Cranberry Wassail

Susie Corrigan ....  What a dear friend.  This is another great recipe from one of the recipe swaps I hosted.  I miss those days.  Why doesn't anyone like those down here?  Or perhaps I just haven't find the right friends for those sort of venues yet.  

1 can frozen apple juice, prepared (or 48 oz. bottled)

1 can frozen cranberry juice, prepared (or 48 oz. bottled)

2 cups orange juice

1 cup pineapple juice (opt)

sugar to taste (opt)

2 cinnamon sticks

6-10 cloves

4-6 allspice

Mix juices and sugar in pot.  Place spices in spice ball into pot.  

Heat for 30-45 min. or until hot.  Remove spice ball and serve.

(I did not add sugar.)

Natalie's Neat-O Banan-O Punch-O

For the shower. I made this drink. The invite list was 70 people! So I doubled this recipe ... and didn't even get through a quarter of it! IT MAKES A TON!

And I officially named it after Natalie ... because you know ... well she gave it to me.

6 ripe bananas

1 large (46 oz) can of pineapple juice

1 large (12 oz) can of frozen orange juice

1 large (12 oz) can of frozen lemonade

6 cups water

4 c sugar

3- 2 liter bottles of grapefruit soda or Fresca

Mix bananas and all juices in blender. You'll have to do this in groups as not all will fit at once.

Boil water and add in sugar until it dissolves (1 minute) let cool.

Mix everything altogether and freeze in large tupperware (or ziploc bags) containers

Take out of freezer before party. Use a potato masher to mash up frozen mix. Add soda and enjoy!

This makes A LOT, about 3 gallon ziploc bags worth of just the mix, not including the soda obviously.

Faux-jito

I don't drink alcohol. But I do enjoy a good drink. So this is my current favorite. We made a few years ago when I was in a Gourmet Club in NYC. I brought it out again for a Cinco de Mayo Mocktail Party this year. It was the favorite.

So instead of the Mojito ... here is my favorite Faux-jito.

15 fresh mint leaves
1 tsp. Raw sugar
1 oz. Fresh squeezed lime juice (or more depending on your preference)
½ oz. Simple syrup
ice
4 oz. Chilled Ginger Ale

In a glass, muddle/crush the mint, then add sugar, lime juice and syrup.
Add ice. Top with Ginger Ale. Garnish with a fresh lime wheel and
a sprig of mint. Enjoy.

Simple Syrup

• 2 parts sugar
• 1 part water

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly.
3. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the pan from the heat. (Note: Do not allow the syrup to boil for too long or the syrup will be too thick.)
4. Allow to cool completely and thicken.

Conference Drink

This is Charlie's favorite drink from his childhood. Grandma Kuch made this every General Conference (twice a year for those who read this and aren't LDS). He often spices it up with worchestershire sauce or tabasco. And of course it served with a big long celery stick.

Grandma Kuch's Spicy Tomato Drink
aka Conference Drink

1 cup celery chopped fine
1 can tiny shrimp
1 Tbs horseradish
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 cup ketchup
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 big can of tomato juice (Marilyn loved the Glorietta brand)

mix together and refrigerate.