spiced apple cider punch.

Easy to make. Delicious to drink.

4 packages (.75 oz each package) spiced apple cider drink mix

3 cups orange juice

48 oz ginger ale

cinnamon sticks for garnish

In a pitcher or punch bowl, mix together all ingredients. Stir to completely combine spiced apple cider mix with orange juice and ginger ale. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

xx.

val

mint mousse.

Nana's mint mousse- yum yum! This is a Boyle holiday favorite!

22 oreos

1 c. condensed milk

1 bag large marshmallows (32 marshmallows)

1/2 t. peppermint extract

12 drops green food coloring

1 pt. heavy whipping cream

Grind up 22 oreos in a food processor. Sprinkle 3/4 of the ground oreos into the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan to make an oreo crust.

Melt one cup condensed milk and 32 large marshmallows over medium heat. Stir often to keep from burning at the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and 12 drops of green food coloring. Pull off heat.

Beat one pint of heavy whipping cream until it is light and fluffy. Fold into the marshmallow mixture. When completely folded in, pour over oreo crust. Sprinkle the remaining ground oreos over the top. Chill mint mousse in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

xx.

val

christmas pretzels.

These Christmas pretzels are a terrific blend of salty and sweet! They are quick and easy to make, which is a great bonus at holiday time.

Pretzels, small size

Hershey's kisses, I used the dark chocolate kisses (yum!)

Peanut Butter M&M's

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out pretzels. Top each pretzel with a Hershey's kiss. Bake for 2 minutes. Pull your chocolate pretzels out of the oven and push a peanut butter m&m into the center of each hershey's kiss. Let the christmas pretzels cool on the cookie sheet (or carefully move each one to a plate or parchment paper to cool). Once the chocolate kisses have harden again, you can move the christmas pretzels to a Ziploc baggie or air tight container for storage.

xx.

val

angel food cake with berries.

Finish of your 4th of July celebration with this tasty treat.  Warm angel food cake with berries baked right into it.  

angel food cake:

6 egg whites

3/4 t. cream of tarter

3/4 c. organic sugar (suggested: Wholesome Sweetners)

3/4 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. almond extract

1/2 c. whole wheat flour, sifted

1/8 t. salt

fresh berries- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

whipped topping

strawberry sauce

Separate egg - white and yolks.  Discard yolks or store for another use.  Beat egg whites and cream of tarter on high speed until foamy.  Still on high speed, add sugar cane 1/4 c. at a time (3/4 c. total) until sugar is dissolved and egg whites stand in soft peaks.  Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.  Sift your flour before measuring.  Sift together flour and salt.  Gently fold in flour and salt.

This recipe makes just the right amount to fit nicely in a loaf pan.  If you want to make a traditional angel food cake- double the ingredients and use an angel food cake pan.  For berries on the top (picture above), place berries in the bottom of your pan and then pour angel food cake batter over top.  For berries baked into the cake (picture below), pour cake batter into the pan and then drop berries into cake batter.  Either way works well and tastes wonderful.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes in a loaf pan.  30 to 35 minutes for an angel food cake pan.

When cake is cooled slightly, remove from pan onto a serving platter.  Serve warm with whipped topping and strawberry sauce.  

Strawberry sauce:

1 part pureed strawberries and 1 part water; shake well.  For example, I took 1 c. of strawberries and pureed them in the magic bullet.  Once pureed 1 c. strawberries makes about 1/2 cup.  Add 1/2 cup water to the 1/2 cup pureed strawberries; shake well.  Drizzle over your warm angel food cake and whipped topping.

xx.

val

valentine's day brownies.

Just in time for Val day!

This is a Valentine's Day

staple in the Boyle home!

The Easy Way-

1 Brownie box mix

1 container Cream Cheese icing

1 can tart Cherries or Cherry pie filling

Make the brownies according to box directions. Let them cool in the pan. Frost brownies with cream cheese icing. Pour your choice of cherries over top! Cut squares and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

The Homemade Way-

Brownies:

4 sq unsweetened chocolate

1 stick and a 1/2 stick butter

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 by 9 pan. Heat chocolate and butter on low heat; stir frequently. Add sugar. Take off heat. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Icing:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

3 T milk

1 t. vanilla

Beat together ingredients. If too thick, add more milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Ice cooled brownies. Top with cherries of your choice! Cut squares and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.

xoxo.

Val