Mint Julep

This is the non alcoholic version :)

You will need:

3 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar
6oz orange juice concentrate
12oz lemonade concentrate
1 1/2 handfuls mint leaves
 Ginger Ale, 7 up, sierra mist or sprite 2 liter (you may have some left over)

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil.

2 Add cans of concentrated orange and lemonade.

3. Let mixture reheat and pour over mint leaves.

4. cover and let steep for at least four hours (overnight is best and easier when you've got other things to prepare for your party)

5. Strain.

6. use 1/4 cup of the mint concentrate to glass of crushed ice.

7. Finish  filling glass with ginger ale or other lemon lime soda.  garnish with mint sprig.

serves 6-8

Carmel Brownie Cake

Prep time 15 min   cook time 20 min ready in 90 minutes serves 15

You will need:

cooking spray
1 package family size brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 8oz container extra creamy whipped topping
1/2 cup  finely chopped peanuts (you can use sprinkles if nuts are an issue for someone at your party)
15 maraschino cherries  with stems well drained

1. Heat oven to 350. coat 13x9 backing pan with non stick cooking spray.

2. Combine brownie mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl. Stir for 50 strokes. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 28 to 31 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

3. Poke holes about two inches apart, in warm brownies with the handle of a wooden spoon (plastic works too) use 1/2 cup caramel topping  to fill in the holes. Then spread remaining topping over top of brownies. You will have more caramel topping.

4. Fold 1/4 cup caramel topping in with the whipped topping.  Spread evenly over brownies. Sprinkle with peanuts or sprinkles. Top each of the 15 servings with a cherry just before serving.

Tennessee Iced Tea

I love to tweak recipes here's a refreshing one just in time for summer!

1 gallon water
4 large or 6 regular sized tea bags
1 cup sugar (original calls for 2 cups add to desired sweetness)
2 tablespoons Tang
1 tablespoons Country time lemonade mix
juice of half a lemon

1 brew tea according to directions on box using 1 gallon of water.
2. Stir in all ingredients and add ice.

 

Easy Chocolate fudge frosting

You will need:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small sauce pan combine all ingretients except the extract. Heat to boiling and boil for 1 minute to a minute and 30 seconds (I always cook it at 1 minute so as not to burn it). 

cool for a minute and then pour mixture to a bowl (mixture will be thin until completely cooled and process is finished) and add the vanilla extract. 

Beat with mixer for 3 minutes or more. 

return to fridge and continue to cool until mixture is a spreadable consistency.  

This recipe goes great with the 5 minute mug cake. quick and easy.

Candy Cane White Hot Chocolate!

CANDY CANE WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 1/4 Cup White Chocolate Chips ( I like the Guittard or Ghirardelli kind)

1 quart or 4 cups Half and Half *half and half is a mixture of half cream and milk that's sold in the dairy section- you could just use 2 more cups of milk and and 2 cups of cream or heavy whipping cream to substitute)

3/4 Heavy Whipping Cream

1/4 Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Peppermint Extract (I toned the pepperminty-ness down for you guys, but I like to put 2 Tablespoons)

Candy Canes for stir-stick garnish

DIRECTIONS (aka NOW WHAT?)

In a medium saucepan, mix white chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream over medium heat. Keep stirring until all the chips are melted.

Then, add in the half and half, milk and vanilla and peppermint extract.

Keep on a'stirrin' til it all mixed, melted and warm!

I like to use a gigantic bowl-like wooden spoon I have to fill up the mugs and teacups. And it makes me feel like the mom from Little House On The Prarie with her big pots cooking over the fire and big wooden spoons.

Snow Globe cookies!

60


side note: there aren't 60 ingretients in this recipe and I can't figure out why it appears that way in the preview section on blogger.

Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water
• 4-1/2 teaspoons meringue powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 6 sugar cookies (about 3-1/2 inches)
• Assorted decorations: miniature marshmallows, orange and brown jimmies, Fruit Roll-Ups, spearmint leaves, peppermint candies, edible glitter and holiday sprinkles
• 
  3 clear plastic ornaments (3 inches)

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and cream of tartar; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Cover frosting with a damp cloth between uses. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture.
• Working with one cookie at a time, spread 2 tablespoons frosting over the top of cookie.
• For snowman, cut two miniature marshmallows in half. Attach three halves with a small amount of frosting. Decorate face with jimmies. For scarf, trim a thin 1-1/2-in. strip from a Fruit Roll-Up. Shape a toboggan from a strip of Fruit Roll-Up; attach toboggan to cookie. Attach snowman to toboggan. Add spearmint leaves for trees.
• With a dab of frosting, attach four peppermint candies to the bottom of each cookie. Let stand overnight to dry completely.
• To assemble, separate ornaments into halves. Working with one cookie at a time, spread edge of ornament half with frosting. Place 1 teaspoon edible glitter and 1 teaspoon holiday sprinkles inside ornament; carefully invert decorated cookie onto ornament half, sealing edges. Use frosting and a star tip to pipe a decorative edge around globe. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 6 snow globes.

Butter Cream Frosting Mix

 

2 cups icing sugar; sifted
3 tablespoons instant non-fat milk powder
6 tablespoons peanut butter
In a medium bowl, combine icing sugar and milk powder. Stir with wire whisk to blend. With a pastry blender, cut in peanut butter.
Spoon about 1/3 cup mixture into each 8 small containers or Ziploc bags. Seal tightly. Label with date and contents.
Store in cool dry place. Use within 12 weeks.
To Use:
1 package Butter Cream Frosting mix 3/4 teaspoon water
In a small bowl, combine mix and water. Stir well with a spoon until smooth and creamy. Add a drop or two of vanilla if desired.
Makes about 1/4 cup of frosting.
Makes 8 Packages