Beverages Recipes

1 part sage
1 part thyme
1 part marjoram
1 part camomile

Blend ingredients and place inside a tea ball, place in a mug of hot water and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Or, for larger quantities you can place the herbs inside a pot of water (make sure you don't overdo the amount of herbs you use in proportion to the amount of water...) and heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of the herb pieces. Drink up and enjoy the soothing effects!

14 cardamom pods
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups milk
3 (3-inch) sticks of cinnamon, broken into pieces
6 whole cloves
2 tablespoons black tea leaves
Sugar to sweeten as desired

Using the flat side of large knife, crush cardamom pods to expose seeds.

In saucepan, bring water, milk, cardamom pods, cinnamon and cloves to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tea leaves and remove from heat; cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and serve hot. Sweeten with sugar as desired. Makes 6 servings.

Chai Tea II

Submitted by Maureen

15 whole cloves
20 whole pepper corns
20 green cardomom pods (or 1/4 tsp ground)
3 cinnamon sticks
4 cups water
4 cups milk
1 tea bag

Simmer first 5 ingredient for 20 min., strain, put back in pan and add tea bag. Simmer 5 more min. Take out tea bag. Add milk, reheat, and you're done!

Cinderella Punch

1 can of orange juice (mix as directed)
1 can of pinnapple juice (mix as directed)
a few drops of red food coloring
Ginger Ale
Orange slices
Lime slices
Manichino Cherries

You mix equal parts of orange juice, pineapple juice, and Ginger Ale. Add food coloring for a pink color to punch or leave with natural colors. You can float the orange and lime slices and cherries in your punch or garnish glass with them.

Coffee and Coke Float

2/3 cup light cream
2 1/2 cups strong coffee
4 scoops coffee ice cream
1 bottle of Coke

Mix the cream and coffee, pour into 4 glasses (half full). Add a scoop of ice cream to each, then top off with coke. Serves 4

4 cups cold water
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds

Bring water to a boil. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Cool. Pour cooled water/sugar mixture and lemon juice into a large pitcher. Blend well and chill under cool. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon rounds. (If more tart lemonade is desired add more fresh lemon juice to taste.) Makes 4 servings.

1 container frozen whipped topping (12 ounces), thawed
1 can cream of coconut (15 ounces)
1 can crushed pineapple (8 ounces), well drained
1 jar red maraschino cherries (6 ounces), drained and chopped
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping and cream of coconut until well blended. Add the crushed pineapple, cherries, and coconut.

Spoon into the baking cups, cover, and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.

Garnishing Tip These treats have a tropical taste, so why not make 'em look tropical, too? Before freezing, sprinkle each one with toasted flaked coconut and top with a whole cherry. Then, before serving, top each with a paper umbrella.

1 cup fresh mint, lemon balm, or lemon verbena or 1/4 cup fresh lemon thyme plus 3 leaves spearmint
1 quart boiling water

Put herbs in a teapot and add boiling water. Let steep 3 minutes before serving. Cook's note: The measurements of the herbs are flexible; depending on the freshness and strength of the herbs, you may need to add or subtract.

1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Water
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Whole cloves
2 c Sauterne
12 oz Apple juice
1 c Orange juice
1/4 c Lemon juice
Orange sherbet

Combine sugar, water, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Strain and cool. Mix all remaining ingredients except sherbet, with cinnamon mix. Chill well. Serve in glass topped with a spoonful of orange sherbet.

Frosty Lime Float

1 cup chilled pineapple juice
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 pint lime sherbet
1 bottle lemon-lime soda

Add all ingredients and 1/2 cup lime sherbet. Stir until smooth. Pour in glasses, add 1 scoop sherbet to each. Serves 4.

Fruit Slush Mix

4 cups Sugar
4 cups Water
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
46 ounces Pinapple Juice

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Add orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, and pinapple juice. Fill 6 or 7 ice cube trays with mixture. Freeze until firm. Remove cubes from freezer trays and store in plastic bags. Use within 6 months. Makes about 100 small cubes.

VARIATION: Add 5 to 6 mashed bananas to mixture before freezing.

FRUIT SLUSH: Fill a glass with FRUIT SLUSH MIX cubes. Add ginger ale to cover. Let stand 15 minutes and stir and serve. Makes 1 serving

Ginger Lemonade

(Makes 6 servings)
3 lemons
2 teaspoons minced crystallized ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups water
Lemon slices for garnish

Juice lemons. You should have about 2/3 cup juice. Place juice and rest of ingredients in blender and blend till ginger is smoothly puréed, about 30 seconds. Serve in frosty glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon slices.

1 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
1 cup milk
4 scoops chocolate ice cream

1. Place all ingredients in blender jar; cover. 2. Blend 30 seconds or until desired consistency.

1 (48 ounce) can pineapple juice
2/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve hot. Makes 5 cups.

1 t sugar
1 t instant espresso
8 oz skim milk
ice

Put sugar and espresso in a jar with a tight lid, pour in milk. Cover and shake like crazy. Pour over ice.

6 Tbsp. ground Coffee, any variety
3 cups cold water
2 cups cold milk
Coffee Ice Cubes

BREW coffee using cold water in coffee maker. Refrigerate until ready to serve. POUR 1/2 cup each chilled coffee and milk into a large glass. Add Coffee Ice Cubes and sugar to taste, if desired.

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (12 ounce) can lemon-lime soda
1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate
2 drops yellow food coloring (if desired)

Combine ice cream, soda and lemonade concentrate in a 1-quart container with a lid. Cover and shake until smooth. If desired, add food coloring, cover and shake again. Makes 2 cups

Mock Pink Champagne

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
2 7 ounce bottles lemon lime carbonated beverage chilled

Dissolve sugar in boiling water; cool. Stir in fruit juices; chill. Just before serving add lemon lime carbonated beverage.

Yield 14 servings.
Source Southern Living Are Best Recipes Volume Three

1 small (1-1/2 inch) YORK ® Peppermint Pattie, unwrapped and quartered
2 teaspoons milk
1 cup hot brewed coffee

1. In large microwave-safe mug place peppermint pattie pieces and milk.
2. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds or until candy is melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in hot coffee until mug is almost full.
3. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.

1 cup canned crushed pineapple, packed in its own juice
1 medium banana, cut up
1 cup ice water
2/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder
8 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes, 2 at a time, and continue to blend until thick and smooth.

1 large jar of Tang
1 sm. package of Lemon Jell-O
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened instant tea
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Shake to mix, and use in boiling water - about 1-2 tsp per cup.

Yield: 1 serving

5 oz. frozen strawberries in syrup, slightly thawed
3 oz. rum
2 oz. strawberry schnapps
2 cups ice

1. Place all ingredients in blender jar; cover.

2. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until smooth.

1 oz Dried peppermint
1 tb Dried rosemary
1 t Dried sage

Crush ingredients and mix well. Store in a tightly closed container.

This pleasant, fragrant blend is soothing after a big meal or when things feel hectic. Pack in a tea canister with a ball or spoon infuser, or use self-sealing tea bags, which can be sealed with an iron. Include your version of these instructions: "Steep 1 heaping teaspoon in a cup of boiling water for 1 minute. Sweeten with honey to taste."

* From: Herbal Holiday Calendar - by Adell Campbell * Published in: The Herb Companion - October/November 1993 *

6 cups watermelon cubes (seeds removed)
1/4 cup raspberries
1 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Place watermelon, raspberries and water in container of blender; cover and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until chilled. Makes 4 servings.

6 ounces watermelon juice
6 ounces lemon lime soda
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

Place all ingredients in a mixer. Mix, then strain and pour over crushed ice into glass. Serves 1