Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch

Ingredients

2 Liter bottle Sierra Mist Sprite or 7-up, chilled

2 Liter bottle Club Soda, chilled

1 Fruit punch concentrate can 12oz, or pink lemonade, thawed in fridge

1 Pineapple juice concentrate can 12oz, thawed in the fridge

6-8 scoops Raspberry Sherbet or any flavor you have available

For Garnish (optional, but also pretty!):

Raspberries, fresh or frozen

Pineapple slices, fresh or frozen

Instructions

1. Pre-scoop sherbet and place on a baking dish lined with plastic wrap. Freeze and add sherbet just before serving so it remains frozen in the punch.

2. In a punch bowl, combine: 2 juice cans. Pour in Sierra Mist and Club Soda and gently stir until combined.

3. Add pineapple slices and raspberries if using and top with scooped sherbet just before serving. The sherbet just before serving. The sherbet will keep it chilled. 

Notes: Add cold water or ice if desired to control how sweet the punch is. Also, keep in mind once the sherbet is added, the punch will be sweeter.

Honey Cheesecake

CRUST:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup butter

Mix together all ingredients and press into a spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

FILLING:
24oz cream cheese, chèvre, or ricotta
1/2 cup honey
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in honey. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. Add vanilla. Spread filling over baked crust and bake at 300 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until golden yellow and set in center. Top with desired toppings and serve warm or chilled.

Christmas Roast - Lexie's

• - Eye of Round Roast (the size is up to you as we are working with internal temps – not lengths of time for cooking. You can also use a rump roast or another cut of round roast)
• - olive oil
• - Worcestershire sauce
• - lime juice
• - finely chopped garlic
• - kosher salt
• 
  
• - Garlic cloves, slices thickly 
• - 2 tablespoons butter
• 
  

1. Poke holes all in the roast with a fork. Marinate it in the steak marinade in a resealable plastic bag overnight in the fridge.
2. When ready to cook, drain the marinade off with a colander. Using a sharp paring knife, cut deep slits all over the roast. Stuff those slits with thick slices of garlic cloves. Sprinkle the roast with steak seasoning or seasoning to taste.
3. Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides. Transfer the roast to a rack in your roaster. Sprinkle with additional steak seasoning if desired.
4. Place your meat thermometer in the thickest part of your roast. Cook the roast in an oven preheated to 250 degrees until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. Remove the roast, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Butternut Squash Soup - Mom's

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 

• Prep Time: 10 mins
 

• Cook Time: 55 mins
 

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

 Serves
• : 4 bowls or 6 cups

 
• Method: Roasted and blended
 

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically and seeded
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Up to 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter, to taste (substitute olive oil for dairy free/vegan soup)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about 1 teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 45 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into a bowl and discard the tough skin.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet (or large soup pot, if you’ll be serving soup from that pot), warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4. If you have a high performance blender like a Vitamix (see notes if you’re using an immersion blender instead), transfer the cooked shallot and garlic to your blender. Add the reserved butternut, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can work in batches if necessary, and stir in any remaining broth later). Securely fasten the lid and select the soup preset, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. The blender will stop running once the soup is super creamy and hot.
5. If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth (I used the full 4 cups, but if you used a small squash, you might want to leave it as is). Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve immediately (I like to top each bowl with a little more black pepper). Let leftover soup cool completely before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

NOTES

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH AN IMMERSION BLENDER, add the reserved squash to the pot, then add the broth, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors have a chance to meld. Carefully use your immersion blender to blend the soup completely, then add 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend again. Taste and blend in more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Easy Paella - Lexie's

- 2 Tbs Olive oil
- 1 lb. pre-cooked shrimp, thawed
- 1 large chorizo
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 red peppers, sliced in thin strips
- 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
- 2 cup arborio rice (or bomba)
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen petite peas

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown chorizo lightly.
2) Add onion and red pepper. Cook until onion is translucent.
3) Add garlic. Cook 1 minute.
4) Add rice. Cook 2 minutes stirring continuously.
5) Add chicken broth and paprika. Heat to boiling.
6) When boiling is reached, cover and reduce heat.
7) Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.
8) Stir in shrimp and peas. Continue stirring and heat all ingredients back up to HOT.

Serve with slice of lemon.

Butternut Squash Soup

- 1 butternut squash (roasted)
- 2 Tbs butter
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 1 small / medium onion (chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (chopped)
- 2 Tbs roasted garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Roast butternut squash
2. Roast garlic
3. Melt the butter in a large pot
4. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots until lightly browned
5. Pour in enough of the vegetable broth to cover vegetables
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender
7. Add in roasted squash, roasted garlic, and the rest of the vegetable broth
8. Blend with an immersion blender, or ladle into a regular blender
9. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste

Roasted Garlic

- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Aluminum foil
- Baking pan

    a. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
    b. Peel garlic cloves
    c. Place in "pouch" of aluminum foil
    d. Flood garlic with olive oil so 1/3 to 1/2 of the garlic clove is covered
    e. Place in baking pan (so oil doesn't leak in oven)
    f. Bake for 40-75 min (the longer, the more caramelized)