These fun drinks are packed full of vitamins and look delicious too!




Berry-licious Lime Rickey

 Yield:  8-10 Servings

Ingredients  

• 1 1/3 cups pomegranate juice (no sugar added)
  
  
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  
  
• 6 Strawberries chopped
  
  
• 1 cup raspberries chopped
  
  
• 8 cups club soda, chilled
  
  
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes)
  
  
• Lime slices, for garnish
  
  
• Ice
  
  For kids & those who like it the non-alcoholic way, put a FUN Swirl straw in their drink with lots of fresh berries on top for picking!
  
  For the adults in your group who want it with alcohol – add 1 shot of vodka or flavored vodka to their drinks & stir.
  
  

Instructions

1.  Heat the pomegranate juice and chopped berries in a small saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the surface and a few bubbles have formed around the perimeter of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2.  Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved and the mixture is no longer cloudy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the orange-flower water (if using) and let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

3.  Pour the chilled pomegranate-berry syrup, club soda, and lime juice into a 6-cup pitcher and stir gently to combine (stirring too vigorously will deflate the fizz). Float lime slices in the pitcher. Serve over ice with additional lime slices.

Honeydew Melon Bellini

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Ingredients

• 5 cups of diced honeydew melon, about ½ of a large melon
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Sugar to taste based on the sweetness of the melon
• 1 bottle of chilled sparkling cider, club soda or sparkling water

Instructions

1.       Combine the diced honeydew melon with the lime juice and sugar in a blender and blend until you obtain a smooth puree.

2.       Strain the puree, chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.

3.       Pour the honeydew melon puree into champagne flutes or kid friendly cups, no more than half full.

4.       Add the sparkling cider, club soda or sparkling water, pouring it gently to avoid making a bubbly mess.

5.       Stir lightly and serve immediately.   A nice skewer of melon or berries adds extra flare!

 

 

For another simple, fun & festive beverage on game day.....simply put frozen lemonade mix or berry lemonade mix in blender with lots of ice & blend to make a slushed drink, add some club soda - stir & top with one of these pretty skewers! 

Enjoy & be safe on game day! REMEMBER.........Don't drink & drive!

INGREDIENTS

 

2 Cups Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream

6 Cups Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 – 12 oz. Package White Chocolate Chips

Whipped Cream for garnish

Peppermint, Chocolate Sprinkles, Marshmallows or Cinnamon Sticks (Optional)  It's fun to create your own Hot Chocolate "Accessory bar" by serving all of the above in little ramekins with espresso spoons!

 

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and white chocolate chips in a crockpot.
2. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted. Stir again before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and peppermint candies or chocolate sprinkles or cinnamon stick, as desired.

This can also be made in a saucepan over medium heat & stirring often!

Try this mouth watering recipe!  You'll be glad you did.  It's something different & delicious.









Ingredients

• 3/4-dried Italian or Seasoned bread crumbs
• 5-tablespoons olive oil divided shopping list
• 2-pounds thin, flat beef cut for braciole (such as top round or sandwich steaks). I use about 4 cuts, and make 4 brocioles) shopping list
• Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper shopping list
• 4 to 6 slices Prociutto or Italian sausage shopping list
• 3/4 cup of good parmesan or pecorino romano shopping list
• 2-tablespoons minced garlic shopping list
• 1/3 cup freshly chopped Italian Parsley shopping list
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or whatever you like shopping list (optional)
• 3-hard boiled eggs shopping list
• 1 cup cooked spinach (optional)
• 1- cup red wine shopping list
• 1/4 cup of tomato sauce shopping list
• fresh or dried basil to your taste shopping list
• 1-(28-ounce) can whole Italian plum tomatoes, crushed, with juices shopping list
• 2-bay leavesshopping list
• fresh oregano to taste shopping list
• fresh or dried rosemary to taste shopping list

Directions

1. Brown breadcrumbs over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil until toasted.
2. Put into mixing bowl.
3. Tenderize meat with mallet until it’s about 1/4 of an inch thick.
4. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5. Lay mortadella, prosciutto or sausage slices on meat, leaving about 1 inch all the way around edges open.
6. Add grated cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, nuts, oregano and rosemary to breadcrumbs.
7. Stir to combine. Add on top of meat.
8. Cut up eggs, add to center of breadcrumbs.
9. Roll the beef tightly, cup up ends.
10. Tie once lengthwise, and a few times around meat.
11. Heat remaining oil in pan large enough to hold the meat. Brown all sides of meat on medium high heat.
12. Remove meat, deglaze with wine.
13. In a separate bowl add basil and paste to tomatoes, mix well. Put a little sauce on bottom of pan. Add meat back to pan.
14. Pour remaining sauce over braciole.
15. Add enough water or beef stock to come 2/3 of the way up meat.
16. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil.
17. Cover and reduce heat to simmer.
18. Simmer for 2 hours, basting meat every now and then. Remove meat from pan, cover lightly and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
19. If need be, continue to cook down sauce to thicken. After meat has cooled, cut off strings, slice and serve covered with sauce. Sauce is also great over pasta!
20. ENJOY!

 

This morning I was thinking about what motivates me.  I'm sure we all have a few things.  Mine are simple...and have certainly changed over the years.  My motivation these days is putting a smile on someone else's face, providing a warm and comfy home for my hubby, my French Bulldog Gizmo and family & friends that visit.  Being the best person I can be today, fulfilling my goals, responsibilities and even dreams are HUGE motivators!  Knowing today that it's up to me today to create the life I want today is all the motivation I need (on most days)! 

I truly believe that each day is a beautiful opportunity to LIVE life to it's fullest!  Whether your budget is large or small, there are so many wonderful things we can do to make our time on this planet count.  I often find myself writing a card or letter to someone I'm missing or someone I know could use a little lovin;) Hand written cards in todays world of technology goes a LONG WAY!  I know I love getting notes in the mail.  It makes you feel good sending them;)  Making a few phone calls each day to people near and far soothes my soul and also lets people know they matter!  Have you figured out by now that I also LOVE exclamation points?

I try making at least one plan a week, whether it's a lunch, dinner or a movie with friends, or inviting someone for dinner.  Staying connected is a vital part in my daily living.  Humans were NOT meant to be alone!  Make the time - even if you can only fit this in once a month. YOU deserve it!

The desire for organization in my life drives me & sometimes wakes me up with a list of "To Do's" in my head.  Keeping my house clean, cozy & comfortable is something I take seriously!  It's just a part of who I am.  I remember as a kid....my mom's house was everyone's favorite!  The local hang-out if you will, for the same reason...it was cozy!  My mom was an inspiration to me of how to raise 6 girls on a budget, loving us all equally (some of my sisters might argue about this one) and keeping us as happy as possible.  I miss her dearly! 

Money is another good one....and unfortunately a necessary evil.  I try to keep this in perspective today to my actual needs though - not necessarily on my wants.  When I was in the corporate world, it seemed my mind was on a one way street, always looking for the next THING to buy to make me happy.  I'm not saying I don't treat myself to nice things....I'm just saying I really try & analyze before buying.  Do I really NEED this? Do I really LOVE this? or is it just a want to have?  This ties in a great deal to the organization I want in my life today.  The more SH@@ I have - the more crowded and unmanageable my life becomes!

I've spent a great deal this year PURGING......Drawers, cabinets, etc.  I can tell you this.....it feels good!  All the things I've described above are now matching my life goals and business design. 

I am in love with helping others get organized, purging what they don't need and creating an environment they love to live in!  Providing recipes, healthy and affordable meals & style advise is a bonus.  I really love what I do and hope sometime soon I can help you do the same.

I hope you read and share this with your friends and start thinking about what motivates you.  What are some things you'd like to change and what help do you need to achieve your goals?  My contact page or e-mail is waiting!  I'd really love to hear from you. 

God Bless and may you make this week a REALLY GOOD ONE!!