The Farm Chicks

Cider A La Mode

I love apple season and getting to have fresh-pressed cider is just an added bonus. The other night I was thinking about how much I wanted some apple pie but I wanted it RIGHT then. And since pie takes a while, I started thinking about what I could make instead. Cider. Spiced Cider. Hmmmm, could I add a dollop of ice cream and make it a Cider A La Mode? YES! And this little treat was born.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh-pressed cider

1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 scoop vanilla ice cream (you can use your favorite non-dairy variety to make it vegan)

Heat cider, then stir in sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add ice cream and drink right away.

Please note, this isn't a mulled cider. This is a quick-fix kind of treat. The longer you heat cider with spices, the more intense the spice flavor becomes. If you are going to do this as a mulled cider, you'll want to experiment with the spices to suit your taste. Also, if you ever make mulled cider, I'd recommend using a cinnamon stick rather than ground cinnamon because it gives a great flavor without the powdery consistency of the ground cinnamon.

If you want to make more than one cup, just double or triple ingredients as needed.

Sources:

Glass mug: TJ Maxx

Handmade kitchen cloth: Katelyn Foutch

Ice cream scoop: Beam & Anchor

Cherry Fizz

After coming home from picking cherries, I always like to give them a little washing. One of the biggest reasons is that the birds really love cherries and are all over the trees. Sometimes there are droppings that you may or may not see. Yuck.

Just a quick little washing and gentle rub in cold water and then they're all ready to go.

You know what's so tasty and refreshing with fresh cherries? A Cherry Fizz!

It's really simple. All you need is some sparkling water, lemonade, ice, and fresh cherries.

Layer ice, pitted and halved cherries, and then pour on sparkling water and lemonade. Give a quick stir, and you're ready to SIP.

Refreshing.

Coffee Latte Punch

Tonight I'm having a Christmas party and I'm looking forward to serving this creamy latte deliciousness. And although I'm not a coffee drinker, this cool drink is more like a dessert in a mug than anything else.

Coffee Latte Punch

Makes 14 (1 cup) servings

1/3 cup instant coffee

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon 2% milk (8 cups)

1 cup half & half

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Heat 1 cup water to boiling. Add the instant coffee and sugar and stir until dissolved. Set aside until cool.

Pour the coffee mixture into a large container and stir in the milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

Thirty minutes before serving, pour the coffee mixture into a large punch or serving bowl. Stir in the half & half. Using a scoop, add the ice cream to the bowl and let sit until most of the ice cream has melted - approximately 25 minutes. Gently whisk everything together until incorporated and serve.

Tips: You can substitute 1 cup of hot, double-strength brewed coffee or espresso for the instant coffee and water if you like.

Sometimes I don't fully mix in the ice cream, instead I leave it floating on the surface as a yummy sweet topping for each serving.

You can find this recipe, as well as Christmas inspiration, decorating ideas, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.

Images by John Granen.

Spiced Pumpkin Sippers

Cooler autumn weather calls for warm cupfuls of deliciousness. These sippers incorporate what's best about the season - pumpkin and pie-like spices. And yes, they're beyond delicious!

Spiced Pumpkin Sippers

4 cups whole milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and whisk together over medium heat. Whisk occasionally until hot. Ladle into mugs. Optional: Drizzle with whipped cream that has been softly whipped and sprinkle with ground nutmeg.

Serve hot.

Tips:

If you prefer a less sweet drink, you can reduce the sugar by half.

These sippers are a great drink to serve to guests. To ease the work at party time, prepare the recipe in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.

Keep a crockpot full of the mixture to serve warm throughout your gathering.

Or, drink it one cupful at a time, simply reheating in the microwave.

Y-U-M !

Mintade

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Cloud Soda

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Raspberry Swizzle

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We Brake for Shakes

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