Beverages
Monday, December 24, 2007
Break out the bubbly
While champagne enthusiasts might believe that bubbly beverage is best served untouched, there are some times when using champagne as an ingredient turns an average drink or dish into something more special.
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This drink traditionally is served in a champagne flute. For a nonalcoholic version, substitute lemon-lime soda for the champagne.
Mimosa
3/4 cup champagne, chilled
1/4 cup orange juice
Combine champagne and orange juice; stir and divide between two flutes or glasses. Makes 2 servings.
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Champagne Punch
1 quart orange sherbet, chilled
2 quarts orange juice
1 2-liter bottle ginger ale, chilled
2 750-milliliter bottles champagne, chilled
In a large punch bowl, place the block of sherbet in the center and pour the orange juice over the top. Next, pour the ginger ale over the sherbet. Finally, pour both bottles of champagne over the sherbet. Stir gently to mix the liquids, resulting in a foamy top. Serve immediately. Makes about 34 servings.
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Mock Champagne Punch
2 2-liter bottles ginger ale, chilled
1 46-ounce can pineapple juice, chilled
1 64-ounce bottle white grape juice, chilled
In a large punch bowl, combine ginger ale, pineapple juice, and white grape juice. Serve with ice ring if desired. Makes 40 servings.
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Champagne Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup champagne
Lightly dust chicken breasts with flour, salt, and pepper. In a large skillet, lightly brown chicken breasts in olive oil. Once browned on both sides, add mushrooms and champagne. Cook over medium heat for about a half hour, allowing champagne to boil a little. When chicken is tender, transfer chicken to a platter. Pour cream into skillet. Simmer about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over chicken breasts. Makes 4 servings.
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For a nonalcoholic version, substitute lemon-lime soda for the champagne.
Sparkling Fresh Fruit
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup cubed cantaloupe
4 scoops raspberry sherbet or flavor of your choice
1 cup champagne
Combine the strawberries, blueberries and cantaloupe; divide among four dessert dishes. Top each with a scoop of sherbet. Drizzle with champagne. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When serving punch in a punch bowl, make an ice ring to keep it cold by filling a ring-shaped cake pan half full with ginger ale. Place frozen ginger ale in punch bowl just before serving.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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Monday, June 18, 2007
Cool down your hot drinks
As the weather gets warmer and warmer, enjoying a steaming hot mug of coffee or tea can become less and less appealing. Fortunately, the iced versions of these drinks are just as tasty, and even more refreshing in hot weather.
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Lemonade Iced Tea
6 black tea bags
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 gallon boiling water
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Place the tea bags and sugar into a 1-gallon jar. Fill with boiling water. Let steep for 2 hours at room temperature. Remove and discard tea bags. Stir in lemonade concentrate. Refrigerate until cool. Makes 16 servings.
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Raspberry Iced Tea
8-1/4 cups water, divided
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 black tea bags
3 to 4 cups unsweetened raspberries
In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Steep for 6 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add 4 cups water.
In another saucepan, bring raspberries and remaining water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Strain and discard pulp. Add raspberry juice to the tea mixture. Serve in chilled glasses over ice. Makes about 2 quarts.
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Easy Iced Coffee
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons warm water
6 fluid ounces cold milk
In sealable jar, combine instant coffee, sugar and warm water. Cover the jar and shake until it is foamy. Pour into a glass full of ice. Fill the glass with milk. Adjust to taste if necessary. Makes 1 serving.
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Iced Coffee Slush
3 cups hot, strong-brewed coffee
1-1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar
4 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a freezer-safe bowl, stir coffee and sugar; until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Add the milk, cream and vanilla; freeze. Remove from the freezer several hours before serving. Chop mixture until slushy; serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
A lot of people like to sweeten their iced coffee and tea, but often sugar doesn’t dissolve in a cold drink. This can leave the drink with a grainy texture. To avoid this problem, sweeten your drinks with a simple sugar syrup. To do this, bring 2 cups of water to a boil on the stove and add 1 cup of sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature before using.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 09, 2007
Combine healthy blueberries with soy
Blueberries have a lot of antioxidants that may make them guard against a variety of diseases and ailments and also may help reduce your risk for some forms of cancer. Whether you eat fresh, frozen, or dried blueberries you will enjoy these benefits. Soymilk also may be beneficial to your health but some people shy away from it because they are not sure how it will taste. Since blueberries have a lot of flavor, combining them might tempt even picky eaters to try soymilk and receive a nutritional punch.
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Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits
2 6-ounce containers soy vanilla or blueberry yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cups low-fat granola
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Split one container of yogurt into each of 2 parfait glasses or small bowls. Top each serving with 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/3 cup granola. Repeat with remaining yogurt and 1/4 cup blueberries. Top each with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Makes 2 servings. Recipe courtesy Silk Soymilk. For more information, visit http://www.silksoymilk.com.
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Blueberry-Orange-Vanilla Smoothie
1-1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 banana, sliced into 1-inch pieces and frozen
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon honey
In a blender, combine the soymilk, banana, blueberries, orange juice concentrate, and honey. Blend until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 servings. Recipe courtesy Silk Soymilk. For more information, visit http://www.silksoymilk.com.
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Lemon Pudding with Blueberries
1 3.125-ounce package lemon instant pudding
1 cup vanilla soymilk
1 cup skim milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
In a large bowl mix soy milk and skim milk; add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk or electric mixer at low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into dishes; refrigerate. Pudding will be soft-set and ready to serve in 5 minutes. For firmer set, refrigerate 30 minutes. Garnish each serving with 1/4 cup blueberries. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
In most recipes, you can substitute soymilk for regular milk. And like regular milk, you will want to be careful not to scorch it by boiling it at too high of a temperature or by not stirring it when cooking it.
One 10-ounce package of frozen blueberries equals 1-1/2 cups and 1 pint fresh blueberries equals 2 cups.
When using frozen blueberries in baked goods, do not thaw them first. Thawing them only causes them to turn your baked goods blue. However, if the berries have a lot of ice on them, you can run them under water briefly and drain before using.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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Monday, December 05, 2005
Chase away the cold with hot cocoa
Few things are as comforting as wrapping your hands around a mug warmed by a cup of hot chocolate. These recipes will help warm you up, whether you spent the day playing in the snow or just watching it fall.
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This recipe makes a lot of hot cocoa, but leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just mix well and reheat before serving.
Creamy Hot Cocoa
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
3 cups milk
Marshmallows, optional
In large saucepan over medium heat, combine condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt; mix well. Slowly stir in water and milk. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Top with marshmallows if desired. Makes 2 quarts.
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Easy Hot Cocoa
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Marshmallows, optional
In medium saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa and salt; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stir until well blended. Cook, stirring often, until hot. Do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Beat with whisk until foamy. Top with marshmallows if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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When trying this variation on the traditional drink, keep in mind that white chocolate is very sensitive to heat and will burn more easily than other types of chocolate. Heat it very gently and watch it at all times.
Winter White Hot Chocolate
6 cups milk
9 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Top with marshmallows if desired.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk to simmering over medium heat. Lower heat and stir in white chocolate and vanilla. Cook until hot but not boiling, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and pour into mugs. Top with marshmallows if desired. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
For a grownup version of hot cocoa, add 1 ounce of peppermint schnapps to prepared hot cocoa before serving.
Dutch-processed cocoa is found more often in gourmet recipes. If a recipe does not specify which type of cocoa to use, use natural cocoa. Dutch-processed cocoa is more alkaline and may alter the results of the recipe.
Cocoa powder and mixes made from it, such as hot cocoa mixes, keep about two years if tightly sealed and kept away from light.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, July 25, 2005
Enjoy the benefits of eating fruit
Drinking orange juice at breakfast and apple juice in the afternoon are great ways to get more servings of fruit into your diet. But trading in a glass of juice for a piece of fruit adds more fiber to your diet while making you feel full longer for fewer calories and less sugar. Some fruits even have additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more when they are eaten whole. For a snack, try a serving or two of fresh fruit with a glass of water or milk instead of a glass of juice.
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Summer Fruit Bowl
3 large peaches, peeled and cut into chunks
1-1/2 cups blueberries
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
2 medium bananas, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sauce:
1 cup vanilla yogurt, regular or reduced fat
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
In a large bowl, toss fruit in lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and concentrate. Put fruit in a large glass bowl or divide evenly between 6 small bowls or parfait glasses. Drizzle sauce over fruit. Makes 6 servings.
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Creamy Fruit Dip
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted fresh fruit
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in marshmallow creme. Stir in whipped topping. Serve with fruit. Store in the refrigerator. Makes about 20 servings.
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Low-Fat Mango Peach Shake
1 cup diced mango
1 small peach, pitted and quartered
1 cup vanilla sorbet
1/2 cup low fat milk
Put mango and peach in a blender and process till smooth. Add sorbet and milk and blend until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and serve. Makes 1 to 2 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To get children to eat more fruit, add fruit to foods that already are their favorites. Slice a banana or a peach on top of cereal, add fruit to milkshakes, and top salads with orange and berry slices.
Since we tend to eat more fruit when it tastes good, try shopping for fresh, in-season produce whenever possible. That means looking for peaches, plums, melons, and berries in the summer and grapes, pears, and apples in the fall. When fruit is not in season, use frozen fruit as they often are as nutritious as fresh.
When you do buy fruit juice, look for those that contain 100% fruit juice instead of those that contain added sugar.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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Monday, March 07, 2005
Bring a taste of green to St. Patrick’s Day
When celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, many of us like to add something green to the dinner table. Fortunately, we have many green foods to choose from, such as lime, cabbage and mint. Add some corned beef in between beverages and dessert and you’ll have a festive St. Patrick’s Day meal.
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Green Punch
2 3-ounce packages lime flavored gelatin mix, such as Jell-O
4 cups hot water
1 46-ounce can pineapple juice
2 12-ounce cans frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 cups granulated sugar
4-1/2 cups cold water
1 2-liter bottle ginger ale
In a large saucepan dissolve the gelatin in the hot water. Allow mixture to cool, then pour into a large punch bowl. Stir in pineapple juice, orange juice concentrate, sugar and cold water. Add ginger ale just before serving. Makes 20 servings.
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Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage)
2-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 slices bacon
1/2 small head cabbage, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until evenly brown. Drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Sauté the cabbage and onion in the reserved drippings until soft.
Drain the cooked potatoes, mash with milk and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the bacon, cabbage, and onions; transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Make a well in the center; pour in the melted butter. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
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Mint-Chocolate Pie
1 chocolate-flavored pie shell
1 quart mint chocolate chip ice cream, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 squares semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 sprig fresh mint for garnish, optional
Spread softened ice cream into crust. Freeze 2 hours. In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, chocolate, and milk. Heat, stirring occasionally until thickened. Let cool. Drizzle over cut servings of pie. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
A corned beef brisket keeps its red color even after it is cooked due to the fact that it has been put through a curing process. Leftover corned beef makes terrific sandwiches after St. Patrick’s Day. Try serving them with melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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Monday, February 14, 2005
Wake up the family with cinnamon
Few things smell as good in the morning as cinnamon, but don’t limit this spice to cinnamon rolls and coffee cake. Serve cinnamon coffee and biscuits together for a delicious theme breakfast or separately to incorporate cinnamon into a variety of menus. Either way, the aroma that fills the house should be enough to get even the sleepiest heads out of bed.
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Cinnamon-Sugar Coffee
2/3 cup ground coffee
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons granulated sugar or firmly packed brown sugar
6 cups cold water
Milk and additional sugar, optional
Place coffee and cinnamon in filter in brew basket of coffee maker. Place sugar in bottom of carafe of coffee maker. Fill coffee maker with water; brew. When brewing is complete, remove carafe and carefully stir coffee mixture with wooden spoon until well mixed. Serve immediately. Add milk and additional sugar to individual servings if desired. Makes 7 servings.
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For an extra special treat, substitute homemade buttermilk biscuits for the canned biscuits.
Jelly and Spice Biscuits
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 12-ounce tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, separated into 10 biscuits, uncooked
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Dip top and sides of each biscuit in butter, then in cinnamon mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. With the end a wooden spoon handle, make a deep indentation in the center of each biscuit. Divide preserves evenly between biscuits, placing about 1 teaspoon in each indentation. Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Because preserves will be hot, allow biscuits to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 10 biscuits.
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This topping is perfect for pancakes, French toast and waffles.
Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup maple pancake syrup
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a saucepan over low heat, heat butter, syrup and cinnamon until butter is melted. Stir until smooth. Serve warm. Makes about 3/4 cup.
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Pantry Pointers
Purchase cinnamon in small quantities as it loses its flavor over time. When stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container, ground cinnamon usually keeps about six months. But since cinnamon loses its aroma as it loses its flavor, give your cinnamon a good sniff before using it.
Make your own cinnamon-sugar for toast by mixing 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon with 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, December 06, 2004
Warm up your holidays with festive beverages
Whether you are hosting a holiday party or relaxing at home, this time of year is perfect for hot beverages that feature the flavors of the seasons. When paired with homemade or purchased cookies, hot beverages can be the basis of a simple party. They also are perfect after an afternoon of playing in the snow or an evening of caroling.
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This recipe has the added bonus of making your house smell wonderful while you prepare it.
Hot Apple Cider
6 cups apple cider
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
1 orange peel, cut into strips
1 lemon peel, cut into strips
Additional cinnamon sticks, optional
In a large saucepan, combine cider and maple syrup. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in cheesecloth or a coffee filter; fold up sides to make a bundle and tie with kitchen string. Place the spice bundle into the cider mixture. Heat the cider over medium heat until hot but not boiling, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove cider from heat and discard spice bundle. Garnish with additional cinnamon sticks if desired. Makes 6 servings.
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Chocolate and peppermint go well together, and this recipe makes the combination festive. Crush the candy canes well so the cocoa doesn’t have chunks of peppermint in it.
Candy Cane Cocoa
4 cups milk
3 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 small peppermint candy canes, crushed
Whipped cream and additional candy canes, optional
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until hot but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and crushed candy canes until melted and smooth. Garnish with whipped cream and candy canes if desired. Makes 4 servings.
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Keep this mix on hand and you’ll have a handy beverage for unexpected guests. It also makes a nice gift.
Cinnamon Coffee Mix
7 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup powdered nondairy creamer
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In an airtight container, combine the coffee granules, creamer, sugar, milk powder and cinnamon. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months. Makes about 5 servings.
To prepare 1 serving of coffee, combine 1 cup boiling water with 3 tablespoons coffee mix in a mug; stir well.
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Pantry Pointers
For easy entertaining, keep cocoa warm in a slow cooker and allow guests to serve themselves. Have candy canes, cinnamon sticks and marshmallows handy and guests can garnish their own drinks.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, October 25, 2004
Darken up your Halloween menu
When it comes to decorating for Halloween parties, black and orange are popular colors. But many holidays revolve around food, and Halloween is no different. From children’s parties to adult parties to school parties, food is often the focus of the event. Whether you are trying to serve fun foods or scary foods, few things are as festive for Halloween as food and beverages that are as black as the Halloween night—and fit well with black and orange decorations.
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The colors of grape and orange drink mixes combine to make a deep, dark and scary punch.
Black Halloween Punch
1 .13-ounce envelope unsweetened grape drink mix, such as Kool-Aid
1 .13-ounce envelope unsweetened orange drink mix, such as Kool-Aid
2 cups granulated sugar
12 cups cold water
1 liter ginger ale
Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving. Makes about 32 servings.
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To easily make a cup of strong brewed coffee, add 1 tablespoon instant coffee to 1 cup hot water.
Black Magic Cake
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch pan; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and place on wire rack to cool completely. Frost as desired. Makes 24 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Gummy worms are a great addition to any Halloween party. For creepier beverages, fill ice cube trays with water and add a gummy worm to each cube. Freeze until solid. Simple cupcakes become Halloween treats when gummy worms are crawling out of them.
Turn store-bought white frosting into Halloween orange frosting with food coloring. For every tub of ready-to-spread frosting, add 4 to 5 drops yellow food coloring and 3 drops red food coloring. Mix well.
The Practical Pantry ©2004 Tammy P. Olson
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