Hot Chocolate

Growing up my mom would often make homemade hot chocolate for us in the winter especially on particularly snowy days.  If we were really in luck she'd have homemade cinnamon rolls to go along with it.  If you haven't ever tried homemade Hot Chocolate this is a definite must for you.

1/2 C. Sugar

1/4 C. Cocoa

Dash of Salt

1/3 C. Hot water

4 C. milk

3/4 tsp. Vanilla

Mix sugar, salt and Cocoa in sauce pan; then stir in water. Cook mixture over medium heat until it boils; boilfor 2 minutes while stirring. Then stir in milk until mixed, do not allow mixture to boil. Remove from heat and add Vanilla. Serve with whipped cream or marshmallows on top.

Sparkling Cherry Lemonade

This time of year you can skip the frozen cherries and go strait for fresh. This is refreshing way to enjoy a nice summer evening.

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen pitted sweet cherries (2 cups), thawed
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 cups chilled seltzer water, plus more to taste

Directions
Add the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar to a blender and puree. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher. Add the seltzer and stir gently. Pour into glasses filled with ice and top with additional seltzer of cherries, if desired.

Lemon Water

My Aunt Lou always makes this when we have large family parties at her house, it's kind of like a mild gatorade, but not nearly as sweet. It's great for large parties and it's especially nice for summer BBQ's. You could put any fruit in it, I've seen her use Oranges as well in the winter time. It's light and mild in flavor and pretty easy to mix together quickly once you get the citric acid. I get mine at GNC.

2 tablespoons citric acid (you can find this at most natural food stores and some pharmacies)
5 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pure lemon extract
3 sliced lemons
3 sliced limes
Crushed ice

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, stir water, sugar, citric acid, and lemon extract together. Add sliced fruit and ice.

Limeade Slush

My mom always made this for big gatherings when we wanted cold drinks to serve. But recently I had learned that adding some chopped up strawberries or whole raspberries makes this a completely different drink, without much more effort and it looks amazing in glasses.

11 C. water
1 can Limeade
3 C. Sugar

Boil Sugar and water on stove in large stock pot until sugar dissolves, then add limeade. Pour into a 1 gallon Ice Cream container and freeze until solid. To use, thaw slightly and using a knife or metal spatula, break slush up and pour into Punch Bowl, and then pour 2 2 liters of sprite or 7-up over top of slush and serve.

Rootbeer

This is a fun recipie for summer time. The kids always love to see the smoke coming out of the cooler while the dry ice does it's trick. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and make them delicious floats.

1 Bottle Rootbeer Extract

5 lbs of Sugar

5 Gallons of Water

5 lbs of Dry Ice

Mix water, sugar and extract in a large drink container, then add dry ice, DO NOT COVER the top. Let the root beer brew for 20 minutes to "carbonate", then serve.

Candy Bar Cocoa

This post is a little late, but I tried this at a holiday party and thought it was fabulous. It's simple but gooood!

1½ cups chopped 3 Musketeers candy bars
3 cups lowfat milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
4 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons whipped topping

Combine the candy with the milk and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the candy is completely melted.

Pour into mugs. Add a cinnamon stick and top with a small dollop of whipped cream. Dust with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Watermelon Blaster

Super Simple, Refreshing and Delicious! Thanks Martha.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cup ice cubes
• Sugar, to taste

Put watermelon, strawberries, lime juice and ice into the pitcher of a blender, blend for 15 seconds on high speed. (Always put the top on the container before processing.) Stop machine, and stir ingredients with a long wooden spoon. Blend for 15 seconds more on high speed.

After processing the watermelon, strawberries, lime juice, and ice, taste before adding sugar; you may not need any. For the star garnish, press a cookie cutter through the rind with the back of a wooden spoon.

Top it off with a little whipped cream if you so desire!

Cranberry Wassail

I love Wassail, and I thought this one was divine, especially since I love cranberries. I love to come in from the cold and settle down with a warm drink that is a little tart, this one is heavenly.

2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
3 cups orange juice
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pinch salt
2 cinnamon sticks

In a 4 quart or larger slow cooker, combine the cranberry juice, orange juice, white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon sticks. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours. Turn heat to Low and keep warm for serving.

Wassill

Wassail is such a warm, yummy, Fall tradition! Heres a delicious version.

1 gallon apples juice

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup lemon juiced

2 cups sugar

15 cinnamon sticks

20 whole cloves

15 whole allspice berries

( if you want to add a dash of red... throw in 10-20 cinnamon red hots)

Bring to a boil and then simmer. Strain all the spices out and serve with a cinnamon stick. Any extra can be saved in the fridge to warm up later.