Mississippi Bourbon Punch

The image of the Mississippi Bourbon Punch in the December Southern Living showed a much more golden cocktail.  And mine turned out very red.  I think it was the grenadine that gave it it's bright red color, so I don't know how their's looked so different.  I also looked for white cranberry juice, but could only find white cranberry juice mixed with other fruits like peaches.  So I used the traditional red cranberry juice.  But even though the color wasn't quite what I expected, it was still a hit of the party.

Vanilla-Rosemary Lemonade

For a non-alcoholic option I made Vanilla-Rosemary Lemonade also from the December Southern Living. I had to add a lot more water because it was way too sweet. But it was a delicious twist to the traditional lemonade.

Kir Royale

A Kir Royale is technically made with Creme de Cassis, a black currant liqueur. But we prefer Framboise, a raspberry liqueur. You can make just a "Kir" by using a dry white wine instead of the champagne. In France, a Kir or Kir Royale is probably the most common "apertif."

Champagne, or other dry bubbly wine
Creme de Cassis or Framboise

Pour 1 t of the liqueur inot the bottom of the champagne glass. Fill glass with Champagne. Serve.


For a real party flair, add a couple of fresh raspberries to each glass.

Front porch tea

Actually the only recipe I got for this menu from this cookbook, ironically. I'm not a big fan of tea...no, I'm not the one who grew up in Mississippi, but what is a Southern meal without it? So, I like this one...it's fun for a party.

10 c water, divided
1 c sugar
2 c boiling water
2 large family-size tea bags
1 12-oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 T vanilla
1 T almond extract
Fresh peach of lemon slices, for garnish

Make a sugar syrup by combining 2 cups of the water and the sugar. Cook it ins a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. In a large pitcher, pour the boiling water over the tea bags. Stand 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add remaining 8 cups of water, the sugar syrup, lemonade concentrate, and extracts. Serve over ice garished with lemon or peach slices.

Serves 14.

Southern Lemonade

Kimber must have been hoping for summer because here is another summer recipe.

4 lemons
4 oranges
4 limes
1.5 to 2 cups sugar, depending on your taste
1 gallon water
Squeeze juice from fruit and combine juices in a one-gallon container.
Add sugar and water; mix to dissolve sugar.

Refrigerate until chilled.

I'm thinking you might replace the water with a white wine for a white sangria?!

Orange Dream/Pink Dream

A friend asked me for this recipe the other day, and before I put it away again and forget about it, I thought I'd add it. The drink originally was called "Orange Dream" and I found it in InStyle magazine in a section on throwing a baby shower. When I used the recipe, I was hosting a baby shower for a baby girl, so I adapted the recipe for a pink-themed party and created my "Pink Dream." So here are both recipes...

Orange Dream (serves 20)

8 c ice cubes
4 cans (6 oz each) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 pints orange sorbet
2 pints vanilla ice cream
2 c orange-flavored vodka
2 c vanilla-flavored vodka

Blend in batches.

Pink Dream

I substituted pink lemonade concentrate for the orange juice, but I quartered the amount and then added more as desired b/c the lemonade is so strong. Then I substituted raspberry-flavored vodka for both the orange and vanilla vodkas but I could have kept the vanilla. I just didn't want to buy two types of vodka. For the non-alcoholic versions, I used cranberry-raspberry juice.

Mammy's Snowman Soup

Now here's an addition to the hot cocoa recipe in the previous post. My mother-in-law has this cute poem for Snowman Soup. You can give a packet of cocoa along with mini-marshmellows, chocolate kisses and a candy cane and attach this poem. It's the perfect pick-me-up for a cold winter day.

When it's so cold that you holler and whoop,
it's time to bring out the snowman soup!
Pour the cocoa in a mug, add the snowballs too,
And throw in the kisses from the snowman to you.
Now add some hot water and use the cane to stir it,
Sip slowly and soon you'll feel the warm winter spirit!

Kimber's Hot Cocoa Mix

one 8-quart package Carnation Dry Milk
1 1/2 lbs. Nestle Quik (dry mix)
10 oz. jar Coffeemate Creamer
1/2 lb. Powdered Sugar (I usually use the whole box!)

In a VERY large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
Store in an airtight container.

For each cup of hot chocolate, stir together 4 Tbsp. chocolate mix to 1 cup boiling water. (You may need to adjust the amount of chocolate mix and water to suit your taste.) Top with marshmallows, peppermint sticks, etc.