Apple Orange Cider

Inspiration: Teri B
Prep:15 minutes
Cook:1-2 hours
Serves: makes 1/2 gallon

Description: My mother in law has made this cider dish for years. She finally has shared the recipe with me and it couldn't be any easier. It's amazing how a simple few ingredients can make a dish memorable. To make this an adult drink add some captain's morgan's.

Ingredients:
 1 cup of water
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp whole cloves
4 small cinnamon sticks
1 sliced orange
1/2 gallon (64 oz) apple cider
12 oz frozen orange juice

Directions:
1. Add the water, brown sugar, cloves, orange, and cinnamon stick to a pan. Over medium high heat warm the mixture about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cider and orange juice to the pan. Stir to incorporate.
3. Warm the mixture about 10 more minutes and add to a crock pot.
4. Keep the crock pot on high until desired temperature is reached. 1-2 hours and then move to medium temp.
5. When serving have a bottle of Captain's Morgan next to the crock pot for guests to add to their cider.

Tips and Tricks:
-During parties I have a reserved mixture in a pitcher in the fridge. As the mixture is being used I add as needed. I normally keep the crock pot on high when doing this.

-Kids like this cider a lot, thus it's easier to keep the booze out, and have the adults add individually.

Oprah's Moscow Mule

Inspiration: Oprah's camping show
Mix time: less than 15 minutes
Makes: 1 drink

Description:


Ingredients
1 ounce vodka
1 tsp sugar syrup
Fresh lime juice
1/2 cup ginger beer
1 sprig fresh mint
1 slice of lime

1. In a copper mug, pour vodka over ice. Add sugar syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer and stir.
2. Garnish with mint sprig and lime slice.

Tips and Tricks

Variations

Skinny Girl Margarita

Inspiration: Adapted from Bethany Frankel
Mix time: Less than 15 minutes
Makes: 1 drink

Description:

                                                          

Ingredients
2 oz of Clear Premium Tequila
Tiny splash of Orange Liqueur
Juice of four Fresh Lime Wedges
A splash of Triple Sec

1. Combine all ingredients over a glass of ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Tips and Tricks
For a change of flavor sprinkle in your favorite crystal light mix.

Variations

Lynchburg Lemonade

Inspiration: Lynchburg, Tennessee
Mix time: less than 15 min.
Makes: 1 large glass

Description:


                                                            


Ingredients
4 1/2 oz Jack Daniels

1 1/2 oz triple sec

3/4 oz of lemonade

3/4 oz of sprite

6 oz sour mix

3 orange and/or lemon slices

1. Combine the Jack Daniels, triple sec, lemonade, sprite, and sour mix in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake well.

2. Strain into a glass filled with ice and add the orange and/or lemon slices.

Tips and Tricks

Variations
You can use another whiskey but it won't be a "true" Lynchburg lemonade.

Sangria

Inspiration: Everyday Food
Mix time: 1-12 hours
Makes: 8 drinks

Description:

                                                      

Ingredients
Classic
1 orange, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 lime, thinly sliced crosswise
1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of green grapes, halved
1/4 cup of brandy
1 bottle of dry red wine
32 oz sprite or 7up

1. In a large pitcher combine all the ingredients except sprite.
2. Refrigerate 1-12 hours to allow flavors to blend.
3. When ready to serve, pour 4 cups of sprite or 7up into the sangria mixture.

Raspberry Mango
1 mango peeled, pitted, flesh thinly sliced
1 cup of raspberries
3 Tbsp raspberry liqueur
1 bottle of rose wine
32 oz of sprite or 7up

1. In a large pitcher combine all the ingredients except sprite.
2. Refrigerate 1-12 hours to allow flavors to blend.
3. When ready to serve, pour 4 cups of sprite or 7up into the sangria mixture.

Tips and Tricks
Be careful eating the fruit because the fruit will absorb the alcohol and be very potent.

Variations

Watermelon Champagne

Inspiration: Take home chef
Mix time: less than 15 minutes

Makes: 4 servings 

Description: 

Inspiration 

One 12-pound watermelon
2 cups orange juice
2 cups champagne
4 cups crushed ice

1. Cut the top stem end off of the watermelon. Using an apple corer, form 4 holes in the watermelon top. Set the watermelon top aside.  Trim the base of the watermelon slightly just so that it is flat on the bottom and can sit steady on the work surface.  Try not to cut through to the flesh.
2. Using a large metal spoon, scoop out the red watermelon flesh, hollowing the watermelon and leaving the pale rind casing.  Place the flesh in a colander set over a large bowl.  Using a potato masher, crush the flesh to extract the juice.
3. Strain the watermelon juice through a sieve and into an 8-cup measuring cup. You should have about 4 cups of watermelon juice.  Stir the orange juice and champagne into the watermelon juice.  Fill the hollowed out watermelon with 2 cups of crushed ice. Add half of the champagne mixture.
4. Place the top on the watermelon. Secure the watermelon top with toothpicks if necessary.  Insert straws into the holes in the watermelon top and serve immediately.  Refill the watermelon with the remaining ice and champagne mixture as needed.

Tips and Tricks

Variations