Read The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook Online
Authors: Sherryl Woods
White Sangria
1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soda, chilled
1 (750-milliliter) bottle white wine, chilled
2 (12-ounce) cans guanabana nectar (found in Mexican food section in grocery stores and in Mexican markets)
1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (12-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 (10-ounce) can frozen piña colada drink mix, thawed
1â2 cups vodka (you decide!)
GARNISHES (OPTIONAL)
Lemon slices
Lime slices
Fresh pineapple chunks
Combine all ingredients, and serve cold with lemon, lime and pineapple.
MAKES 5 QUARTS
Note: Don't you just love sangria?! This is
not
your ordinary sangria. Because it is light in color, it makes a beautiful presentation in a pitcher or punch bowl with all the lemon and lime slices and chunks of fresh pineapple. It's great for sipping the summer away. Make a nonalcoholic version for the kids simply by replacing the wine and vodka with more lemon-lime soda.
Front Porch Sippin' Lemonade
2 pounds lemons, washed
2 cups boiling water
1½ cups sugar
Cold water
Using a vegetable peeler, remove zest from lemons. Add lemon zest to boiling water. Cover, and let steep 30 minutes.
Remove and discard lemon zest. Add sugar to warm lemon water. Stir to dissolve. Let lemon syrup cool to room temperature.
Transfer lemon syrup to a 2-quart pitcher.
Cut lemons in half, and squeeze out their juice. This should yield about 1½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir lemon juice into the lemon syrup.
Add enough cold water to equal 8 cups lemonade. Stir well. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve in tall glasses with lots of ice.
MAKES 2 QUARTS
Note: This recipe makes one smooth but strong lemonadeâperfect for leisurely afternoons and front porch sippin'. The melting ice will not dilute it too much. For an adult libation, add a jigger of your favorite gin to each glass.
Iced Almond-Lemonade Tea
8 cups boiling water
4 family-size iced tea bags
1 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
Cold water
Â
Pour boiling water over tea bags, and let steep 5â10 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Stir in lemonade concentrate and almond extract. Add enough cold water to measure 1 gallon.
Â
MAKES 1 GALLON
Hot Cocoa
½ cup sugar
1
/
3
cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder (European style/Dutch processed)
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole milk
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
GARNISHES (OPTIONAL)
Freshly whipped cream
Marshmallows
In a blender or food processor, thoroughly combine sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and whipping cream until smooth. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until very hot but not boiling. Ladle into mugs, and serve topped with freshly whipped cream or marshmallows (preferably homemadeâsee next recipe).
SERVES 4â6
Note: This is fabulous cocoaâsure to chase away the winter blahs. Feel free to add a bit of your favorite liqueur, such as amaretto, Grand Marnier, framboise, Frangelico or peppermint schnapps. Yummy!!
Homemade Marshmallows
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1½ cups water, divided
3 cups sugar
1¼ cups light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar
Lightly oil a 13"Ã9"Ã2" baking dish. Line with foil, and smooth out all wrinkles. Generously oil the foil. Coat the oiled foil with a generous sprinkling of confectioners' sugar.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, soften the gelatin in ¾ cup water.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the remaining ¾ cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, and cook over high heat until the syrup reaches 234â240°F on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat. Stir in the extracts.
With the whisk attachment of the mixer at full speed, add the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream to the softened gelatin. Beat at highest speed at least 5 minutes, until very thick and full volume.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Let rest uncovered 10â12 hours at room temperature.
Sift a layer of confectioners' sugar on a large cutting board. Turn stiffened marshmallow mixture onto sugar. (Note: If marshmallow sticks to foil, lift marshmallow on foil from pan. Trim edges, and peel foil from marshmallow.)
Using oiled cookie cutters or a knife, cut into desired shapes. Coat all cut surfaces of marshmallows in confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking. Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks.