Creative Cooks

Iced Whiskey Coffees with Whiskey Syrup and Whipped Cream
Yield: recipes makes 1, is easily multiplied total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Crushed ice
8 ounces cold-brewed coffee
2 tablespoons whiskey syrup
1 tablespoon whiskey
3 tablespoons cream
Coconut whipped cream for topping
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Whiskey syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whiskey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut whipped cream
1 (14-ounce) can COLD full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Fill the glass with ice. Pour in the coffee, syrup and whiskey, stirring well to mix. Stir in the cream, top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon. This is my favorite proportion for the coffee, but you can easily change it up!

Whiskey syrup
Combine the sugar, whiskey and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool completely. Stir in the vanilla extract and use!

Coconut whipped cream
Take the can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Open the cans and discard the liquid (save it for a smoothie!), then scoop the firm coconut meat into the bowl of your electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until completely whipped and thick. Beat in the sugar. Set the bowl in the fridge until ready to use.

Reindeer Hot Chocolate
Prep Time 30 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 1 Reindeer Hot Chocolates (make as many as you'd like!)

Ingredients

Cone-Shaped Cellophane Bags
Hot chocolate mix (use your favorite!)
mini chocolate chips
mini marshmallows
Decorations: googly eyes, pipe cleaners, pom-poms (Note 1)
To prepare hot chocolate: add 1 cup hot water (or milk!)

Instructions

ASSEMBLE: Open a cellophane bag and arrange in a cup for easy assembly. Gently add in the hot chocolate mix. Use a paper towel or napkin to wipe down the sides from powder (to keep clean looking layers). Drop in miniature chocolate chips (as many as you'd like) and then miniature marshmallows (as many as you'd like again).

DECORATE: Twist the top and secure a pipe cleaner on top. Fold the pipe cleaner to look like antlers or curl for decoration. Use a hot glue gun to attach pom-pom and eyes on the front of the bag. Gift away or enjoy!

ENJOY: To prepare the hot chocolate, add 1 cup hot water or milk, stir and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Decorating Supplies: We use these Googly eyes, these red pom-poms (grab 1-inch), and these red pipe cleaners. (You could use brown pom-poms for a regular reindeer and use brown pipe cleaners to look more like antlers if desired). Use a hot glue gun & glue sticks to attach the eyes and nose!

Chocolate red wine shake
Prep Time 2 mins Total Time 2 mins Servings: 2 shakes

Ingredients

1 pint good quality chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup bold red wine
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and maraschino cherries for serving (optional)

Instructions

Blend together the ice cream, wine, and chocolate syrup in a blender until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses.

(optional) Top with whipped cream. Drizzle on chocolate syrup. Top it off with a maraschino cherry or two. Enjoy!

Pink Hot Chocolate
hands-on: 10 mins total: 10 mins Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk or non-dairy milk
Kosher salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces white chocolate, grated (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons beet juice
Whipped cream, for serving
Ground cinnamon, for serving

Directions

Bring milk and a small pinch of salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in beet juice. Serve warm with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Anjou Punch
TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN SERVINGS: 12

INGREDIENTS

Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces, plus whole cinnamon sticks for garnish
1/2 cup sugar
Crushed ice
Orange and lemon wheels
12 ounces Cognac
12 ounces Belle de Brillet (pear liqueur)
9 ounces fresh lemon juice
6 ounces triple sec
12 ounces chilled Champagne

HOW TO MAKE

In a small saucepan, cover the broken cinnamon sticks with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until reduced by half. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool, then strain through 
a fine sieve into a bowl; refrigerate until chilled.
Mound crushed ice in the middle of a large punch bowl. Using a long stirrer or spoon, slide orange and lemon wheels against the inside of the punch bowl, then push the crushed ice back to keep the fruit in place.
In a cocktail shaker, combine one-fourth each of the cinnamon syrup, Cognac, Belle de Brillet, lemon juice and triple sec; shake well. Add one-fourth of the Champagne and shake once, then add to the punch bowl. Repeat the shaking 3 more times with the remaining ingredients. Serve the punch in crushed-ice-filled glasses, garnished with cinnamon sticks and orange and lemon wheels.

Watermelon Lavender Frosé
makes four

FOR THE LAVENDER SYRUP
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup filtered water

Cook’s Note: Always make sure you are using “food grade” or culinary lavender.

Combine flowers, sugar, and water in a 2-quart saucepan and place over medium high heat.
Heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is simmering. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Strain the syrup and transfer to a small jar.

Cook’s Note: Syrup can be made up to several days in advance if stored in the refrigerator.

FOR THE FROSE
750 ml bottle semi-sweet Rosé
4 cups fresh watermelon, cubed
prepared lavender syrup
special equipment: ice cube trays

Pour the Rosé into 3 ice cube trays and freeze for 6-8 hours; until solid.
Spread the cubed watermelon evenly over the surface of a small baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze until solid; about 3 hours.
Approximately 15 minutes before you plan on serving your Frosé, remove the watermelon from the freezer and allow to sit at room temperature until it has softened slightly. This will help the melon to blend more smoothly.
In the base of your blender combine frozen Rosé cubes, frozen watermelon, and 8-12 tablespoons of the prepared lavender syrup.
I suggest beginning with 8 tablespoons and adjusting to taste.
Blend until very smooth, then pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Lemony Cooler
Total Time Prep: 15 min. + chilling Makes 8 servings (2 quarts)

Ingredients

3 cups white grape juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 bottle (1 liter) club soda, chilled
Ice cubes
Assorted fresh fruit, optional

Directions

In a pitcher, combine the grape juice, sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled.
Just before serving, stir in club soda. Serve over ice. Garnish with fruit if desired.

Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 108 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 31mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit.

ENT-DRAUGHT
PREP TIME 5 mins TOTAL TIME 5 mins Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 - large seedless cucumber
1 - granny smith apple
6 - leaves of fresh mint
1-2 tbsp - honey
5 oz - sparkling water

INSTRUCTIONS

Juice your cucumber and apple in a juicer. I left the skin on just because a lot of the nutrients are in the skin.
Combine your mind leaves, honey, and a few tablespoons of your fresh use to a cocktail muddler. Muddle the ingredients until the mint leaves release all it's goodness.
Now strain out the mint leaves and add in the rest of the juice. Top it off with some sparkling water and garnish with some fresh mint. You can adjust the sweetness with more honey and enjoy!

I was asked quite some time back for LotR type recipes as a theme, so here we are, LOTR Month, and recipes




Aragorn’s Athelas Tea
Also known as ‘Sam’s Kingsfoil Brew’

*since herb-lore of Middle-Earth is mostly confined to herbs native to the Shire, records of True Athelas are scarce. However, it seems by all accounts that Mint is the closest relative.*

Juice of 2 lemons
3-4 1/2 inch coins of fresh Ginger
1 clove of garlic (“You *must* trust Master...”)
3 sprigs of Mint (approx. 7-10 leaves)
2L. Filtered water, boiling
Unpasteurized Honey
Echinacea extract, liquid

Place Ginger, Mint and Garlic (peeled, but not crushed!) in a cheesecloth and tie off. Add to boiling water and cook for 5-7 min. Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Remove spices and transfer to an insulated tea pot. Into each cup, add a tsp. of honey (or to taste), and Echinacea extract to the bottle’s instructions.
Rx: Serce to any Man, Hobbit, or Dwarf (Elves don’t get sick, remember?) suffering from congestion, sore throat, dry cough or Morgul blades.

Cotton Candy Frappuccino
Prep Time 5 minutes Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

* 3 Scoops of vanilla or snickerdoodle ice cream
* 1 C ice cubes
* 1 C whole milk
* 2 TBSP vanilla
* 3 TBSP raspberry syrup
* Whipping cream

Instructions

Scoop ice cream into a blender, add ice, milk, vanilla, raspberry syrup and puree until smooth.
Pour into a large glass, top with whipping cream.