Recipes,cooking tips, gardening and more from a Southern girls table to yours!
Beverages
Sit back with your favorite group of friends and sip on a few of these delightful drinks. I have included all my favorite punch recipes for parties and get togethers. Punch is great for parties because it is so easily made ahead of time and stuck in the freezer until the day you need it. Top off with your favorite fizzing beverage such a gingerale or club soda or sherbet and enjoy.
Banana Punch
3 cups sugar
6 cups water
4 cups orange juice
4 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 - 5 mashed bananas
3 - 4 quarts ginger ale
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for 5 minutes, allow to cool. Add fruit juices and bananas, stirring well. Freeze for 24 hours. Several hours before you are ready to serve, thaw until a slushy consistancy. Place in your punch bowl and add ginger ale. You may freeze in a couple containers. I use 1 1/2 to 2 quarts ginger ale per bowl. When punch bowl gets low, add remainder of mix and top with ginger ale. Very Good!
Egg Nog Punch
1 quart of your favorite brand Egg Nog
1 quart whole milk
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 pint Meyer's Jamacian Rum
Combine egg nog, milk and rum. Float ice cream in bowl and add chunks of ice cream in mixture as you serve. Yummy!
Pina Colada Punch
2 cups fresh pineapple, diced in small pieces
1 3/4 cups white rum
3 cups pineapple juice, unsweetened
1 cup heavy cream
1 - 15 oz can cream of coconut
Toss diced pineapple into 1/4 cup rum and refrigerate. Blend cream of coconut in blender with remaining rum until smooth. To each cup of this mixture add one cup pineapple juice alternately with the heavy cream and beat until smooth. Continue mixing until all the juice and cream are mixed in. Chill several hours. Before serving, place the spiked pineapple in the blender and pulse a few times and add to punch.
The Perfect Nightcap
1 tea bag
6 oz boiling water
1 oz Amaretto
1 oz orange juice
Brew tea bag with water and allow to steep for several minutes. Remove bag and add orange juice, amaretto and a bit of sugar, if desired. Sweet dreams!
Holiday Wassail
6 cups apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 large can pineapple juice
Heat cider and cinnamon stick in large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add remining ingredients and simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Keep hot over low heat in small batches as guests arrive.
Homemade Sangria
2 large bottles red or Rosa wine
2 cups sugar
4 cups water
3 thinly sliced oranges
3 thinly sliced limes
1 thinly sliced lemon
1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored and thinly sliced into wedges
2 bottles club soda
You may also add any other fruit of your choice
Bring to a boil sugar and water to make a simple syrup. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. May be made ahead and stored in frig. Chill wine and club soda overnight or pack in ice chest overnight. When ready to serve, combine wine, simple syrup and prepared fruit. Stir and allow fruit to float in bowl or pitcher. To each serving top with club soda. Double or triple recipe for larger parties.
Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
8 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) instant chocolate milk drink mix
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
Mix all dry ingredients together until well blended. Stir in mini marchmallows. Stoe in air tight container until ready to use.
To drink: add 1/2 cups mix and top with hot water to fill mug. May also use 2 % or skim milk instead of water for richer flavor. This recipe can also be placed in decorative container, sealed and misxing directions placed on small card with ribbbon. Makes a great gift. Also place a couple mugs and this mix in a nice basket for another great gift idea.
Mama's Holiday Irish Creme
This is a must try recipe
1 3/4 cups liquor (brandy, whisky, your choice)
I prefer Irish Whiskey to me it's the best!
1 cup whipping cream
4 eggs, well beaten
1 can condensed milk
2 tsp instant coffee
2 tbsp dark chocolate syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
Mix all ingredients together except liquor until well blended.
Add liquor and stir well.
Store in container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Spiked Hot Chocolate
I prefer to use Hershey's Cocoa for this recipe and I love the Dutch Cocoa it is darker and richer!
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup half & half
1/2 cup cocoa mixed well with 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
In small saucepan heat milk and half & half, do not allow to boil. When heated slowly whisk in cocoa and sugar mixture until well blended. Remove from heat, add vanilla and bourbon and mix well. Pour into mugs and top with a few mini marshmallows. Go curl up by the fireplace and enjoy!
Irish Coffee
3/4 cup hot fresh brewed coffee of our choice
1 oz. Irish whiskey
sugar
one slice of lime
whipped cream
Sugar the rim of your favorite mug by rubbing rim with lime slice and dipping in sugar.
Pour fresh brewed coffee in mug and add 1 - 2 tsp sugar for sweetening to desired taste.
Add whiskey and stir. Top with a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and allow to float on top of mug.
This is a great way to end a cold damp evening.
Lime Slush Punch
2 pkgs. lime Kool-Aid mixed with sugar as directed.
1 32 oz. can pineapple juice
1 large bottle Collins mix
2 bottles gingerale
1 half gallon lime sherbet
Mix together prepared kool-aid, pineappple juice and collins mix. Stir until well mixed. Pour into containers (make sure they have wide openings) and set in freezer to freeze. Can be made days ahead of time. If make on the day you plan to serve, needs to freeze to slush consistancy, start early. Before serving (about one hour) set out of freezer and allow to become slushy. When ready to serve, place half punch mix in punch bowl. Top with half of sherbet, spooned over punch. Pour 1 bottle of gingerale over top of punch. Stir to mix. Serve. As punch bowl begins to empty, repeat with the rest of ingredients.
If you have a large punch bowl you can place all frozen punch mix in and add sherbet and gingerale all at once.
This is a great wedding, shower or party punch. Recipe can easily be changed to Orange Slush Punch by replacing lime Kool-Aid and lime sherbet to orange flavored Kool-Aid and orange sherbet.
Mimosa's
The best drink for a nice brunch
Champagne brand of your choice and enough bottles based on guest size.
Orange Juice (fresh is best)
Fresh Raspberries
Chilled champagne glasses
Make sure your orange juice and champagne is chilled the night before serving.
In a chilled glass drop a few raspberries, fill glass about 1/2 full with orange juice
and finish filling to top with champagne.
