Witch dunk punch

How do you know someone is a witch? Do they carry wear pointy shoes? Do they wear a pointy hat? Do they chant spells? Do they keep a caldron ready for everyday use? I wouldn't pass any of those tests. I confess I'm not a witch. One year, my sisters and I dressed up as witches. We walked around a caldron with mystical fog (dry ice). We chanted Macbeth. We even remembered the majority of Double, Double Toil and Trouble. My oldest daughter believed we were witches. If we had been on trial on that night for witchcraft, we would have been found guilty since we were that good in our role. 

Witch Dunk Brew
1 (12 oz.) can frozen concentrated orange pineapple juice
1 (12 oz.) can frozen concentrated pink lemonade
2 Liter Ginger Ale
3 Tbsp lemon juice
8 cups water
1/3 cup superfine sugar
apples, plums, carrots, candy

Directions:

1. In a large punch bowl, combine the juice, lemonade, ginger ale, lemon juice, and water.
2. Stir in the sugar.
3. Chop the fruit for garnish. Add the fruit with the carrots and candy.

(The witch is assembled by the body is an apple, the head is a plum, the hat is an apple, the shoes are Swedish fish, and the broom is a carrot. The pieces are held together by toothpicks.)
Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago............................I made Fried Sausage Dumplings.
Two years ago..........................I made Pork chops with Garlic and Herbs.

Tasting the Witch's brew

Did you already know...............
-The Salem Witch Trials began with the two young girls.
-The trials began in January of 1692 and lasted until May of 1693. 
-In Salem, there is a memorial to remember the twenty condemned
colonist.

Raspberry Ginger Ale

I saw this great recipe for a Raspberry Ginger Bellini. It was something I would definitely try but the children were home. Instead, I figured I would try making raspberry ginger ale. The kids loved it. They thought it was the best thing ever especially when I poured the ginger ale and it fuzzed up. They also could have been excited about having soda since they don't have it often.

Raspberry Ginger Ale   Makes 2 serving sizes

1/2 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp simple syrup, if needed for sweetness
2 cups ginger ale

Directions:

1. In a small bowl (or measuring cup if you hate dishes), smash the raspberries.*
2. Place 1/2 the smashed raspberries in a bottom of one glass and the rest in another glass.
3. Add 1 Tbsp of simple syrup to each glass, if desired.
4. Top with 1 cup of ginger ale in each glass.
5. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.
*Tip: I recommend you straining it if your were going to serve it to guest but the kids do not mind the seeds.

One year ago.........................I made Chock Full of Nuts Cookies.

Did you already know...........
-A typical Bellini is cocktail made with sparkling wine and peach puree.
-The Bellini was invented in Italy by Giuseppe Cipriani.
-Another popular version of the Bellini uses champagne.

Spiced Cranberry Punch

Are you having any holiday parties? If you are having a party and need to volunteer to bring something, how about a punch? All you have to do is purchase the items and assemble it at the party. It can not be any easier plus it will give you more time to shop, cook, or sleep. 

I like assembling punch for a party. Children are so cute because they want to pour their own with the ladle. Usually, the children do a very good job. I leave extra napkins by the punch bowl just in case they are needed. The recipe calls for cloves. I liked it and cloves are not my favorite spice. If the party are adults only, you could spike the punch.

Spiced Cranberry Punch
 1 lemon
2 cups 100% cranberry juice, chilled
1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 (12 oz) can of ginger ale, chilled

Directions:
Slice the lemon in half. Squeeze half of the lemons in a pitcher and slice the other half to garnish the punch.
Combine all the remaining ingredients into the pitcher and mix. 
Garnish with the lemon slices. (orange slices work well too.)

Recipe adapted from Domino Sugar website. .

I used lemon and orange slices

Did you already know..........
-Since 400 B.C., the Chinese have been using cloves.
-There is a written reference about a Chinese emperor. The Chinese emperor wanted his subjects to sweeten their breath with cloves before approaching him.
-Cloves are the unopened and immature flower bud of a clove tree belonging to the plant family Myrtaceae.
-Cloves are native to Indonesia.