Mildred's Famous Christmas Cranberry Tea

I worked with Dian Markham for many years at TN Wildlife Resources.  Dian doesn't do a blog but she does an email musing for certain special people (I'm one of them.)  Today she posted this Cranberry Tea recipe from her friend Mildred who also worked for TWRA.  Anyway I asked her permission to post this recipe just in time for the holidays.  I hope you enjoy.  I have left the notes she added in the musings I received from Dian.

1 gallon of water

6 regular tea bags

3 c. sugar (she used no sugar at all and neither do I)

1 quart cranberry juice cocktail

1 cup lemon juice

1 six oz can frozen orange juice

1 six oz box cherry jello

3 sticks cinnamon

3 teaspoons whole cloves

1 quart apple juice

 

(Dian note: I once forgot the whole cloves and stick cinnamon and sprinkled the spice kind of both in and it worked fine) 

 

Boil water, drop in tea bags and leave six minutes (I leave in until I remember it) Remove tea bags. Put spice in cloth and tie and drop in and leave 30 minutes.  Remove spices and add all the other ingredients.  Heat when ready to serve (Di note:  I use one of those office type coffee perking pots (Mildred gave me one) to keep it good and hot at my breakfasts but you can just heat it in a big pan too).  Another Mildred note:  she used decaf tea (me too) and sugar free jello.

Enjoy...

Mulled Cranberry Tea

ZipLock Baggie Ice Cream

1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 t. vanilla

Put in small bag & then put it into bigger bag with ice & salt & shake until firm. Be sure to have a towel around because this gets cold. If you have a group of people it's fun to toss the bag back and forth. Kids also like to do this.

Enjoy...

Chocolate Syrup a.k.a. Chocolate Gravy

This is a recipe from my sister Wanda.

2 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa stir these two together
1 1/2 water stir into the above at medium heat until sugar dissolves
1 T vanilla
2-3 T butter

Serve over biscuits

Yummy! I grew up on this and still love it to this day. Sister Shirley makes it using some flour for thicker gravy. Either way, it's CHOCOLATE!

Enjoy...

Crawfish Cornbread-Yummy

Ruby Crawfish Cornbread from my friend Sandra Williams

1 Cup - Martha White Self rising Corn meal - w/buttermilk
1/2 Cup - Vegetable Oil or Butter if you insist
2 - Eggs
1 Cup - Shredded Cheddar Cheese - mild or sharp is fine
1 Cup - Chopped onions
1 Cup - Chopped Bell Pepper
1 Large can of Cream Style Corn
1 Small jar of Chopped Pimentos
1/4 Cup - Jalapeno Peppers - if you like it hot you've got to get hotter
1 lb. Crawfish tails (frozen is fine if you can't get fresh, but fresh is fresh

Mix well in large mixing bowl
Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam
Spread in pan evenly
Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes

If you buy the crawfish already shelled and frozen in a 1 lb package like at Publix (you sometimes have to ask for it in the fish department but they usually keep it in stock) you can double the amounts of the other ingredients and make 2 pans. This is the best way as the first one will be all gone before you know it so you have to hide the second one for yourself.

Pineapple salsa salmon & rice

This is so delicious, easy & quick. I got the recipe from Publix.
1/2 lb fresh pineapple chunks (or canned)
4 salmon fillets (skin removed 1 1/2 lb thawed)
1 c refrigerated fresh salsa
1 T honey mustard
2 t cornstarch
2 t prepared horseradish
2 c instant rice
Cooking spray
1/2 t lemon pepper seasoning

Prep
Chop pineapple into small pieces
Check fish for bones (wash hands)

Combine pineapple, salsa, honey mustard, cornstarch, and horseradish; set aside. Cook rice following package instructions.
Preheat large saute pan on medium high 2-3 minutes. Coat both sides of fish with cooking spray; sprinkle with lemon pepper. Place fish in pan; cook 3 minutes.
Turn fish and add salsa mixture. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook 5-7 minutes or until 145degree F (or flesh separates easily) Serve fish and sauce over rice.

My son doesn't like pineapple so I'll use mandarin oranges instead of pineapple but won't cook them quite as long.

Enjoy...

Product review

This is Organic Blatter Blaster pancake batter. I found it in Publix in the egg beater section. It's a little pricey, $4.99 but I'd say worth it for someone who is solo or a couple who just wants pancakes some of the time. IMO, it wouldn't be good for a group (too pricey.) One can says it makes 28 4" pancakes. No mess and it tastes good too. What will they think of next?

Later...