Nashville Wife

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Drinks

Coffee-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

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‘Tis the season for pumpkin flavored everything! Have you ever tried a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks? They’re all the rage and quite delicious, but I’m not a fan of the high sugar content, so I decided to make my own version a couple evenings ago. Caffeine any later than about 4pm tends to keep me awake at night, so I came up with a pumpkin spice latte recipe (posted below) that doesn’t contain coffee. I know that means that it’s technically not a latte, but “pumpkin spice beverage” just didn’t sound right. I plan to post one with coffee very soon….

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Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

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This week, a cold front (highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s, unusually cool for this time of year) has served as a reminder that summer is almost over. While I do enjoy fall, I decided to savor the last days of summer with some homemade strawberry lemonade. It’s easy to make, and you really can’t mess it up.
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Strawberry Lemonade

Course Drinks
Servings 14 servings

Ingredients

  • 7 cups sliced strawberries about 32 ounces
  • 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 6 cups cold water
  • 25 ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Blend all ingredients (except ice) in a blender.

  2. Add ice, and blend once more.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to add more or less sweetener, depending on your taste preferences.

If you want your beverage to be more of a smoothie consistency, add more ice.

 

Decorative Fruity Ice Cubes for Summer

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It’s hard to believe that June is already coming to a close! For those who live in the United States or Canada, what are your plans for 4th of July/Canada Day?If you live in the U.S. and are planning or attending a party, you’re probably looking for some patriotic red, white, and blue desserts and refreshments. If you’re in Canada, you’re searching for red and white.

I have the perfect recipe! In fact, it’s so easy, you can’t really call it a recipe. These fruity ice cubes will add a festive flair to even the most plain-looking drinks. To make the ice cubes, feel free to use any clear drink. Perrier/sparkling water, Sprite, Ginger Ale, and 7Up are some of my favorites.

Red Ice Cubes:

Strawberry Ice Cubes
1. Place a small strawberry or strawberry slice, frozen or fresh, into each space in an ice cube tray.
2. Fill the spaces the rest of the way with one of the clear drinks mentioned above.
3. Freeze several hours or overnight.

Red Juice Ice Cubes
1.
Fill each space in an ice cube tray with red juice. I use pomegranate
juice, but any red drink will work, including Gatorade or Powerade.
2. Freeze several hours or overnight.

Blue Ice Cubes:

Blueberry Ice Cubes
1. Drop 3-4 small blueberries, frozen or fresh, into each space in an ice cube tray.
2. Fill the spaces the rest of the way with one of the clear drinks mentioned above.
3. Freeze several hours or overnight.

Blue Juice Ice Cubes
1. Fill each space in an ice cube tray with blue juice. I use blueberry juice, but you can use any blue drink, including Gatorade or Powerade.
2. Freeze several hours or overnight.

Frosted Orange Smoothie Recipe

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Have you ever been to the cafe Orange Julius? I went once as a child and ordered a signature orange Julius drink, and it was wonderful. For some reason, that memory came to mind a few weeks ago, so I decided to make a similar drink at home.

Here’s the recipe I came up with. It’s the perfect cold beverage for a hot day–refreshing, low in sugar, fat-free, and extremely easy to make.

Frosted Orange Smoothie

Ingredients:
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
3/4 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
10 ice cubes

Directions:
Blend in a blender, and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings

Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice

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Mr. Handsome and I have been on a fresh-squeezed orange juice kick. I know it’s traditionally a breakfast drink, but we usually make it after dinner as a substitute for dessert.

I have always considered store-bought orange juice to be hit or miss. Every once in a while, you get a winner, and but you usually get a lemon (which is a real problem, unless you’re in the mood for lemonade…excuse the pun).

Someday when we have more kitchen space (I really dislike clutter), we might invest in one of those fancy electric juicers, but for now, our handheld citrus juicer works just fine. And hey, when you spend 5 minutes making a single serving of juice, that juice is much more satisfying.

I am a firm believer in full-pulp orange juice, and our little $5 juicer seems to agree. The results have been delicious! At first, we used only Valencia oranges (known as juicing oranges), but then we started mixing in some naval oranges, and the already incredible taste improved by leaps and bounds. Do you enjoy fresh-squeezed orange juice?

Simple Crock Pot Wassail

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Have you ever tried wassail? It’s a hot, apple-based drink usually served around Christmastime. The picture above is my in-laws’ dinning room table set for Christmas dinner, with teacups about to be filled with wassail. In my opinion, wassail is great at any time of year (especially the dreary days of February).

This recipe is simple, but oh so delicious! You can make it in a crock pot (or any type of slow cooker) or on the stove.

Simple Wassail

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider
2 cups orange juice
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon allspice

Slow Cooker Instructions:
Combine ingredients in slow cooker, and stir. Cook until hot (approximately 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low), stirring every 30 minutes. You may need to adjust the time depending on the strength of your slow cooker. Ladle into mugs or teacups, and serve hot.

Some people leave their wassail in the slow cooker all day on the lowest setting. (It makes your house smell
wonderful if you do.) If you choose to do that, I definitely recommend
keeping an eye on it and stirring it every 30 minutes.

Stove Top Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot, and stir. Bring to a boil, and turn heat down to a simmer. Cover, and cook 20-30 minutes. Again, make sure to cook the wassail until it’s hot so the flavors have time to combine. Ladle into mugs or teacups, and serve hot.

 

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate Recipe

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Now that we’re well into winter, it’s time to bring out the hot cocoa (also known as hot chocolate). I’ve always been picky about my hot chocolate. I’m not a huge fan of the store-bought mixes, so I usually just make my own with milk, cocoa powder, and sugar.

At our New Year Eve’s party, a friend shared her homemade hot cocoa recipe with me and showed me how to make it. It’s delicious and oh so easy to prepare. We used a crock pot, but you can use any similar slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups milk
2 cups chocolate chips (milk, dark, semisweet, or a mix)

Directions:

  • Combine ingredients in crock pot, and stir.
  • Cook on low for 2 hours (until chocolate chips are fully melted) stirring occasionally.
  • Serve with whipped cream and marshmallows.

Simple Peach Smoothie

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Summer went by in a snap–I blinked, and now it’s almost over! Are you feeling the same way?
Better whip up one last smoothie before the warm weather goes into hibernation. (Be sure to check out my Homemade Mocha Smoothie tutorial, as well.)

Peach season has come to an end in most regions, so pull out those frozen peaches (fresh-picked or store-bought), and savor the fleeting flavors of summertime with a simple peach smoothie.

Simple Peach Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen peaches (skinned, sliced, and cores removed)
1 1/3 cup of peach juice*
1/3 cup plain, nonfat yogurt (optional)**

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender and serve!

Makes 4 servings

*Peach juice intensifies the flavor, but feel free to substitute apple juice or another mild-flavored juice that you have on hand. (I don’t recommend orange juice, as it will cover up the peach flavor.) Milk is also an option. (That’s what Mr. Handsome prefers.)

**Although yogurt makes the smoothie more filling and satisfying, eliminate it if you desire a crisp, clean flavor that truly quenches your thirst.

Homemade Mocha Smoothie

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What’s your favorite frozen coffee beverage? Is it the Starbucks Frappuccino? The McCafe Frappe? The Dunkin Donuts Frozen Dunkaccino? What if I told you that you could make a homemade frozen coffee beverage for a fraction of the cost…and a fraction of the calories? Check out my YouTube recipe tutorial!


 

Cafe Mocha Smoothie
  • 6 coffee ice cubes (black coffee frozen in ice cube molds)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 Tablespoon chocolate drink powder or 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup

1. Place ice cubes, milk, instant coffee, and chocolate drink powder/syrup in the blender
2. Cut frozen banana into 3 pieces, and add to the blender
3. Blend
until thick and creamy.

*Feel free to adjust the amounts of coffee powder and chocolate flavoring according to personal preference. If you’re not a chocolate lover, you can substitute for a splash of vanilla syrup.

Recipe: Southern Sweet Tea

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We’ve been living in Tennessee for nearly eight months, and I finally decided to try my hand at making sweet tea. Up North, most people drink iced tea (which means unsweetened), and if you ask for sweet tea, you will most likely get a glass of iced tea and a few packets of sugar.My sweet tea turned out to be a big hit. Here’s the recipe I used:

2 cups water
6 tea bags (I used English Breakfast)
1 cup white sugar (or less, depending on personal preference)
6 cups water (cold)
1/8th teaspoon baking soda

Bring 2 cups water to a boil (either on the stove or in an electric kettle) and add tea bags. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. When finished steeping, discard tea bags, and stir in sugar.

Put 6 cups cold water in a pitcher.

Add tea mixture and baking soda. Stir well.

Refrigerate until cold, and serve over ice. Enjoy!

Southern Sweet Tea

Ingredients
2 cups water
6 tea bags (I used English Breakfast)
1 cup white sugar (or less, depending on personal preference)
6 cups water (cold)
1/8th teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

  • Bring
    2 cups water to a boil (either on the stove or in an electric kettle),
    and add tea bags. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. When finished
    steeping, discard tea bags, and stir in sugar.
  • Put 6 cups cold water in a pitcher.
  • Add tea mixture and baking soda baking soda. Stir well.
  • Refrigerate until cold, and serve over ice. Enjoy!