Wassail Wassail Wassail to You!

I made wassail. And then I sang songs about wassail. And did the wassail toast. It was very exciting I'm sure. 

Anyway this was good. I love warm drinks! I thought it was interesting that you don't add the juices until the very end, but hey who am I to question such things? I also used quite high quality juices (like Simply Orange and Lemon).

This is from the New OBB Cookbook. Apparently it freezes too. I'm trying to figure out what I would freeze a drink in. A jar? Hmm. 

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

3/4 tsp cloves 

3 cups orange juice

3 cups lemonade

3 cups pineapple juice

There's 2 ways to do this, I did the crockpot way because it seemed to give the cinnamon and cloves more time to let there goodness out into the water. I'm weird

Way #1

Bring water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves to a simmer. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Then add juices and heat wassail up.

Way #2

Put water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a crockpot on low for the day (I put mine in at lunch). Then add juices and heat to serve. I added the juices and just kept it on keep warm for the rest of the day. 

Hot Spice Punch

24 oz Hawaiian punch (three cups) (has to be the red kind)

1/2 container of frozen orange juice concentration

1/2 concentrate can (from the OJ) of lemon juice (which is about 3/4 cups)

1/2 gal water (8 cups)

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

Bring it to a boil and then simmer it for 15-30 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.

Apple Cider

When I told Anna that I made apple cider the other day she demanded that I put it up so she could try it. 

This was pretty good. It made the house smell AMAZING. It wasn't quite as apple-y as we thought it should be, but that could be because I put too much water in it. 

Definitely use a very fine strainer. Otherwise you get some apple mush/ spice attack in the bottom of your cup :)

Anyway, it was fun to try. And I've enjoyed it for breakfast the last few days. 

http://hollyshelpings.com/2013/11/07/homemade-apple-cider-recipe/

• 8-12 apples (over ripe is fine)
• 4 sticks cinnamon or 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2-1 cup brown sugar (start small, you can always add more at the end)
• 1-2 tsp allspice
• Pinch nutmeg
• water to fill pot until apples begin to float (I think I may have done more water than necessary)

1. Rinse your apples well. Roughly chop them up. Seeds, stems, and skin are all fine because we will be straining later.
2. Add the apples, cinnamon sticks, allspice, and nutmeg to a large pot. Add water until the apples are all floating.
3. Simmer over low heat covered for 4 hours.
4. During this time, begin to crush some of the apples whenever you walk by or think about it. This will help release some of their flavors. (I used a potato masher)
5. When the apples are all mushed up and everything smells wonderful, run this mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.
6. If you’d like to filter out more of the spices still, filter again through cheesecloth.
7. Serve hot or allow to cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
8. Enjoy your homemade apple cider.

Brazilian Limeade Brilliant Update

The other day, Mel's posted about Brazilian Limeade. I was like woah she's behind. That was all up on Best Bites forever ago. However she did a few things different and added a step that made it incredible!

Instead of just throwing the limes in the blender, she juiced 3 limes. Then threw 2 of limes' rinds in the blender with 2 cups of water. Blend blend blend. Then strain that a bowl, add the juice. Then pour that lime juice/ water mixture, another cup of cold water, 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 cup sugar Back in the blender and add.... Wait for it. ICE! 2-3 cups ice! Blend it a little and you have foamy, cold, little pieces of ice deliciousness. It was incredible. And easier.

Now if you're like me and don't have a Blendtec... Or any blender. And your KitchenAid food processor sprays liquid all over if it's too liquidy and all you have is a fake magic bullet. Have no fear!

Use the fake magic bullet to blend the limes up. Mix/ whisk everything, minus the ice, into a bowl. Put 6-7 pieces of ice into the cup add the limeade mixture to the full point. Blend for a second and it's ready!

Seriously, so much better this way.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/07/brazilian-lemonade-or-in-other-words-2-minute-blender-limeade.html

Strawberry Limeade

Last night as I was checking my grocery list (and stalling, because I didn't want to leave my house and go to the grocery store) I decided that I wanted a goblet of something cool and refreshing.  So I was flitting through the Our Best Bites drink section and I found this limeade. It is amazing and incredible.  I just have to say.  I am going to have to go buy more strawberries, since the strawberry sauce I had was left overs in the freezer and it will be gone soon.  Oh well :).

I will also include the recipe for strawberry sauce.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/04/fresh-strawberry-limeade/
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/05/strawberry-sauce/

To make the limeade:
Fill a cup about one third to half full with ice
Fill the cup half way up with Sprite
Add the juice of a lime (I actually juiced my lime, but it says you can just squeeze it on)
Add a couple spoonfuls of strawberry sauce
Fill up the rest of the way with Sprite
Drink with a straw.  The straw is important because you can reswirl the strawberry sauce back in

Strawberry Sauce:
1 pint strawberries
1/3 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Chop up strawberries and put them and all of the other ingredients in a saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat for five minutes.  Continually stir and break these up.  Cool until you feel good about putting it into your blender and blend until smooth (or desire consistency).