Sparkling Hibiscus Lemonade

I've been a huge fan of hibiscus flowers long before I actually knew what they were. The first time I tried them, I didn't even know it - they were in tea. Yup, hibiscus flowers show up in a lot of herbal teas, adding red color and a fruity sort of flavor.

The flavor reminds me of a mix of raspberry and lemon - a little sweet, a little fruity, and a little tart.

You can find them in their dried form in Mexican stores, where they're called jamaica (ha-my-ka). Sometimes I see them in the Mexican aisle in my regular grocery store, too.

And now, thanks to The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company, there are hibiscus flowers in syrup. The syrup was my favorite part, but I thought the flowers made a really pretty garnish.

I thought the syrup would be a great addition to lemonade and of course the flowers would be the perfect garnish.

This is an alcohol-free beverage - a mocktail, if you prefer, that would be just as welcome at a cocktail party as it would be at a picnic. Of course, if you wanted to add a touch of vodka to turn it into an actual cocktail, that would be fine, too.

For the sparkling water, I used a soda siphon to make my own, but you could use bottled sparkling water, club soda, tonic water, or even a lemon-lime soda. But if you choose something sweetened, omit the agave - you probably won't need the added sweetness.

Sparkling Hibiscus Lemonade
By Donna Currie, Cookistry

1 Tablespoon hibiscus syrup (from jar of hibiscus flowers in syrup)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons agave syrup
Sparkling water (or soda) to fill glass
1 hibiscus flower for garnish

Combine the hibiscus syrup, lemon juice, and agave in a glass. Fill with sparkling water and stir. Add the hibiscus flower. Serve.

You can, of course, add ice, if you like. But if the sparkling water is cold, you might not need it, depending on how chilled you like your beverages.

The larger your glass, the more diluted your flavors will be, so adjust as you like. And adjust the sweetness, tartness, too.

Vin Brule

"Vin Brulé" is an Italian mulled wine (Vin Brulé actually means boiled wine/burnt wine in French, but the term is used throughout Italy.) It is usually served around the Christmas holidays, and is one of "those" recipes, where each region/family has their own interpretation. Many people add extra citrus, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. to theirs, but my simple recipe was given to me by a dear friend/former college roommate from Verona.

Her family's tradition quickly became my family's tradition, and we have been enjoying this treat for the last 15+ years. We tend to serve up Vin Brulé after Christmas Eve church services and dinner, while we are opening gifts. But… I have become quite popular for bringing it with me to friends' holiday parties as well. Making it in a slow cooker, such as the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, allows you to easily take it with you to a friend's house. It also stays warm in a slow cooker, and it allows for a very quick clean up. You can easily double this recipe for a larger crowd, but it does not reheat well after the first day. Please enjoy this recipe, from my house to yours, and also be sure to check out the Hamilton Beach website for more great products. Happy holidays!

Vin Brulé
by Chris
As shared with me by my dear friend, Diana

1 1.5-liter bottle of dry red wine (cheap is okay!)
3/4 cup of sugar (or more, to taste), divided
2 large oranges, cut into 8 wedges each (cut an orange into halves, then each half into quarters)
Approximately 65-70 whole cloves
Cinnamon sticks, sliced lemons, nutmeg, and any other spices or citrus fruit, if desired (optional)
1-2 oranges, cut into wedges, for serving (optional, if desired)

Carefully pour the bottle of wine into your slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, stir, and place on the high heat setting. Allow to warm for 30 minutes. While wine is heating, cut the 2 oranges into wedges, as directed above. Insert 4-5 (I used 4) whole cloves into each wedge by piercing the skin with the sharp point of each clove.

After the wine has warmed for 30 minutes, remove the slow cooker lid, stir the wine, and add the clove-studded oranges. If you would like to add other ingredients, such as sliced lemons, cinnamon sticks, or nutmeg, do so now. Replace lid and set to cook on high heat for another hour.

After the hour is up, stir the wine, add another 1/4 cup of sugar (stir again), and cook on high heat for 30 minutes once more. At this point taste the wine, as it could be done. If you still find the wine to not be sweet or citrusy enough for your taste, feel free to add yet another 1/4 cup of sugar and the place on high heat for another 30 minutes. Continue tasting every 30 minutes until you are happy with the flavor.

When you are pleased with the wine, place the slow cooker on the warm setting, and it will remain at a nice temperature all evening. If you are transporting the wine in your Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Slow Cooker, be sure to clamp the lid down in order to prevent spills. When you reach your destination, un-clamp the lid and place on the warm setting in order to heat/ keep warm. The clamps should only be used for transport. Although this wine will reheat, it is much better served fresh on the day it was made. You can easily double this recipe if desired. Please enjoy responsibly, and have a wonderful holiday season!

Spiced and Spiked Apple Cider

After doing a lot of interesting research about glogg, grog, wassail, and mulled wine, I found that there wasn't much consensus as to what the ingredients were for any of those recipes.

Possibly because folks had been dipping into the eggnog.

If you want to call this by some other name, that's perfectly fine with me. Call it Groggy Gloggy Wassail, if you like. I just call it delicious.

I started with apple cider and added flavors I knew I'd like. If I was going to add one more thing, it might be cloves, but at the last moment, I decided to leave them out.

The flavor of this cocktail is reminiscent of apple pie, but the star anise add an interesting twist. It's pretty danged good, if I say so myself.

Hot Spiced & Spiked Apple Cider
by Donna

1/2 gallon apple cider
1 cup white wine
1 cup rum
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
1 orange

Put the apple cider, wine, rum, cinnamon sticks, and star anise into your slow cooker I was using the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget programmable slow cooker. Use a peeler to remove the zest of the orange in thin, wide strips. Place the zest in the slow cooker, then juice the orange and add the juice as well.

Cover the slow cooker and set it to high to warm the cider. The longer you cook it, the more the flavors of the spices will infuse into the cider, but it's pretty good as soon as it warms up.

Once it's hot, you might want to turn it down to low or warm if it will be served over a long period of time - you just want it pleasantly warm for drinking, so it doesn't need to be simmering when you serve it.

Leftovers can be strained and refrigerated and served chilled. Or reheat it for more warm drinks on chilly nights.

Peanut Butter, Date, and Fruit Smoothie

I have been loving my blender lately to make nutritious smoothies. When I received my surprise ingredients for this challenge, I started thinking of how could I put them together. You guys know I am all about simple, easy, quick recipes and this is definitely one of them!

Peanut Butter, Date and Fruit Smoothie
by Sarah M

1 cup strawberries, halved
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 frozen banana
3 dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 Tablespoon homemade peanut better (recipe below)
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)

Add all ingredients in order to your blender and blend it up! I pulse mine a few times to get everything started and then blend it for a few minutes until everything comes together. Couldn't be more easy, right? It is really tasty, and the dates play a big part in bringing a natural sweetness.

2-Ingredient Peanut Butter

by Sarah

2 cups salted peanuts
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Add the peanuts to your food processor. Pulse until the peanuts get small and crumbly. Keep processing until you see the peanuts coming together and then add the coconut oil. Continue to process until the peanuts become smooth. This will take about 10-15 minutes.

The result will be a peanut butter with a bit of texture to it; not quite as smooth as what you go out and buy. Store in a small container (2 cups of peanuts made 1 cup of peanut butter) and keep in the fridge.

Lemonade with Frozen Creme de Menthe Bombs

It's not unusual to find my husband standing by the fence visiting with our neighbor in the back or our neighbor to the side. They can stand there and chat forever. Since Houston's summers get pretty darn hot, nothing makes those conversations more pleasant than a nice cool, refreshing drink. Having the Good Cook Dessert Bar Pan full of flavored ice in my freezer is perfect when I'm in a pinch to provide them with something fast.

Bloody Mary Aspic with Shrimp and Olives

This was a delicious recipe, made all the more fun by the folks at Good Cook! The sectioned dessert bar pan is the perfect thing for individual servings, and I wanted to create a fun, retro-inspired dish for this challenge. While Tomato Aspic is a classic recipe, I wanted something different. So I added.....what else? Vodka! Thus the Bloody Mary Aspic! But don't be put off by the whimsy of the title. The fresh tomatoes, celery, and shallots all combine to create a refreshing base, and the "garnish" of shrimp and olives add notes of luxury and pops of flavor. MAKE THIS DISH to share with friends and family!

Cucumber Basil Martini (Dorotini)

This is a tasty and refreshing cocktail for anytime. You will need a cocktail shaker, muddling tool and a small fine strainer to make the perfect Dorotini. This makes one serving, but could easily be doubled to enjoy with a friend.

Recipe Round-Up (Tropical Traditions) Coconut Cloud Martini

A Recipe Roundup is what happens when one of the 37 cooks thinks of a wonderful recipe weeks or months after the challenge ends. Enjoy!

This is a drink that I absolutely love. As in love, Love, LOVE!!! My husband and I first tried it at the Tommy Bahama restaurant here in Houston. The kind bartender there let us know that pretty much all of The Tommy Bahama signature drinks were available for download online. So we printed the entire collection out and proceeded to sample them all. If you are a fan of tropical, rum-based libations, I encourage you to do the same. They are all fantastic, although this one remains my favorite. It's a great pick-me-up when I'm feeling down, yet it's a perfect celebratory drink, as well. Just be careful, as it's pretty strong and will sneak up on you in a heartbeat! Plan to sit a spell, kick back, and relax. We all deserve to do that every once in a while...

Lemon Screwdriver

Why is a cocktail with orange juice and vodka called a screwdriver? I have no clue.

But that doesn't mean I can't riff on it.

This time around, I wanted to use an ingredient called "Fizzy" that I received from The Spice House through my friends at 37 Cooks. Fizzy is an interesting product. It looks like little bits of Styrofoam. Or maybe miniature albino Cheetos.

But it tastes a little lemony. And it fizzes. Bet you couldn't guess that.

Limoncello

I know that eggnog is the traditional holiday drink along with mulled wine or hot cider, but with the rich, heavy meals that often occur during the holidays, I like to go with a bit of limoncello to lighten things up. It’s kind of like having a bit of sorbet to cleanse the palate  with an alcoholic kick. It’s bright, and it brings a bit of sunshine to the end or beginning of a holiday meal. And hey, here in Syracuse, we need all the sunshine you can get during the winter months.

Coquito (Coconut Rum Eggnog)

Whereas Americans typically serve eggnog for the Christmas holidays, in Latin American households we serve something called Coquito. It is Coconut Rum Eggnog, that will knock your socks off, and it’s absolutely delicious! I’m sure after tasting this you will want Coquito served at your next Christmas dinner.

Eggnog

I never liked eggnog until I tried some made by a local dairy. Then I fell in love. Good thing it's a seasonal beverage, or I'd be buying it way too often.

Orange Julius

When I was little, shopping at the local mall was fine, but going downtown was really special. It usually meant having lunch and, on many occasions, it also meant having an Orange Julius. Back in those days, you could get a raw egg added to your drink if you wanted it. We never did because my sister and I thought it was disgusting. We didn't realize we ate raw egg in mayonnaise all the time! And we had no clue about protein and how good it was for you. We just liked the taste of the Orange Julius and we also liked the specialness of our downtown adventures.

Have a Happy National Cotton Candy Day with a Cotton Candy-tini!

I had a drink like this at a restaurant in Vegas a few years ago and thought it was the coolest thing! You can play around and mix different things for this drink, but the key is the cotton candy - that's the fun part!

Cotton Candy-tini
by Rachael

1 ounce X-rated Fusion Liqueur ("A sensuous fusion of ultra premium French vodka and Sicilian blood orange mingling with mango and passion fruits")
2 ounces Ivanabitch Whipped Cream Vodka
1 ounce cranberry juice
Small handful of cotton candy (flavor of your choice)

Have a Happy National Coffee Milkshake Day with an Espresso Milkshake with Whipped Cream, Chocolate-Espresso Syrup and Pecans!

It's National Coffee Milkshake Day and a simple coffee milkshake is in order!

I decided to make some Jameson Irish Whiskey-Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate-Espresso Syrup as a special Father's Day treat for my sweet husband Carl, but any store bought ice cream, coffee flavored or vanilla, and chocolate syrup will do. I've included both recipes below should you choose to make your own.

Espresso Milkshake with Whipped Cream, Chocolate-Espresso Syrup and Pecans

by Lori

3 cups Jameson Irish Whiskey-Vanilla Ice Cream
3 shots espresso - I used Southern Pecan Flavored Blend coffee
3/4 cup 2% milk

8 ounces heavy cream for garnish (whip it good!)
Chocolate-Espresso Syrup (for garnish), recipe below
1/4 cup chopped pecans (for garnish)

Have a Happy National Tequila Day with Blackberry Margaritas!

To me, nothing says summer like an icy blackberry margarita!

Blackberry Margaritas 

by Judy

1 lime
kosher salt for rimming glasses
1/2 cup blackberries
4 ounces tequila
2 ounces triple sec
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
ice

Have a Happy National Tequila Day with Jalapeno Margaritas!

Here is a refreshingly different drink that is certain to be a party-starter! The longer it sits, the spicier it gets, so drink up!

Jalapeno Margaritas
by Judy

hickory smoked salt for rimming glass (or alternately, chipotle salt)

lime wedges
ice cubes
4 ounces tequila
2 ounces triple sec

juice of 2 limes

2 Tablespoons agave nectar
1/3 to 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced (be sure to wear plastic baggies on your hands or gloves when doing this!!!)

Have a Happy National Tequila day with Blackberry-Mint Margaritas with Lavender Simple Syrup!

Truthfully, not only am I a big coffee lover, but I'm also a tequila lover! So when I saw this challenge, I decided to make a new twist on a traditional drink:  The Margarita. I wanted to make something a little different, not your usual margarita, and I thought this recipe using one of my favorite tequilas for National Tequila Day, the Herradura Silver, with Lavender Simple Syrup was the perfect combination.

I wanted to use fresh blackberries for the blackberry puree, it takes a bit more time and I don't mind being in the kitchen, so it was ok with me. But if you're short on time, you can use frozen blackberries and make an easy puree - no problem.  So, using fresh is not a must when your friends are staring at you waiting for a cocktail.

Have a Happy National Daiquiri Day with a Daiquiri, Three Ways!

Some people know a lot about daiquiris. Some are not so sure. It's very easy to slide into the "pop culture" definition of a daiquiri and expect a large, blended, frothy concoction served to you by a kid in a uniform T-shirt and with a corporate slogan ("It's a great day at ABC...Thanks for stopping by!")

Have a Happy National Daiquiri Day with ...Well, Just Take a Look at What Jennifer Did!

This challenge was a learning experience for me. I always assumed that daiquiris were born as the brightly colored, syrupy-sweet, slushy concoctions garnished with a small paper umbrella that you drink while sitting in a lounge chair next to the ocean. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of them, but about halfway through drinking one, the sweetness gets a little overwhelming for me, and I switch to beer. So I was quite pleased when I did some research and found that the original daiquiri was nothing more than rum, lime juice, and simple syrup, shaken with ice and served in a cocktail glass. Who knew? Not me. On further investigation, I learned that there is a version called a Hemingway Daiquiri. As all things googled, you can find many variations of what it actually contained, how it was served, etc. The general consensus, however, is that the Hemingway Daiquiri contained fresh lime and grapefruit juices, white rum, and maraschino liqueur.

With the Atlanta summer starting to creep in, this version sounded like the perfect drink to me - fresh and fruity, but not too sweet. I omitted the maraschino liqueur, and added just a touch of sugar for sweetness. The result was delicious. It may be my new go-to cocktail on a hot day.

Hemingway Daiquiri

by Jennifer

Juice of one lime
Juice of ½ grapefruit
1 ounce white rum
1 teaspoon sugar