodka
• Splash of bourbon
• Red colored sugar

 

Pour boiling water over Jello and whisk until combined. Slowly whisk in cold water, vodka, and a splash of bourbon. Pour mixture into cups and refrigerate until set. Sprinkle with red sugar before serving.

 

**Let the Jello shots set before sprinkling the sugar on top, so the sugar will not bleed into the shots.

chocolate truffles

• 8 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cacao or higher), chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or other extract flavor)

Truffle coatings

• Cocoa powder
• Finely chopped walnuts
• Finely chopped almonds
• optional: coconut

1 In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer stir constantly.
2 Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. 
3 Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the chocolate. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
4 Roll in cocoa powder, chopped nuts or coconut and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.

cherry pepper martini

1 ounce pepper infused vodka
A few drops of grenadine
Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions: Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a cherry, lime slice or a hot pepper.

Hot Raspberry Apple Cider

8 cups of apple cider or apple juice
1 cup of frozen raspberry juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick


Combine all the ingredients in a 4 quart pan. Heat over medium heat, and stir occasionally until the mixture starts to simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

buttered apple cider rum

1 gallon apple cider 2 cups dark rum 1/2 ounce unsalted butter Garnish: cinnamon sticks
Combine cider and rum in a large pot and bring to a boil. Place 1 cinnamon stick in each serving mug. Fill mug with cider mixture and top with a dollup of butter.

cinnamon rice pudding

• 2 1/2 cups of whole milk
• 1/3 cup of uncooked short grain white rice
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/3 cup raisins

1 In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, rice and salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2 In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg and brown sugar until well mixed. Add a half cup of the hot rice mixture to the egg mixture, stir to incorporate.
3 Put egg mixture back into the saucepan of rice and milk and stir, on low heat, for 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Be careful not to have the mixture come to a boil at this point. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and cinnamon.
Serve warm or cold.

blueberry morning cake

• 2 cups and 1-2 Tbsp of sifted, all purpose flour separated
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pint blueberries

Topping ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
2 Sift together the 2 cups of flour, the baking powder and the salt. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk. Toss the berries with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour (to separate and scatter evenly throughout the batter) and fold in. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set aside.
3 Combine ingredients for topping with a fork to make crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this over the batter.
4 Bake for one hour. Check cake if done; if not bake another 5 to 10 minutes.
5 When the cake has cooled, run a knife around the edges and lift the cake out o the pan. Serve with whipped cream.

carrot bran muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bran cereal
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins or chopped dates
1 cup grated carrots
1 3/4 cups buttermilk or soured milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
Grated rind of 1 lemon or orange  

directions:



In large bowl, stir together flour, cereal, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, salt raisins and carrots.

Add buttermilk, oil, egg and lemon rind, stirring just until combined.

Spoon into greased non-stick muffin tins. Bake in 400℉  (200 ℃) oven for 20 minutes or until tops are firm to the touch.

 

pumpkin smoothie ~ non alcoholic

 

 1 15-ounce can pumpkin (chilled)

 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk    (chilled)

 8 ounces vanilla yogurt

 1/4 cup sugar

 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

 optional: Whipped cream

Directions

Combine pumpkin, milk, yogurt, sugar and spice in blender.

Blend until mixture is smooth.

Pour into glasses; top with whipped cream (if wanted) and an additional sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

apricot cider with spices ~ non alcoholic

 

2 (12 ounce) cans apricot nectar
2 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks 

   

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours or until cider reaches desired temperature. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks before serving. 

peanut butter chocolate towers

• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 3⁄4 cup peanut butter chips
• 11⁄2 cups prepared chocolate pudding
• Garnish: whipped cream and peanut butter chips

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat 1⁄2 cup cream in a medium glass bowl in microwave until steaming hot. Add chips; stir with a whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in remaining cream. Refrigerate until cold.


2. Beat with mixer just until soft peaks form.


3. Spread 1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter mousse into the bottom of each of the glasses. Spread with 1 heaping Tbsp chocolate pudding. Repeat layers once. Garnish and serve, or cover and refrigerate (without garnish) up to 1 day.