Razzmopolitan recipe from Kraft

If you are looking for a family friendly mocktail to serve this coming New Year's Eve, this recipe from Kraft is perfect! Directions for making an adult version is included for those ringing in 2015 without kids.

RAZZMOPOLITAN
What You Need

• 1-1/4 qt. (5 cups) cold water 
• 1 pkt. (makes 2 qt. drink) or 2 pkt. (makes 1 qt. drink each) CRYSTAL LIGHT Classic Orange Flavor Drink Mix* 
• 2 cups low-calorie cranberry raspberry drink 
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 

Make It 
ADD water to drink mix in large plastic or glass pitcher; stir until mix is dissolved.
STIR in remaining ingredients.
SERVE over ice. Or, refrigerate until ready to serve.

*NOTE: CRYSTAL LIGHT Packets come in two sizes. Please note packet size before preparing recipe.

Kraft Kitchens Tips Special Extra 

• Serve in martini glasses with rims that have been dipped in water and sugar. 
• Substitute For an adults-only version, substitute vodka for 1/2 cup of the water.

Orange vanilla bliss recipe from Nestle

This recipe features the yummy combination of orange and banana topped with the creaminess of vanilla. It makes two servings, but it is so good, you may not want to share!

Ingredients 

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 
• 1/4 cup Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE NATURAL BLISS All-Natural Coffee Creamer 
• 1/2 frozen or room temperature banana 
• 1/2 cup ice cubes 

Directions
PLACE orange juice, Coffee-mate, banana and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Basil lime cooler recipe

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This recipe uses a simple basil syrup (found HERE) as its base ingredient. It is a unique-and delicious-variation from other summer cocktails and will quite possibly become a favorite of yours throughout the summer months.

BASIL LIME COOLER
Ingredients

• 1 ounce basil syrup
• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed juice
• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 3 basil leaves
• 2 to 3 ounces seltzer
• sprig of fresh basil for garnish

Directions
Combine syrup, juice and vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with seltzer water and garnish with a sprig of fresh basil.

Collins Glass Set

Margarita Madness

Spring is nearly upon us which means celebrations will be moving outside as the temperatures rise. One of the most popular warmer weather cocktails is the margarita. In 2008, it was the most popular mixed drink, representing 18% of sales. If you are looking for a new twist on a classic, try any of these delicious recipes. Recipes and images provided by the Baddish Group and used with permission.

Chambord® Margarita Royale  
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Herradura® Silver Tequila 
• 3/4 oz Chambord Liqueur  
• 3/4 oz Pomegranate Juice 
• 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice  

Directions 
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into margarita or martini glass. Garnish with raspberries.

TUACA Tropical Margarita 
Ingredients

• 2 parts TUACA® Liqueur 
• 4 one-inch squares fresh pineapple, muddled 
• 1 part Tequila Herradura® Reposado  
• 1/2 part simple syrup 
• 1/4 part fresh-squeezed lemon juice   

Directions 
Muddle pineapple squares in a cocktail shaker and then add remaining ingredients with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
  



The Skinny Margarita 
Ingredients 

• 2 oz Casa Noble Crystal 
• 1 oz fresh lime juice (roughly the juice of 1 whole lime) 
• 3/4 oz La Sierra agave nectar  

Directions 
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, strain and serve up or on the rocks. Garnish rim, moisten rim of glass with lime and gently roll in a plate of kosher salt.

Caramel mocha hot chocolate recipe from Werther's

With yet another round of frigid winter air blasting in our direction, now is the perfect time to try out a 

delicious new hot chocolate recipe. This recipe features the always welcome flavor of  Werther’s caramel candies and is sure to please children and adults alike!

CARAMEL MOCHA HOT CHOCOLATE

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish
• 10 pieces Werther’s Original Baking Caramels, unwrapped
• ½ cup whipped cream

Directions

Heat milk, sugar and coffee in a medium size saucepan over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir often to keep the milk from scorching. Reduce heat to low then stir in caramels. Stir frequently and allow the caramels to completely melt. Pour into mugs and garnish with whipped cream and reserved chocolate. 

Boo Boo Berry recipe from Da Vinci

If you or your kids enjoy sipping on flavored milk, here is a recipe from Da Vinci Gourmet that you have to try!

Boo Boo Berry
Ingredients 

• 2 oz DaVinci Gourmet Blueberry Classic Syrup 
• milk (cold)
• ice 

Directions 
Fill a 12 oz glass 3/4 full of ice and add ingredients. Mix well.

Strawberry sparkler recipe from Fruit2O

Strawberries and wine, especially sparkling wine, are a natural summertime pairing. Enjoy them in this cool drink from Fruit2O.

STRAWBERRY SPARKLER

• 3 ounces sparkling wine
• 2 ounces chilled Strawberry Fruit2O
• fresh strawberry, for garnish

Directions
Combine wine and Fruit2O in a glass and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and serve immediately.

Fluffer nutter breakfast shake recipe

Photo credit: Ibán

If you have never heard of Fluffer Nutter, or you have but aren't sure just what exactly it is, read on... Fluffer Nutter is a decidedly American treat made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme and served on white bread. This breakfast treat combines those yummy flavors and transforms a sandwich into a delightful way to start your day.

FLUFFER NUTTER BREAKFAST SHAKE

• 2 ripe small bananas cut into chunks
• 1/2 milk
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup mini-marshmallows 

Directions
Add all ingredients except the marshmallows in a blender and blend until smooth. Add marshmallows and pulse until they are just incorporated into the shake. If desired, garnish with a couple extra marshmallows.

Cook's Notes-If your shake is a little thicker than you would prefer, add a bit more milk until the shake reaches the desired consistency.

Pineapple smoothie recipe

(Photo credit: derek7272)

Remember, smoothies are only as healthy as you make them! If you are watching your calories and fat intake, you will want to substitute a lower fat milk for the buttermilk.

PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE

• 3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup 1% buttermilk
• 1 cup ice cubes
• (1) 8 ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions 
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth-about 1 minute. Pour into glass and serve immediately.

Strawberry banana smoothie recipe

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Strawberries and bananas are a popular flavor combination. The addition of wheat germ gives this recipe an extra healthy little kick.

STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE

• 1 1/2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt 
• 2 bananas, cut in chunks 
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ 
• 1 tablespoon honey 

Directions 
Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth-about 1 minute. Pour into glass and serve immediately.

Cherry soda recipe

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sweet tart flavor of cherries may remind you of summer, but their heavenly flavor can be enjoyed every day of the year if you wish. If you don't want to make a full batch of soda, you can make one glass at a time as long as you keep the cherry syrup covered and refrigerated. The syrup should last up to a week.

CHERRY SODA

• 1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
• 1/2-3/4 cup sugar, to taste
• 3/4 cup water
• 4 cups club soda

Directions
Combine cherries, sugar and water in a saucepan. Make sure to muddle the cherries to release their juices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool. In a pitcher, combine cherry syrup with club soda and gently stir. Serve over ice.

Cook's Notes-Frozen cherries also work well in this recipe. Thaw one pound in a bowl so you can keep their juices to use in the syrup.

Strawberry lime soda recipe

English: Strawberry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 This sparkling recipe features 2 deliciously bright summer flavors: strawberry and lime. If you wish to make this during winter, be sure to pick brightly colored fruit for the best off-season flavors.

STRAWBERRY LIME SODA

• 1 large lime, cut into quarters and juiced
• 8 large mint leaves 
• 8 fresh strawberries, cut into quarters
• 1/2-3/4 cup sugar, to taste
• 3 cups club soda

Directions
Combine lime juice, the rinds, mint leaves, strawberries and sugar in a large pitcher. Muddle the fruits and mint leaves to release their flavors. Top with club soda and gently stir until until the sugar has completely dissolved. Serve over ice.

Four ways to perk up your mug of hot cocoa

Hot Chocolate & Computers (Photo credit: Martin Cathrae)

The nights are turning cooler and the time has come to start enjoying hot chocolate once again. Most nights, a mug of Swiss Miss (with mini marshmallows of course!) is just what I need as I unwind from a busy day of pecking at the keyboard. But there are times when I need my hot chocolate to have a little more pizzazz. Here are my 4 favorite tricks for perking up my hot cocoa.

• Sweeten it with hard candy. Hard candy can add a delightful flavor boost-think butterscotch, cinnamon, caramel or peppermint. Unwrap one of your favorite candies and drop it in your mug. Allow it to dissolve and stir well to mix the flavor. My personal favorite is to add an original Werther's to my mug.
• Spike it with liqueur. For the over 21 set, a healthy splash of liqueur can perk your mug right up. The alcohol can enhance the calming effects of the warm beverage and relax you even more as you sip your cocoa. I enjoy the black raspberry flavor of Chambord and the sweet richness of butterscotch schnapps the best.
• Add more chocolate. Is there such a thing as "too much" chocolate? I didn't think so! You can toss in some chocolate chips or M&M's and let them melt for an extra chocolatey treat. You will want to keep stirring your cocoa as you drink because the melted chocolate likes to settle at the bottom of the cup. You can also use Andes Mints, Reese Pieces and confectionery coatings.
  
• Coffee syrups aren't just for coffee. These versatile syrups are every bit as delicious in your hot chocolate as they are in your morning cup of Joe. Torani and DaVinci offer an amazing variety of syrups to experiment with. Pumpkin pie and toasted marshmallow were instant classics in my kitchen. You can also use coffee creamers to create a lively cup of cocoa. International Delight and Coffeemate both offer money saving coupons so you can indulge on a budget.

Peppermint hot chocolate recipe

Cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most people indulge in the cool, refreshing flavor of peppermint during the holidays. Good thing for us, we aren't limited in our enjoyment of it. The next time you are in the mood for a hot drink on a cold night, this will perk you right up!

PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE

• 3 cups nonfat dried milk powder
• 1 cup sugar sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 7 cups water
• whipped cream (garnish)
• crushed candy canes (garnish)

Directions
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Slowly whisk in dry ingredients and cook over medium heat until completely hot. Ladel into mugs, garnish with whipped cream and candy canes, serve hot.

White hot chocolate recipe

English: Picture of white hot chocolate taken by myself (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I enjoy chocolate. I enjoy white chocolate even more. Here is a  delicious twist on traditional hot chocolate-this recipe features white chocolate and coffee. Top with whipped cream and stir with a peppermint stick for an extra special treat.

WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

• 3 ounces chopped white baking chocolate (with cocoa butter)
• 2 cups milk or half & half
• 1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• whipped cream (optional)

Directions
In a saucepan, combine  chocolate and 1/3 cup milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted. Stir in remaining milk. Heat thoroughly while stirring. Add coffee and vanilla and serve immeditaely. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Cook's Notes-this recipe can easily be made into an adult beverage by adding a shot of Kahlua or Bailey's just prior to serving.

Instant hot cocoa recipe

cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and cocoa powder (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Overnight temperatures are predicted to be in the 20's for the most of the upcoming week. Now is the perfect time to indulge in a glass of homemade hot chocolate. Make a double batch of this cocoa mix and store in an airtight container and be prepared for the chill nights of autumn and winter. This mix also makes a much appreciated holiday gift. Package it in a decorative jar and include the directions for use on a printed tag tied on with raffia or curling ribbon.

INSTANT HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

• 2 cups nonfat dry milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons cocoa
• dash of salt

Directions
Mix all ingredients together well and store in a covered container.
To Use
Stir 1/3 cup of cocoa mix into 1 cup hot steaming water. Stir until completely dissolved. For an even richer drink, stir mix into 1 cup steaming milk.