Kahlua

4 cups sugar

½ cup instant coffee

3 cups water

½ tsp salt

2 ½ cups vodka

3 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Dissolve sugar and salt in water over heat.  Remove from heat and dissolve coffee.  Bring to room temperature and add vodka and vanilla.  Store in an airtight container.  I use a sun tea pitcher with a spout.

Almond Liqueur

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups vodka

2 Tbsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine water and sugars in saucepan over medium heat.  Heat till boiling and sugars dissolved.  Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes.  Pour in other ingredients, mix well and store in an airtight container.

Choco-cherry bread

1 ½ cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

2 ripe mashed bananas

2 beaten eggs

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

Grease and flour loaf pan (9x5).  Preheat to 350.

Combine dry ingredients.  Cut in butter till you get coarse crumbs.  Combine bananas, eggs, almonds and cherries.  Stir into dry mixture just until blended.  Spread evenly in pan.  Bake 50-55 minutes.  Do not over cook!  Cool 10 minutes and move to wire rack.

One of Terry’s favorite foods is coleslaw.  If we are out to dinner and he has an option for coleslaw or a green salad, he will always choose the slaw.  I tried this recipe on him and he flipped!  Enjoy, it’s awesome!

1 ½ cups mayo

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp sugar

8 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

8 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, grated

1 sweet potato, peeled & grated

1 Fuji apple, cored, chopped fine

1 Golden Delicious apple, cored, chopped fine

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 green onions, chopped

¼ cup red onion, finely chopped

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.

Mix everything else in a large bowl and pour dressing on top.  Cover and chill one hour.  Can be made 8 hours in advance. 

If there isn’t a grill available where you are going, you can grill these before you head out on your picnic and store to keep warm.  Finger-licking good!

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp paprika

2 tsp season salt

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

¾ cup jellied cranberry sauce

½ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup cran-raspberry juice

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp fresh orange juice

1 ½ grated orange peel

¼  tsp fine sea salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

8- ¾ inch thick pork chops

Mix glaze ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring smooth.  Cool to room temperature.

For rub, mix ingredients together in a small bowl.

Generously rub both sides of pork chops.  Place chops on grill, cover and cook about 5 minutes per side.  Brush generously with glaze.  Move to a cooler part of the grill and cook uncovered till done, brushing frequently.  About 3 more minutes per side. 

The Turkey-Cranberry Croissant Sandwich is a huge favorite with my friends.  I love to serve them as a brunch item around Thanksgiving or Christmastime, and they are fantastic any time of the year!

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup orange marmalade

½ cup chopped pecans

6 large croissants, split

lettuce leaves

1 pound thinly sliced cooked turkey

¾ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

Combine cream cheese, marmalade and pecans, stirring well.  Spread evenly on one of the cut sides of croissants.  Place lettuce and turkey on croissant bottoms.  Spread a little of the cranberry sauce on the other slice of croissant and top the sandwich.

Blueberry Crunch The Blueberry Crunch dessert goes back to my Great Grandmother and is insanely good.  I am going crazy because my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  The best part is how easy it is!

2 cups blueberry pie filling

1 large can crushed pineapple with liquid

1 box butter cake (don’t mix!)

1 7-oz can coconut

¾ cup chopped pecans

2 sticks melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9” x 13” pan.  You’re gonna love the rest…Pour in everything as listed one by one (layered), pouring butter last. Bake for 45 minutes

This will travel nicely.  Dish it up into individual serving dishes or one of those wonderful disposable containers.  You can also freeze this dessert and it will be great!