Drinks

If you're getting tired of drinking the same-old-same-old, check out today drink recipes. The drinks include Rumplemayer’s Hot Chocolate and Creamy Pineapple Orange Refresher Punch. Enjoy!

STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO COPYCAT

This is from Kiley Heidtbrink at AllRecipes. Kiley wrote, "This is my version of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino! It's easy to make at home by blending coffee with milk, caramel sauce, and ice. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Serve with a straw."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235850/starbucks-caramel-frappuccino-copycat-recipe/.

Ingredients

2 cups ice

1 cup strongly brewed black coffee, cooled

1 cup low-fat milk

1/3 cup caramel sauce

3 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Blend ice, coffee, milk, caramel sauce, and sugar together in a blender on high speed until smooth.

Pour into two 16-ounce glasses.

Tips

You can make strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans per 1 cup water in your coffee maker.

BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES

This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)

This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving

I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)

2 cups ice

1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)

2/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)

Directions

In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.

CREAMY GOLDEN MILK SMOOTHIE

This is from Minimalist Baker, and begins, "If you’re into golden milk, this smoothie is a must-try! It requires 7 wholesome ingredients (you likely have on hand right now), 1 blender, and 5 minutes to make. Let’s do this!"

Okay, I'd never heard of golden milk until I stumbled across this, as well as the link above (golden milk), but now I'm intrigued, as I'm sure you are, too.

Anywho, the recipe goes on, "The base of this smoothie is frozen banana for natural sweetness and a creamy texture. We tested other fruits and nothing quite worked. But if you’re trying (or prefer) to avoid banana, we include another option in the notes!

"For anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and digestion benefits, we included plenty of fresh ginger and ground turmeric. Black pepper boosts the absorption of turmeric, so we added that as well. And don’t forget cinnamon for more natural sweetness and warmth.

"Coconut milk keeps things super creamy, and as an optional touch, we threw in some fresh carrot juice to balance the banana flavor and provide an even more intense orange (golden) hue."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Makes 1 serving

To view this online, go to https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-golden-milk-smoothie/.

Ingredients

Smoothie

1 cup banana* (ripe, sliced, and frozen)

1 cup light coconut milk or almond milk (or store-bought // use full-fat coconut for creamier smoothie)

1/2 tsp ground turmeric (preferred flavor over fresh)

1 Tbsp fresh ginger (plus more to taste)

1 Dash ground cinnamon

1 Dash black pepper

1 Dash ground nutmeg

1 Dash ground clove and cardamom (optional // for more warmth + spice)

1/4 cup fresh carrot juice* (optional // for color, added sweetness + balances banana flavor // or sub 1 small carrot!)

For Serving (optional)

1 Tbsp Hemp seeds

Directions

Add banana, coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and nutmeg to a high-speed blender and blend on high until creamy and smooth. If including, add cardamom, clove, and fresh carrot juice at this time (optional).

If too thick, thin with more coconut milk or water. If too thin, thicken with ice (or more frozen banana, though it will add more sweetness).

Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cinnamon for warmth, black pepper for spice, ginger for “zing,” turmeric for earthiness / more intense color, or banana for sweetness. Adding carrot juice will also add sweetness and more intense orange/yellow hue.

Divide between serving glasses and enjoy immediately. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Freeze leftovers by pouring into an ice cube tray and use for future smoothies (either this smoothie or others you’d like to infuse with a golden milk flavor).

Notes

*If you’re trying to avoid/sub banana, we’d recommend using the recommended amount of carrot juice, swap the banana for the same amount of cauliflower, and add some vanilla protein powder for sweetness.

*Make carrot juice in a juicer, buy at the store, or add 1 raw or cooked carrot to the smoothie to a similar effect.

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on full recipe calculated with light (canned) coconut milk and without optional ingredients.

CREAMY PINEAPPLE ORANGE REFRESHER PUNCH

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 - 46 oz. can of pineapple juice

1 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream

1 quart orange sherbet

2 liters ginger ale

Directions

In a punch bowl, place the vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet. Slowly add & stir in pineapple juice & then ginger ale.

RUMPLEMAYER'S HOT CHOCOLATE

This recipe is from Rumplemayer's Restaurant, and adapted by Molly O'Neill on The New York Times cooking website. Molly wrote, "This version, adapted from Rumplemayer's, a now-closed New York restaurant once known for its hot chocolate and pastries, is rich, sweet and smooth. It calls for real semisweet chocolate (we bet a mix of semisweet and bittersweet would be delightful, too) so there's none of the chalky aftertaste hot cocoa often leaves behind. A dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you wish, take it over the top."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 2 minutes

This was featured in "FOOD; Loco for Cocoa", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5587-rumplemayers-hot-chocolate.

Ingredients

4 cups milk

6 tablespoons sugar

7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream (optional)

Ground cinnamon, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Combine the milk, sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture comes to a simmer.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Ladle the hot chocolate into 4 mugs, top with whipped cream and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC HOT CHOCOLATE

This is from Melissa Clark on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “This is a dark, rich and classic hot cocoa that’s perfect for any snowy afternoon. Nondairy milk can be substituted for whole milk here, though you might have to reduce the sugar, since some brands are sweetened. Also bear in mind that the higher the cocoa percentage of the chocolate you use, the less sweet the drink will be. Add the sugar gradually, tasting as you go: Hot cocoa sweetness is a very personal thing.”

Yield: 4 servings: Time: 10 minutes

View this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019902-classic-hot-chocolate.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

3 cups whole milk

4 1/2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate or 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Tiny pinch of fine sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream or marshmallows, for serving

Preparation

Fill a small pot with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. Whisk in cocoa; it may clump, which is O.K.

Reduce heat to medium and whisk in milk, whisking around the sides of the pan to help dissolve all the cocoa.

When milk simmers, whisk in the chocolate, 1 tablespoon sugar and a tiny pinch of salt, and reduce heat to low. Whisk until chocolate is melted and very smooth. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla.

Serve topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.