Punch Recipes

Hello all! Recently my cousin asked me for some punch recipes that are non-alcoholic that she could make for her kids (maybe herself too, I didn’t question). I mean how frustrating can it be when your looking for yummy punch recipes but you begin reading through a recipe and find that one of the main ingredients is some sort of liquor. GRR! Being to young to consume (and not wanting to anyways) and trying to find a good non-alcoholic punch can be a real pain in the butt! So I began some research to find some virgin punch recipes, with some luck I found a few. Even thought I haven’t been able to test all of them, some look very promising. : )

So, because I can say more about the recipes I’ve had before, I’ll post those first! : )

The first is a Virgin Momosa. Last Christmas, we enjoyed the usual cheese, summer sausage and crackers, veggie platter; and the usual special package of fruit, nuts, smoked salmon, cheese, ect. from Harry and David. Starting last year these kid friendly Momosa’s became a tradition that will be a definite keeper. While we were thinking of special holiday drinks, my Mom said how about Momosa’s? My first question was, “can you do that?” Her answer was this EXTREMELY simple (but delicious) recipe:

Virgin Momosa’s

1 bottle sparkling apple cider

1 jug of orange juice (use whatever type is your favorite!)

When serving use half sparkling apple cider and half orange juice and serve. Simple right?

Plus, you can serve it in fancy wine glasses for special occasions; as long as your kids know that it’s non-alcoholic and they don’t get to drink anything but what you give them, and they don’t get the “Mommy and Daddy drinks”. Or not, I just know when I was younger it always felt like special privilege to drink it out of nice glasses.

Next!

For one of my besties Sweet 16, a good 5 years ago, we went to the coast and stayed in a hotel. We had yummy Chinese food for dinner and later on we all enjoyed some virgin Apple-tinis for the special occasion. They were so simple and delicious!

Virgin Apple-Tini’s

1 bottle lemon-lime flavored soda

1 bottle green apple flavored syrup (The good kind found in with the other mixers in your store)

bottle of maraschino cherries

When serving use half of the lemon-lime soda and half apple syrup. Add a few cherries and enjoy!

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The recipes below I haven’t tried, but after some research and reviews from others these all seem delicious and pretty simple. I will try to test these recipes as soon as I can, but if you try them before I do let me know what you think! : )

This recipe called “Kids Bubbly Love Potion” over at Ingredients Inc looks delicious and promising. I mean who can go wrong with ice cream, lemonade and lemon lime flavored soda?

Link below.

http://www.ingredientsinc.net/2010/02/awesome-valentines-drink-kids-bubbly-love-potion/#.UI8HU4WXSlw

This next recipe called “Luscious Slush Punch” found on allrecipes.com, looks yummy and fairly simple. What really appealed to me about this recipe is, that because it calls for flavored gelatin you can totally play with the flavors of the punch.  The recipe calls for strawberry flavored gelatin, but some of the allrecipes users who made this punch said they’ve changed out the flavors for cherry, pineapple, and orange and still had wonderful results.  Many of the users also mentioned using less sugar because they found it too sweet for their taste; but again, just personal preference. Remember when looking at recipes check out peoples comments and see what they think about the recipe there could be helpful hints that may be useful. “Luscious Slush Punch” link below.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Luscious-Slush-Punch/Detail.aspx

On the Better Homes website I found some Halloween punch recipes for kids and adults that are fun for Halloween and look pretty taste-y. Link below.

http://www.bhg.com/halloween/recipes/sweet-halloween-drinks/?esrc=nwwr102912pind

Hope these recipes help!!!! Good luck!!!

Fry Bread

Ahh Fry Bread you are so good to me. Soft, delicious, and you taste oh so wonderful!

When I was younger my family and I were really big into going to Pow-Wows with our friends. To this day when I smell burning sage its like taking a step back in time and being at the Pow-Wow’s I loved to attend. Along with the wonderful smell of sage there was this constant smell of fry bread as soon as you stepped off the floor and into the hallway. Those of you who’ve been to Pow-Wows know what I’m talking about right? :) Thought we didn't get fry bread often, when we did….you better believe mine was covered in honey or sugar and berries, basically anything sweet. 

There was nothing better than dancing the day away in your beautiful regalia and sitting down to enjoy some yummy fry bread. Am I right? However as we stopped attending Pow-Wows the fry bread and other delicious foods disappeared with it.

It wasn’t until last year in school when we were working on a project about our heritage and culture, when on of my friends at school (you know who you are :)) made Fry Bread Taco’s for our class because of her Native American heritage. I offered to help in excitement remembering my younger years and how much I enjoyed Fry Bread but had no idea how to make it. We spent the day talking and making fry bread tacos for our class I even got to help fry some of them, help cook some of the beef and prep some of the toppings. Most of the class had no idea what to expect, and oh how pleasantly surprised they would be :D. I watched as she made the fry bread and loved the pleasant aroma that permeated the kitchen. When the time came to serve, our class came through line and after receiving their food sat down. Once we were done serving and everyone was sitting down we all noticed the silence. Yes silence. You know what that means right? Everyone was too busy stuffing their faces with the super delicious fry bread tacos, including me. I was so excited to have this wonderful meal back in my life and there was NO way I was going to let it creep back out!!!

As soon as I got home the research began. I remembered what she had made hers with just not exact measurements so when I found this recipe I was SO happy. It would not disappear again. No flipping way! Not only was I excited to have this recipe, but when telling my boyfriend about it he told me had never had it. I HAD to make it for dinner! I was so excited to be able to share something so good that he had never had. After dinner he told me it was one of the best meals he has EVER had! I love when I get to share new foods with people and see how much they loved it too. I even ended up making it for his Mom and his Grandmother who was up visiting for Mother’s day.

I hope you can enjoy this recipe as I have and share it with someone who has never had it too!!! (Plus it's boyfriend approved!!) 

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to my friend for showing me how easy this recipe can be to make, and showing me how to make it! I will forever be in your debt! :)

 

The picture above is a fry bread taco! So good!!!!

 

Fry Bread

(Recipe adapted from an Allrecipes recipe)

      2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting counter

      1 tablespoon baking powder

      1 teas. salt

      1 teas. granulated sugar

      1 cup milk

      4 cups oil for frying, or as needed

Mix ingredients together, pat out on floured surface until desired shape forms. Add to 375 degree oil and fry on both sides till golden brown. I don’t have an oil thermometer about 5 or 6 is good on my stove.

Top with taco makings, honey, cinnamon sugar, or fruit. 

*Tips*

The dough will be sticky so while shaping it on counter add flour until it is only slightly sticky. 

 

If you've never had or made fry bread before the texture should be slightly crisp but bendable after frying.

Crock Pot Taco Soup YUM!

Hey everyone!!!

As my first post I had to do Taco Soup! It's super simple and very yummy!

I remember the first time I had Taco Soup. I was returning to my Mom's house for the week, and we were talking about our weekends. My Mom had talked about how she spent the weekend with her friends then told me about the Taco Soup recipe she had received from one of them and how happy she was because it is was delicious. Oh how right she was.

It was decided, even though I had no idea what to expect (Taco's?....Soup?....Taco Soup???....WHAT?) I was sold and it was most definitely going to be dinner. I watched as she made it, dumping in all the beans, diced green chiles, corn and tomatoes; liquids and all. That's right you read it correctly, no straining...ahhh....so wonderfully easy and delicious........*Focus!* Any who....After putting all the canned goodies into the crock pot she cooked the ground beef and added it into the bean mixture. That's it. How simple is that? The most time consuming part is cooking the beef! That's it!

BUT WAIT! There's more!!!

The toppings!!! One of the best parts of a taco, and one of the best parts of this soup. Just imagine the possibilities! Whatever you put on your taco's just throw it in your bowl of soup. The possibilities are crazy! However, I like to keep it simple with sour cream, olives, and a even 50/50 ratio of crushed tortilla chips to soup. YUM!!! Can't you just see yourself curled up with this yummy warm soup on a chilly fall night. Ahhh...Perhaps tomorrow I'll make Taco Soup for dinner. :)

Taco Soup

Soup:

1 pound ground beef
2 15 ounce cans black beans,
2 15 ounce cans kidney beans,
2 15 ounce cans pinto beans,
2 15 ounce cans of corn,
1 7 ounce can diced green chiles,
2 taco seasoning packets or 1/2 cup for 2 (1/4 cup each)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes (or petite diced)

Toppings:

Tortilla Chips,
Sour cream,
Cheese,
Olives,
Green onions,
Fresh tomatoes,
Lettuce,
Cilantro.
Or whatever else you like on your taco's.
 
Add beans, corn, green chiles, tomatoes, and 1 taco seasoning packet to crock pot and stir (remember do NOT strain anything! Just dump everything from the cans into your crock pot). While the bean mixture is warming, cook the ground beef and add the second packet of taco seasoning to the beef following the package directions. When the beef is ready add to the bean mixture. When warmed through add toppings, serve and enjoy! :)  

Video tutorial: :)

*Tips*

Because you dump everything from the cans into the soup including the liquids if you are worried about your sodium intake just buy the cans of soup with less sodium. :)