Party Punch

Remember this party?

Well, here's the overdue punch recipe.  I'm not a big punch person, and I love this stuff.

It's made from all real, actual juice.  And it's not too sweet.  Delish.  Make it for your next party.

Party Punch
Slightly adapted from Southern Living


Two 46-oz. cans pineapple juice

6 cups orange juice with some pulp

4 cups cranberry juice with a hint of lime 

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice

Mix together all ingredients.  Chill until cold.  Stir again before serving.  Serve in punch glasses.

Homemade Almond-Coconut Coffee Syrup

Know what?  I was in college before I realized that I love coconut.

True story.

Growing up, I was taught that coconut = yucky.

And coffee = good to smell, not fit to drink.

Not so, I found out.  Now, Almond Joy = my favorite candy bar.  And coffee = my hot drink of choice.

So!  Fast forward a few years...I discovered a recipe in Southern Living that I easily adapted to create this one: a yummy, chocolate-y, coconut- and almond-flavored syrup.  Coconut and coffee in one drink?  Heavenly.

Add it to your coffee with some milk.  I like it in iced coffee.  Probably because it's 80 degrees outside and iced coffee is so refreshing.

You might like coconut and coffee now, too.

Homemade Almond-Coconut Coffee Syrup
Adapted from Southern Living

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
1 T almond extract
1 T coconut extract

Whisk together the sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan.  Over medium heat, whisk in the water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, continuing to whisk frequently.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the extracts.  Store in the refrigerator.  Add a tablespoon or three to a cup of coffee and milk.

Chai Tea

I've been obsessed with chai tea lately.  Positively obsessed.

But the boxes of chai tea that you heat with milk become a little expensive after, say, ten or twenty boxes.

Told you I was obsessed.

So My friend Bethany came to visit, and she loves chai tea just as much as I do.  So I had a great reason to make the real deal!  Like, homemade!

Sort of.

So Bethany and I drank chai tea and talked about life.

It was so much fun.

Did you know that chai tea has black pepper in it!?!  No wonder I love it so much.

And since I don't make New Year's resolutions, I'm free to continue drinking chai tea every night of my life.

Chai Tea
Adapted from Southern Living


1 T ground ginger
1 T ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups instant unsweetened tea
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup dry powdered milk
1 cup original-flavored nondairy creamer
1 cup nondairy French vanilla-flavored creamer

Add the spices and the instant tea to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Process until finely ground, about 1 minute.  Pour the mixture into a separate large bowl.  Do not clean the bowl of the food processor and add the sugar and powdered milk to the bowl.  Process for a minute.  (This allows the sugar and milk to clean all spices out of the bowl.)  Add the sugar/milk to the spice/tea mixture.  Add the two creamers to the sugar and spice mixture.  Use a whisk to combine.  To make chai tea, heat 1 1/2 cups milk or water.  Stir in two heaping tablespoons of chai tea mix.