Top 10 Recipes of 2015

2015 has drawn to its end and it's always fun to look back and see some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

Melting Snowman Hot Cocoa Toppers

My daughter is always asking for marshmallows for her hot cocoa and all I had were large ones. They don't melt nicely in hot cocoa unless it is super hot and we don't, for safety reason, heat ours that warm.  This uses whipped topping instead.  Even though it is frozen, the heat from the hot cocoa is just enough to melt it and if you did happen get your cocoa too hot it will help cool it.

Using the decorating design of some snowman cupcakes I made a few years ago I came up with these. I did skip the orange spice drop as noses  The thought of a gummy orange flavored candy floating (or maybe it wouldn't float) in my hot cocoa didn't sound great.  I used orange-colored whipped topping instead. 

Your kids can help you with the chocolate chips and if you need to you can use clean tweezers to place the mini chocolate chips.

Melting Snowman Hot Cocoa Toppers (makes approximately 10)

Small tub whipped topping, thawed
Regular size milk chocolate chips
Mini milk chocolate chips
Orange food coloring gel
Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Copycat McDonald's White Chocolate Mocha Coffee

Recreate your favorite fancy coffee drink at home.  You can leave off the whipped cream and  drizzle of chocolate but why would you?  It adds to the fanciness!  Even if you don't have an espresso machine you can make this drink.  I promise it isn't hard!

Let's get to brewing!

Copycat McDonald's White Chocolate Mocha Coffee

1 espresso (uses about 1/4 cup water and 1 Tablespoon coffee ground, espresso style)*

1 ounce white chocolate syrup (I used Torani brand)

7 ounces steamed milk

whipped cream (sweetened or not)

chocolate syrup, optional

Use the steamer on your espresso machine to heat milk or microwave until about 150 degrees. I use 2% here at home but you are welcome to try non-fat, 1% or whole milk.

Pour 1 ounce or 2 Tablespoons of the white chocolate syrup into a 2 cup measuring cup.

 Pour in your espresso which should measure about 4 ounces to add to the syrup.

 Stir.

 Pour your milk in until it reaches 12 ounces.

 Stir again.

 Pour into your coffee cup.

Add whipped cream. I used a frosting decorator tip in a large star shape and a disposable plastic baggie to make it pretty but there isn't anything wrong with spooning it on. If  you spoon it on, get as much on the spoon as you want and lay the spoon down into the coffee.  The heat will make the whipped cream pop right off the spoon.

The chocolate syrup is optional.  Sometimes they drizzle this on and sometimes not.  Sure looks pretty!

Enjoy!!

*It won't be quite the same but you can use a regular coffee pot with the same measures above and double up on your filter to make your "espresso." 

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086739417/

Hot Cocoa Mix

Hot Cocoa Mix

10 1/2 cups* instant milk (powdered)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
16 ounces plain dry coffee creamer
2 pounds* chocolate drink powder (like Nestle Nesquik)
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Mix together and store in airtight container. 

To use: Mix 3 Tablespoons (give or take) into a cup of hot water.  Add marshmallows on top if you like. 

Great to give as gifts.  Mix and spoon into treat bags or decorative quart jar/container. 

*Products change sizes over the years.  The chocolate drink doesn't come in 2 pound containers anymore but comes in smaller or larger sizes that work.  You can reduce or increase your other ingredients to match. 

Making Apple Cider

No recipe today, no recipe needed.  It's all about fresh homegrown apples being made into apple cider.   There is only only two ingredients:  apples and muscle!

Have you ever wanted to press your own cider? If not, you will after this.

I joined a family who have lived on a farm near my parents for quite some decades.  They have a lot of apple trees on their farm. One day my dad stopped to see if they used them all since I was looking for apples to make sauce with.  You would be surprised how many people don't use the fruit on their trees and if you just ask they will let you have the fruit.  This family said they use their apples for cider but I could have some to make sauce.  They would call when they were ready.

Blue Bomb Drink

Blue Bomb Drink

1/4 cup blue raspberry flavored vodka (I prefer UV Blue)
3/4 cup cold lemonade (I prefer Countrytime)

Add to a shaker that has ice in it.  Shake to cool the drink. Then strain through the ice.  You can also add the drink to a glass of ice but it will water it down as the ice melts.   Enjoy!!

Lava Flow Drink

Lava Flow Drink

1 cup crushed ice
1-1/2 ounces Malibu (Coconut) Rum (or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of rum extract for non-alcoholic version)
3 ounces piña colada mix
3 ounces strawberry drink mix liquid (used to make daiquiris and margaritas)

Blend together ice, rum, and piña colada mix.   Set aside for a moment.

Pour strawberry drink mix into glass.

Pour piña colada into the glass and watch the "lava" flow up the sides.

Garnish and serve.

Sunset Passion Colada

Sunset Passion Colada

1 cup crushed ice
1-1/2 ounces Malibu (Coconut) Rum (or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of rum extract for non-alcoholic version)
3 ounces piña colada mix
2 ounces strawberry drink mix liquid (used to make daiquiris and margaritas)
strawberry or pineapple to garnish

Blend together ice, rum, and piña colada mix.  Pour into glass.  Top with strawberry drink mix.  Garnish and serve.

Piña Colada Mix

Use this in place of any piña colada mix in a bottle. It is so much better!

Piña Colada Mix

1-2/3 cups cream of coconut
3-3/4 cups pineapple juice

Mix together.  Use for Sunset Passion Colada or Lava Flows.  Keep in refrigerator or freeze for later use. Mix well before each use.

Café Frappé

There is a local coffee shop that makes the most awesome frozen coffee drinks.  If I lived in town I'd have one every day.  I'd also be broke.  I found an espresso machine at a second hand store for $5.38.  I thought for that price I'd give it a whirl! I do still stop by the coffee shop for a drink now and then.  She does a really good job!

Café Frappé

2 espressos (uses 1/2 cup water and 2 Tablespoons coffee ground, espresso style)*

2 Tablespoons coffee syrup (any flavor you like or mix and match a couple)

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1/4 to 1/3 cup half and half (I use milk)

1-3/4 to 2 cups crushed ice (changes the thickness)

chocolate or caramel syrup (optional)

whipped cream (optional)

Blend all but the chocolate or caramel syrups and whipped cream.  If using syrup drizzle on the inside of your glass.  Pour in drink and either top with whipped cream or drizzle on more syrup. 

Feel free to use more or less of any of the ingredients (except the espresso) to change it up the way you like it. 

*It won't be quite the same but you can use a regular coffee pot with the same measures above and double up on your filter to make your "espresso." 

Tropical Paradise Drink

Some years ago my mom and I were wanting a fruity alcohol drink one day and came upon a recipe similar to this one.  Somewhere in the story we realized she was using the wrong mark on the measuring cup and was over measuring the alcohol by double on each!  Turns out we liked it better this way.  If you like more fruit/less alcohol cut the rum and schnapps in half.

Tropical Paradise Drink

2 ounces Malibu Rum
2 ounces Peach Schnapps
3 ounces orange juice
3 ounces pineapple juice
2 teaspoons grenadine
ice

Add ice to your glass.  Pour in the alcohols and juice.  For a pretty presentation pour the grenadine in last. It falls to the bottom to leave a pretty red-orange color.   Stir before drinking. 

V7 Vegetable Juice Blend

Make your own vegetable juice blend full of Vitamins A, C and E,  potassium, iron, and magnesium to name a few. Nothing added like the "natural flavoring" or citric acid that the store sold juice shows as ingredients.  You control the salt.  Notice mine is called V7 not V 8 as I did not use watercress which is listed as one of "their" ingredients.

 V7 Vegetable Juice Blend

2 quarts canned crushed tomatoes or approximately 2-28 ounce cans (use low sodium so you can control your own salt)*
4 celery stalks
2 carrots
1/2 beet (or 2 Tablespoons beet juice)
2 Small handfuls of spinach
4 small handfuls of iceberg lettuce
2 sprigs of fresh parsley
salt, as needed

Send all through juicer. (If you are using already juiced beets then just add that to the juice at the end.)  Mix, add salt to taste, and enjoy!

That is a 1/2 gallon canning jar in the top picture so that is how much what my juicing made. 

*You could use fresh tomatoes but I have not worked out the pound/quart ratio yet.  I hope to make some when our garden is ready to harvest and can some for later.

Berry Smoothie

Berry Smoothie

1/3 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup orange juice
3 ounces (weighed) vanilla yogurt (we use Cultural Revolution from Kalona, an organic yogurt made with cane sugar when we don't have our own homemade goat yogurt)
1/2 ripe medium size banana
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
optional: 1/4 cup powdered egg whites (we use NOW Foods brand)


Yes, I measure. :) Add it all to a tall glass and blend with hand blender. You can add protein powder if you like.

YUM!!