Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk*
• 2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice**
• 1 - 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions:

1. In small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together heavy cream, pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Add cinnamon sticks and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to boil, whisking occasionally, for 1 minute, then remove from heat and let creamer cool in pan 5 minutes before using in your coffee. Add sugar to your coffee if you take it that way. You can also add whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon too.
2. Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.

Side Notes:

1. For a dairy-free version, try coconut, cashew, or almond milk.*
2. I like a lot of spice, so I add close to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Taste and add however much you like. You can make your own 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice by blending a pinch each of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.**

*www.sallysbakingaddiction.com

Raspberry Mango Tango Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a large banana, previously peeled, sliced, and frozen
• 1/2 cup coconut water (I used a peach/mango flavor.)
• 1 cup frozen mango (fresh is OK, but frozen is preferred to get a thick texture smoothie)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions:

1. Make sure you have a strong, powerful blender that will blend up the frozen banana and mango...like a Vitamix or Blendec.
2. Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Add more coconut water if it's too thick.
3. Serve and enjoy. Store any leftover smoothie covered in the refrigerator for up to 8-10 hours.

*www.sallysbakingaddiction.com

Green Power Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 orange, peeled
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1½ cups frozen pineapple
• 2 tsp. chia seeds, optional (but strongly encouraged!)

Directions:

1. Place everything in a blender in the order listed, starting with the liquid and ending with the frozen fruit and chia seeds (if using).
2. Blend until smooth and transfer into two tall glasses.

*www.natashaskitchen.com

Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups of milk of your choice
• 8 oz. white chocolate, chopped into small pieces (or white chocolate chips)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more/less to taste)
• optional toppings: whipped cream, crushed peppermints, marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

Stir the milk and chopped white chocolate together in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer and the chocolate is melted.  (Do not let it come to a boil or let the chocolate burn on the bottom.)  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peppermint extract.

Serve warm, with optional toppings if desired.

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

Clean Green Smoothie

I promise you can't taste the spinach.  I'll be the first to admit that I gag on anything that tastes like a lawnmower.  Go green!!  and p.s.  GET A VITAMIX!!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, rinsed
• 1 Granny Smith green apple, peeled and cored
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger) *DO NOT LEAVE THIS OUT!
• *I added 5-6 ice cubes.
• *I added a splash of OJ.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth and well-combined.  Makes about 2 cups.  (Double the recipe to store half in the freezer for another day. It actually makes great leftovers!)

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

Mango Coconut Smoothie

Another delicious reason to own one of these!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks, slightly thawed
juice of one lime
agave nectar, to taste

Directions:

Place ingredients in a blender, in listed order. Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

*www.kitchenconfidante.com

Homemade Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 tea bags
• 1 quart water (4 cups)
• 1 quart cold water (4 cups)
• 1/2 cup sugar or 1/4 cup honey, optional

Directions:

Using a 2-quart sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Add the tea bags. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to steep for 10 minutes; no more, no less.  If the tea sits for too long, it will extract bitter elements from the tea leaves, making the finished product taste horrible.  After ten minutes, discard the tea bags.  

In the meantime, put 4 cups of cold water into a 2-quart size pitcher. Pour the hot tea into the pitcher, over top of the cold water. Cold water must be poured in first, as the hot tea could melt the pitcher if it is plastic.  The cold water acts as a buffer and cools the tea.  Add the sugar or honey if you like, stirring to dissolve it completely. Put the pitcher into the fridge to cool, or it can be poured directly into an ice-filled cup.

*www.hillbillyhousewife.com

Strawberry-Mint Sparkling Limeade

Cheers!  Happy Summer!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle sparkling wine, chilled
• Whole strawberries (optional) 
• *Club soda (see below)

Directions:

Place first 5 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour about 1/2 cup strawberry mixture into each of 6 glasses. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup wine into each glass; gently stir to combine. Garnish with whole berries, if desired.

*For a non-alcoholic and/or kid-friendly version, substitute 3 cups chilled club soda for the wine. When adding the soda/wine, pour slowly down the edge of the glass to tame the foam.

*Cooking Light Magazine, May 2012

Fun "Day" Drink...Sparkling Pom Lemonade!

This drink was found at the Nordstrom Cafe, 

but now you can make it at home!

(Nordstrom also uses a pinch of blackberry syrup, but it's just as yummy without!)

Ingredients:

1/8 c. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice

1/4 c. Lemonade, any kind

1/3 c. Club soda

Directions:

Mix all ingredients until well combined.  Enjoy!

Maple-Cinnamon Coffee

what you need

6 Tbsp. ground MAXWELL HOUSE Decaffeinated Coffee

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup lite maple-flavored or pancake syrup

4-1/2 cups cold water

6 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping

make it

PLACE coffee in filter in brew basket of coffee maker; sprinkle with cinnamon.

POUR syrup into empty pot of coffee maker. Add water to coffee maker; brew. When brewing is complete, stir until well blended.

TOP with COOL WHIP.

*www.kraftfoods.com

Super Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:2/3 cup bottled pomegranate juice

1 cup frozen unsweetened mixed berries

1/3 cup ATHENOS Greek Strained Nonfat Yogurt

2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 cup ice cubes
Directions:

BLEND all ingredients except ice in blender until smooth.

ADD ice; blend on high speed until thickened.

SERVE immediately.

*Kraft Foods Magazine