Strawberry Lemonade

From Emeril Lagasse on Foodnetwork.com Next time strain the strawberries.

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
The peel of one lemon in strips (used a veggie peeler)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
4 cups cold club soda


In a medium saucepan, melt the sugar in the water over med low or low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Let cool and remove lemon peel.

In a blender, puree the pint of strawberries and add to the pitcher with the lemon juice. Stir well to combine and refrigerate until well chilled.

Add the club soda and some ice to a pitcher and stir well.

Sangria

From Tracy & Shawn

2 bottles Chardonnay or Merlot (cheap wine is fine)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light rum
1 cup orange juice
1 cup passion fruit juice
1 cup lime juice
plus whatever fruit you like

Hot Buttered Rum

Adapted from an Emeril recipe.

32oz bag Brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of cloves

Blend together, form into log, wrap in saran wrap and put in fridge until firm. Cut into 24 pieces and individually wrap in saran wrap to keep in fridge.

Use one (or two if you have a sweet tooth like me) portion in a mug, add 1.5-3oz of rum (DH likes 3, I like 1.5) and pour boiling water up to top of mug - stir and enjoy.