Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Whipped up a batch of this in December. WICKED good! Seriously, I have no desire to buy hot cocoa mix again, especially since it uses things I generally have on hand. I used the Hershey's cocoa powder, and next time I want to try a more decadent cocoa.

3 C nonfat dry milk powder
2 C powdered sugar
1.5 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 C white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp salt (I forgot this, didn't miss it)

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour half (or however much fits) into a food processor and process until the chocolate chips are finely ground. Repeat with remaining until everything is nice and fine, like hot cocoa powder. :)

Can be stored in an airtight container for 3 months.

To make hot cocoa:
1 C hot milk
1/3 C hot cocoa mix

Makes about 20 cups of hot cocoa.

Butterbeer

1 can of Cream Soda
1 teaspoon of Rum Extract
1 teaspoon of Butterscotch Extract
1 tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1 cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

Brazilian Lemonade

Holy smokes this stuff was good! I got it from one of my very favorite recipe blogs: ourbestbites

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)

1 c. sugar

6 c. cold water

6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap; you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you're using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point, if it's bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. Serves 4.

FYI- this is not my picture...this picture belongs to ourbestbites. i just don't want to get myself into some blogger lawsuit over a silly picture.

Hot Cranberry Punch

This is a Wassail type beverage...most have given it a try.
Ingredients:
1 lb. canned Cranberry sauce (jellied or strained & 1 lb. = 1 can)
2 cup Water
2 cup Apple Juice
1 stick (1/4 tsp) Cinnamon (can be substituted with a smaller amount of Allspice)
4 whole cloves (1/4 tsp)
1 cup Orange Juice
1 orange slice to garnish

Directions:
Mash cranberry sauce in a saucepan. Gradually beat in water with beater. Add apple juice & spices. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add orange juice. Serve hot with orange slices.

Large group Conversion (approx. 18-20 1-cup servings)
3 cans Cranberry sauce
6 cups Water
6 cups Apple Juice (1 can of apple juice concentrate prepared)
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Whole cloves
3 cup Orange Juice

Crockpot version: Mash cranberries, add ingredients in order to the crockpot and heat on high until ready (I don't know the time it takes). Enjoy!!