Italian Sodas

This Christmas I went crazy making Italian Sodas. I made them for a work party, I made them for our family parties, we invited friends over and made some more. I like to use the Torani syrups which can be found in the coffee section of any grocery store. In Utah, Harmon's has the best selection.

Italian syrup in your favorite flavors (vanilla, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, peach)

club soda

half & half

crushed ice

small plastic glasses & coffee straws

In a glass packed with ice, pour 2-3 oz. of Italian soda flavoring. Fill the glass 3/4 full with club soda. Add a 2-3 T. (a shot) of half and half. Stir well. Can also top with whipped topping!

J's Raspberry Soda's

Looking at this raspberry soda makes me smile. One late afternoon as I was leaving work, J.J. (my 8 year old) called me and asked, "Mom, do we have any raspberries? Cause I'm watching Giada and I want to make something." I'm a sucker for an 8 year old who watches Giada, so even though raspberries were NOT in season, he gave me an ingredient list and I was off to the store. He made this homemade sauce all by himself, running back and forth to the T.V. pausing and rewinding (what did we ever do before DVR?) When I tried to help him, he would say, "Don't tell me mom, I'm just going to copy Giada!" And the BEST part was that these sodas were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.! This is the best raspberry sauce I've ever tasted - it would be perfect drizzled over cheese cake or chocolate cake. Oh, and I must mention that because of the out-of-season raspberries, these sodas cost about $18....but so worth it! .

INGREDIENTS

1 pint raspberry sherbet
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 1/3 cups club soda
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup raspberry syrup (recipe follows)

.

RASPBERRY SYRUP

1/2 cup orange juice
2 T. corn starch
10 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup sugar

.

Pour orange juice in to a sauce pan and stir in cornstarch. Mix until cornstarch is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. This removes the seeds and creates a smooth, velvety sauce.

.

ASSEMBLY:
In a soda glass, add 1 scoop vanilla ice cream and 1 scoop raspberry sherbet. Pour club soda on top and then drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce down in to, and on top of the soda. Top with fresh raspberries. Serve immediately. Divine!

Minty Limeade

Can't wait to grow mint in my yard this summer, but today the mint from the grocery store filled in just fine. This limeade isn't too sweet, but refreshing and delicious!

*

In a large pitcher, toss in 6-7 mint leaves. Cut 4-5 limes in halves or fourths. Squeeze out as much juice as you can, but throw the lime in to the bottom of the pitcher as well. Using a spoon or whisk, smash everything around to release a bit of the mint flavor. Add 1 cup simple syrup (see recipe below). Pack the picture with ice and then fill with water. If you like it sweeter, add more simple syrup or more lime if you want more lime flavor.

*

SIMPLE SYRUP:

Mix equal parts sugar and water (example: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water) in a saucepan. Heat and stir until mixture comes to a boil and all sugar dissolves. Cool completely and use to sweeten any type of drink.

Recipes for Spiced Cider & Wassail

I love to drink spiced cider in the fall even more than hot chocolate. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that range from quick and easy to slow simmered. All are super yummy! These can be made ahead, refrigerated, then re-heated before serving.

Wassail (pictured above)

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

1 quart orange juice

1 quart pineapple juice (unsweetened)

1 c. lemon juice

1 c. sugar (or you can do 1/2 cup granulated sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar)

24 whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients and simmer in a crockpot for 2-3 hours. Before serving, remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks with a strainer. You can also speed this up by making it in a pot on the stove, but be careful not to boil it - just keep it at a low simmer.

Spiced Apple Cider

2 quarts apple juice or apple cider

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. whole allspice

1 tsp. whole cloves

2-3 cinnamon sticks

In a large pot, bring to boil. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Remove spices and serve warm.

Easiest Spiced Cider

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

1 cup red hots candy

Heat this mixture in a crock pot or in a pot over the stove. Watch and stir the mixture often until the red hots are thoroughly melted so that they don't burn or stick to the pan.

Hot Cider

(Made with ground rather than whole spices)

1 gallon apple juice or apple cider

3-4 cups lemon-lime soda

4 cups orange juice

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a large pot or crockpot and heat on medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until heated through. Can garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks if desired. Stir well before serving.

Tamra's Wassail Mix

One cold morning I walked in to BYU half frozen from my ten minute "hike". If you're not familiar, parking at the Y is a joke and even employees have to walk in from parking lots FAR, FAR away. Tamra was there and made me a cup of this delicious hot wassail. It warmed my hands and heart!. Thanks Tamra.

2 C. Tang 1 ¾ c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ginger 1/3 C. pre-sweetened lemonade mix

Mix ingredients and place in airtight container. This makes a great Christmas gift. Tie jar or container with a bow and attach the mixing directions.

Directions for mixing: Add 2-3 spoonfuls of dry mix to a glass of hot water. Add more if you like it sweeter!

Jeanette's Easy Slush

My Aunt Shirlene's friend Jeanette should be a caterer. She makes the most amazing food ever and when she is in charge of a baby or bridal shower, you go just to see (and sample) the food. She made this slush at a baby shower.

Mash 2 bananas in the bottom of a punch bowl.
Add 1 pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup and mash again.
Add 1/2 gallon raspberry sherbert
Add 2 liters Kiwi-Strawberry Shasta

Stir and mash until slushy.

Diane's Holiday Slush

My first boss, Lynn, invited us to his home at Christmastime in 1991. His wife Diane made this slush, which I thought was so classy and beautiful in her punch bowl. I left with the recipe written on the back of a grocery receipt in my purse and have been making it ever since.

The night before:
Make simple syrup: Bring 4 cups hot water and 4 cups sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup lemon juice and 4 cups cold water. Stir well. Pour into a large bowl and freeze overnight. ***Make sure your bowl will fit in your freezer beforehand. If not, freeze in two smaller bowls.

1 hour before guests arrive:
Take frozen molds out of the freezer and set on counter to begin thawing.

15 minutes before guests arrive:
Turn mold over into a large punchbowl. Add:
1 pkg. frozen raspberries
1 pkg. frozen blueberries
1 can crushed pineapple

As it thaws, mash around with a potato masher or fork. Add 1 liter 7-up and continue mashing to create a fruity slush. Add more 7-up as it gets low.

Strawberry Limenade

So I got this recipe at a Pampered Chef party. I wrote it on the back of my catalog because I didn't want to buy the cookbook (guilty!). I did buy the Quick Stir Pitcher to mix it in, so it's all good.

1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. frozen strawberries (in sugar)
4 1/2 cups lemon-lime soda

Place juices and sugar in a pitcher and stir well. Add strawberries and mix again. Slowly add lemon-lime soda. Serve immediately.

Orange Julius (Kristie's)

My friend Kristie gave me this recipe. On Sunday nights, we often whip up a batch of homemade scones and a blender full of this foamy drink. We consider it a family tradition recipe. I could make it in my sleep :0)

1 can frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 t. good vanilla (I use Watkins)
1 tray (12) ice cubes
1 cup water
2 T. sugar

Put all ingredients in a blender. Mix until smooth and creamy!

Shirlene's "The Recipe"

I don't know why, but we call this "the recipe". I will often call Korry's aunt Shirlene and say, "will you make me the recipe?" and she says, "sure, come on over". Then we sit on her porch sipping cool, minty lemonade.

Country Time Lemonade Powder
Water
Ice
Fresh Mint Leaves

Fill blender with several handfuls of ice until blender is about ¾ full. Pour in water until it reaches the top of the ice. Add desired amount of lemonade powder. Blend until slushy. Add 2-3 mint leaves and blend well. Add more lemonade powder to make it sweeter if desired or more water and ice if it is too sweet. Can also add more mint according to your taste.

Moore Family Reunion Punch

I think my aunt Norma is the original creator of this punch. We've been drinking it for over 35 years now.

2 pkg. orange Koolaid
2 pkg. red Koolaid
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 gallons water
2 liters lemon-lime soda

Made Koolaid with sugar and water. Stir well, then stir in Sprite. Pack with ice. We make this in our big orange Gott cooler.

Homemade Rootbeer

I make homemade rootbeer twice a year. At family reunion time and in a bubbling cauldron for Halloween.

HOMEMADE Rootbeer

6 cups white sugar
3 1/3 gallons cold water
1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract
4 pounds dry ice

In a large cooler, mix the sugar and water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in extract. Carefully add dry ice. Let brew for an hour.