Best Ever Hot Chocolate

Well, while that might be debatable, one great time to enjoy the Best Ever Hot Chocolate cocktail is book club night with the girls — where we not only get to discuss the book we’ve read that month, we also get to enjoy fabulous food and beverages!

As I was preparing the Banana’s Foster casserole and a big batch of Best Ever Hot Chocolate, my husband noted that we ladies always seem to eat great food.  To which I explained “that’s because we always cook”. …  Simple, no?

Anyway, before I get into the book discussion/review, let me give you the recipe for Best Ever Hot Chocolate, courtesy of Sandra Lee.

BEST EVER HOT CHOCOLATE

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet morsels)
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 oz.  vanilla vodka

In a saucepan, combine half-and-half, chocolate chips, and cinnamon.  Heat over medium heat* for 5 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring frequently.  (Do not boil)  Pour into mug.  Stir in vodka. Mmmmm.

* I simply put all the ingredients in the microwave, for 5 minutes, stirring after each minute. Easy, breezy.

Now on to the book club discussion. First, of course, we ate great salads and dips, followed by 2 deserts – the aforementioned Bananas Foster, and a fabulous strawberry pudding (made from SCRATCH!) Yum!

We do love our cocktails, we do love our deserts, but we also love our BREAD. But did we get any bread? No, we did not — Ms. J, we not only missed your lively discussion this month, but we missed your delightful homemade BREAD.

Moving, on… the book we discussed was THE LAW OF SIMILARS. Leland Fowler (a prosecutor), whose wife died 2 yrs. ago in an accident, suffers the stress of raising a small child on his own, with a chronic low grade sore throat that conventional medicine has been unable to heal. Leland turns to homeopath Carissa Lake–who cures his sore throat and the two fall instantly in love. Mere days later, one of Carissa’s asthma patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, and questions arise as to Carissa’s culpability. The attorney in Leland takes over, as he aggressively handles the situation, altering records and setting both Leland and Carissa on a path of destruction.

My feeling is THE LAW OF SIMILARS was boring - it contained only one story line and it drrraaaaaggged on forever. This could have been written in a 5 page magazine short story. And I still wouldn’t have liked Leland or Clarissa, or her idiot asthma patient.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade cocktails

So, read a good book – I suggest TESTIMONY – which is our December book club choice, and curl up with a hot mug of the Best Ever Hot Chocolate.

Salude!

T-Cee

Peach and Apricot Cider

Rain, rain, go away. Wow — I was just getting the chicken off the grill for family dinner when the earlier few drops of rain turned into a serious rainfall. OK, so much for Monday night tennis.

There are 2 good things from this cancellation though. One, I actually blew my hair dry earlier today (gotta look good when meeting friends for lunch) and I have to say it looks pretty good. So, now I don’t have to muss it up with sweat and showers and such.

And two. I made a batch of PEACH AND APRICOT CIDER (pg. 168 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time)  in preparation for what was to be a chilly night on the courts. And now, its MINE, all mine! I thought about saving it for book club night Wednesday, but, a.) once I tasted it, there was no getting the mug out of my hand, and b.) I can whip up something equally fun for Wednesday night.

So, before I refill my mug, here’s the recipe for PEACH AND APRICOT CIDER, courtesy of Sandra Lee.

Peach and Apricot Cider

• 2 cans (11.5 oz each) peach nectar
• 2 cans (11.5 oz each) apricot nectar
• 1 bag (12 oz.) frozen peach slices
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• Cinnamon stick

In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine peach nectar, apricot nectar, peach slices, the water, brown sugar, bourbon, lemon juice, allspice, and 2 cinnamon sticks.  Cover and heat on Low heat setting for 2 or 3 hours.  Discard the cinnamon sticks.  Turn slow cooker to Warm heat setting.  Serve in mugs with additional cinnamon sticks.  Makes 10 drinks.

Now you can either take your batch of PEACH and APRICOT CIDER to a chilly evening sporting event, or keep your hair looking good, Southern style, by staying inside and enjoying a serving  or two of this cider in your favorite mug.  Like any other cocktail, I find that drinking this cider out of  a beautiful glass makes it even more enjoyable.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade cocktails

Rating time – does the Peach and Apricot Cider get a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT, LUSH IT A LOT, or LEAVE IT?

You’re on a roll Ms. Sandra Lee – the Peach and Apricot Cider gets a LUSH IT A LOT rating.

Definitely serve this Peach and Apricot Cider at your holiday gatherings.  Your family and friends will love it.  And I have to say at only 1 cup of bourbon for 10 servings, it is not going to knock anyone out.  You can adjust accordingly.  I’ll never tell.

Salude!

T-Cee

P.S. Click on Leave a Comment below and tell me how you enjoyed it.

Choco-Mint Martini

Mmmmmmmm.  That’s what I have to say about the Sandra Lee Choco-Mint Martini (pg. 170 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time).  Remember letting an Andes chocolate mint melt on your tongue and delighting in the velvety chocolate mint?  Well the Choco-Mint Martini is all that and more.  It’s so good, you’ll want to dash it down.  BUT, remember it is all alcohol, so sip it and ENJOY the flavors.

Here, courtesy of Sandra Lee, is the recipe for the Choco-Mint Martini.

Choco-Mint Martini

• 2 oz. mint chocolate Irish cream liqueur
• 1/2 oz. vanilla flavored vodka
• Ice

In a cocktail shaker, combine Irish cream and vodka.  Add ice; cover and shake until very cold.  Strain into a chilled martini glass.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time

You owe it to yourself to try this one. Let me know what you think by adding a Comment below.

Salude!

T-Cee

Sandra Lee Ginito Cocktail

As the name implies, the GINITO cocktail (pg. 164 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time) is, made with Gin. Not my favorite liquor. However, THIS COCKTAIL PRESENTS A GOOD CASE for Gin.

Since this recipe makes a batch of 10 cocktails, this was a perfect candidate for my Monday night tennis team.

Below, Sandra Lee shares her recipe for the GINITO.

GINITO Cocktail

• 2 cups gin (sorry, I used Gordons as I don’t usually stock this in my bar)
• 1 cup chilled pomegranate juice
• 1 cup chilled cranberry juice (I used diet)
• 6 packets sugar substitute (I used Splenda)
• 6 Tbs. lime juice
• Ice cubes, club soda*

In a pitcher, combine gin, pomegranate  juice, cranberry juice, sugar substitute, and lime juice.  Pour into glasses.  Add ice.  Top with club soda.*

*If you’ve been following my blog, you know by now that I do not like club soda, so I used diet Tonic water, which worked  fabulously.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade cocktails

My Monday night team LOVED THIS GINITO COCKTAIL. At least those 3 or 4 left hanging around after my match did.  Oh, sorry to those of you who didn’t get any cause my match went on FOREVER, and I didn’t leave the GINITO cocktail out on the food table, cause I know from experience YOU LADIES WOULD LAP IT ALL UP!!!

Anyway, I may start making 2 batches of cocktails to try – one for the early crowd and one for those of us who play loooong matches.  So, for myself and the 3 or 4 other ladies, we all gave this a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT A LOT (out of LUSH IT, LUSH IT A LOT, or LEAVE IT).

Once again, thank you Sandra Lee, for a great cocktail recipe.

Salude!

Toni

There are so many wonderful efforts out there to raise money to find a cure for Breast Cancer.  A friend of mine e-mailed me the link to this Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer video the other day.

The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, teamed up with over 130 NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders and United Healthcare of Pennsylvania, to invite the world to help “Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer.” To encourage viewers to share the video with others and increase breast cancer awareness, United Healthcare will donate ten cents ($.10) per view to The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure up to a maximum donation of $100,000.

Hump Day Kudos to you

Crushed Orange cocktail

I’m assuming that the Crushed Orange cocktail (pg. 150 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time) is in the October section of Sandra Lee’s cocktail book because it is orange colored.  But other than that, it’s not very “Halloweeny”.

Or even orange tasting.  If you’re  looking forward to the crisp orange taste from the Orange Crush soda from days gone by, than this is not the drink for you.  But if you know ahead of time, that the CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail is not orange flavored, you can certainly whip up a batch and enjoy the sweet iciness of this cocktail. Here is the recipe for the CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail, courtesy of Sandra Lee.

CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail

• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 1/2 oz. orange flavored vodka

In a blender, combine all ingredients; blend.  Pour into a chilled glass.

To make the CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail more “Halloweeny”, I poured it into my Halloween glass that I got from a fun Halloween gift exchange that one of my friends hosted.  Now THAT was a fun night.  Who knew how many creative Halloween gifts there were to be found in the $15 range?  And isn’t it funny how many ‘steals’ can be made to own such fun items – just goes to show – gifts don’t have to cost a lot to be fun!

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade cocktails

Anyway, the CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail is a yummy treat.  Does it get a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT, LUSH IT A LOT, or LEAVE IT?

The cranberry juice nicely balances the sweetness of the pineapple juice, keeping this cocktail just this side of getting too sweet.  Which gives the CRUSHED ORANGE cocktail a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT A LOT. And really, it couldn’t be easier to make.

Get your blender (or in my case, the Margaritaville machine) out, make an ORANGE CRUSH for yourself and let me know in the comment box below what you think of it.

Salude!

T-Cee

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie cocktail

This Chocolate Pumpkin Pie cocktail (Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time pg. 148) is such a heady combination of liquors and spices, that I hardly know where to start in describing it.

So, as usual, I will tell you of how it reminded me of the tennis match this morning.  I am happy to report that all was quiet on my court.  The INCIDENT occurred  on the next court over. And of course it involved a line call. It went something like this:

Player 1: “Out”

Player 2:  “You’ve got to be kidding” (note to self – Is John McEnroe on the court?)

Player 1:  “It was Out”

Player 2:  Screeeeeeching ….. “CHEATER”

I have no idea who eventually got the point, but play resumed.  40 seconds later, Player 1 who had been called “CHEATER” whacked the ball into the face of Player 2.  A coincidence, I am sure.

Well, Sandra Lee’s CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE cocktail is somewhat like that wake up ball in the face,  but in an infinitely better way.  The cocktail has a delightful aroma and a creamy rich blend of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and pumpkin flavors, followed by a slight kick from the cayenne pepper.

Seriously you have got to try this CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE cocktail.  Here is the recipe, courtesy of Sandra Lee:

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie cocktail

• 3/4 oz. vanilla vodka
• 1/2 oz. Irish Creme liqueur
• 1/2 oz. coffee liqueur
• 1/2 oz. creme de cacao
• 1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch cayenne pepper

In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, Irish Creme, coffee liqueur, creme de cacao, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper.  Add ice; cover and shake until very cold.  Strain into a chilled martini glass.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade cocktails

OK.  I whipped up a batch of the CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE cocktail and am bringing it to tennis tonight.

Hopefully, the only kick tonight will be from this fabulous drink.

Rating time!  Does this Chocolate Pumpkin Pie cocktail get a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT, LUSH IT A LOT, or LEAVE it.  You better not call me a CHEATER when I tell you the CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PIE cocktail gets a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT A LOT!

This cocktail is a MUST MUST TRY!  Leave me a comment in the box below and then click on ‘submit comment’  below to tell me what you think of it.

Salude!

T-Cee

It’s Hump Day Kudos time, so let me tell you about LIBRIVOX.

I love to read. And I enjoy my monthly book club immensely. But as I have been crazy busy lately, and needed to ‘catch up’ on my reading of “Pride and Prejudice” for this months book club meeting, a friend of mine suggested that I check out a site called LIBRIVOX.

LIBRIVOX was started by Hugh McGuire in Montreal, Canada.  Wikipedia has an excellent description of what you can expect from LIBRIVOX, saying “LibriVox is an online digital library of free public domain audiobooks, read by volunteers. In December 2009, it had a catalogue of 3,000 unabridged books and shorter works available to download. Around ninety percent of the collection is in English, although LibriVox recordings are available in 26 languages altogether.”

Not only can you listen to the recordings on your computer, you can also download MP3 files to your IPOD  and go out for wonderful walks in this amazing Fall weather.  This is GREAT for people such as myself who have the attention span of a gnat and can only equate the cardio portion of exercise as excruciatingly dull and boring.  I have tried reading on cardio machines before, but can not keep my eyes focused on the page when going at anything faster than a snails pace.  Uggh – I would have to spend 1/2 the day in the gym to get any kind of cardio result at that rate!

So, now I get to be outside, exercise, and ‘read’ fabulous books that I’ve downloaded from LibriVox – all in one hour!  And all for free!!

YIPEE!  An hour of brisk walking with a good book is pure heaven!

So, Thank you and . . .

HUMP DAY KUDOS TO LIBRIVOX and Hugh McGuire

Pic from the LibriVox website

Sandra Lee Ciroc Lola cocktail

The Ciroc Lola cocktail (pg 150 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time) is a simple cocktail to make.  Much like the  simple morning I spent in court.

Let me explain.  I had jury duty.  Why is it that no matter where you live, you get summoned to the furthermost possible court to carry out your jury duty obligations?  There is a courthouse 5 minutes from my house, but NO.  I get summoned to one 45 minutes away.

So, having been eligible to defer this duty twice before, it was now my turn to be a good citizen.  So off I go.  Through, school traffic, work traffic, road construction.  Got there early.  Dutifully filled out form to donate my $6 compensation. (Seriously – $6 – who makes this cr*p up?).

Then we’re all sitting on benches in the hallway, and the clerk proceeds to call names of people who were due in court – one name got called 3 times, so I figured that was one case we wouldn’t be hearing. Then the clerk comes back and in a loud voice says ‘all people due for trial go into the court now’ – and 1/2 of all the potential jurors stand up to go in.  The poor clerk, then has to explain ‘NO, only people who have a trial today need to go inside, all the jurors stay out here for now.

OK people – these are the people who will be deciding your fate – good luck, we haven’t even gotten to the hard stuff yet!

Luckily for us all, once we were called into court for jury selection, the judge explained that of the 4 cases scheduled, one was a no show, and the rest had been resolved prior to this morning.  YEAH!  The potential jury of your peers almost got up in unison to cheer. And we got to keep our $6 (or or favorite charity did).

So jury duty was simple, and so is making the Ciroc Lola.  Here is the recipe, courtesy of  Sandra Lee.

CIROC LOLA cocktail

• 1 1/2 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1 oz. vodka (I used Skyy instead of Ciroc – so maybe we should rename it the Skyy Lola
• 1 splash Champagne
• Very thin apple slice (for garnish)

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add pomegranate juice and vodka.  Cover and shake vigorously.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Top with champagne.  Garnish with apple slice.

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time

Simple to make.  But good?  Did I give this a T-Cee Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT, LUST IT A LOT, or LEAVE IT?  I gave the CIROC LOLA  cocktail a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT.  Really, it is just pomegranate juice and vodka, so it was good, but not knock your socks off great.

Try it yourself and let me know what you think in the comments below.  Or try one of my Semi-HomeTested Originals and tell me what you would do differently.

Salude!

T-Cee

Sandra Lee Mango Madras cocktail

The Mango Madras (pg. 134 Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time) couldn’t have come at a better time. As the economy gets worse, the desire to return to comfort foods, drinks, and clothing from days past returns with a vengeance. Part of the return to past clothing trends is illustrated by designers latching on to the tried, tired, but never really gone PREPPY LOOK. We’ll get back to how to look (or drink) like a preppy, but first, here is the recipe for the MANGO MADRAS, courtesy of Sandra Lee.

MANGO MADRAS COCKTAIL

• 2 oz. cranberry juice (I used diet)
• 2 oz. orange juice
• 1 1/2 oz. mango rum
• ice cubes, orange wedges, and maraschino cherries*

In a glass, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, and rum.  Add ice.  Garnish with orange wedges and cherries.

*Note:  I would NEVER use maraschino cherries – fresh ONLY please!  In my opinion, Maraschino cherries are right there at the bottom of the food chain along with catfish which eat the scum at the bottom of lakes and rivers, and then people eat them – yuk!  However, in light of the fact that the MANGO MADRAS is the perfect PREPPY cocktail, I must point out that if you add the letter ‘d’ before the ‘r’ in maraschino, you get Madras Chino, which is the perfect PREPPY pants to wear while drinking the MANGO MADRAS.

So, back to PREPPY fashion.

Lisa Birnbach, author of the new book “True Prep” says that “mixing the high and the low, the spiffy new and the comfy well-worn is a prep hallmark that is particularly appealing when a bit of belt-tightening is in order” and goes on to add “Preps are some of the cheapest people I know”.

And thank you Tommy Hilfiger for pointing out that prep on the West Coast is very different from the East Coast (less color and not as much seasonal fabrics on the West Coast), but I must say, while I love your bed and bath items for kids spaces, I have no desire to wear your logo!

So, while  you won’t catch me in madras, or most likely any kind of plaid, I will NEVER NEVER give up my boat shoes when at the lake.  BUT you will never catch me wearing them with a skirt or with slacks in the city.  Which is something a PREP would definitely do.

That being said, I am eternally grateful for ANY designer or trend that gets kids out of the grunge look!

Anyway, if you, like me, continue your quest for quality fashion with a kick (not stodgy) at a reasonable price, take heart.  I am thinking of coming out with my own book, “True Peeps”

T-Cee reviews Sandra Lee semi-homemade Cocktail Time

In the meantime, you don’t have to want to be a PREPPY or even look like one to enjoy the delightful MANGO MADRAS cocktail.

But be careful, it goes down fast.  If you find it is a tad too sweet for you, just increase the cranberry juice and decrease the orange juice.

OK, rating time.  Does the MANGO MADRAS get a Semi-HomeTested rating of LUSH IT, LUSH IT A LOT, or LEAVE IT?  I enjoyed this drink and appreciate the ease of preparing it, so I rate the MANGO MADRAS cocktail LUSH IT A LOT!

Mix one up, slip on your boat shoes (or not), and tell me what you think of this cocktail in the comments section below.

Salude!

T-Cee