Christmas Punch: Non Alcoholic and Way More Than 2 Stars

I am sharing a holiday hit: my recipe for 2 Star Christmas Punch. 

I served this beautiful punch to a crowd twice this year and the ladies drank cup after cup. It is not too sweet and very refreshing. At both parties, people crossed the room to tell me how much they liked the punch. I joked with a neighbor that I had made this recipe years ago and put a "star" next to it. She responded, "Put 2."

Step 1: Ice Ring Preparation (Day in Advance)
Freeze 2 cups of Cranberry Juice with 2 cups of fresh cranberries in the bottom of a Bundt mold (make sure the width of the mold will fit into your punch bowl). Tuck 5 whole sage leaves (or fresh rosemary sprigs) around the edge so that some green will show when un-molded.

When this first layer is frozen, pour in Cranberry Juice or Cranberry Ginger Ale to fill. Allow to freeze. When you place it in your punch bowl, the ice ring will look like this. 

When prepping for the party, pulverize one bag of fresh frozen raspberries (no liquid or sugar added, just berries) in a food processor and place into punch bowl. Add 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted frozen pink lemonade and 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted cranberry juice concentrate. (*2023 Update: I can't find frozen cranberry juice concentrate for the first time ever. Okay to replace with a bottle of 100% Juice cranberry juice in its place)

When your guests are about to arrive, add 2 (2 liter) of regular Ginger Ale. Place ice ring into center. Stir and enjoy!

#punch #nonalcoholic #recipe #christmasrecipe #vintage #holidayparty #punchrecipe #christmasparty #sobercurious #bestpunchever 

Celebrate with a Toast: My Holiday Punch

I can't tell you how happy I am that Chinet now makes stemless plastic wine glasses that are beautiful and can be used for punch. Can you hear the angels singing? I always make punch for parties (I can't wait to make coffee punch with gingerbread spoons next month!) and I dislike using classic plastic party glasses, even when they are beautiful and made by Chinet. I want a rounded,  and sophisticated glass. Now raise a glass and go celebrate the season!

2 Star Christmas Punch

I served this beautiful punch to a crowd twice this year and the ladies drank cup after cup. It is not too sweet and very refreshing. At both parties, people crossed the room to tell me how much they liked the punch. I joked with a neighbor that I had made this recipe years ago and put a "star" next to it. She responded, "Put 2."

Step 1:
Freeze 2 cups of Cranberry Ginger Ale with 2 cups of fresh cranberries in the bottom of a Bundt mold (make sure the width of the mold will fit into your punch bowl). Tuck 5 whole sage leaves around the edge so that some green will show when un-molded.

When this first layer is frozen, pour in the rest of the 2 liter bottle of Cranberry Ginger Ale. My first section un-molded and floated to the top. That is perfect. Allow to freeze. When you place it in your punch bowl, the ice ring will look like this. 

When prepping for the party, pulverize one bag of fresh frozen raspberries (no liquid or sugar added, just berries) in a food processor and place into punch bowl. Add 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted frozen pink lemonade and 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted cranberry juice concentrate. 

When your guests are about to arrive, add 2 (2 liter) of regular Ginger Ale. Place ice ring into center. Stir and enjoy!

#seattle #holidaycelebration #christmas #holidayfun #celebratetheseason #momentsofdelight  #christmasinseattle #holidayentertaining #punchrecipes #punch #holidaycocktails #seasonal #ginger  #gingerale #canadadry 

Christmas Punch: Gorgeous and Delicious

I am sharing a holiday hit: my recipe for 2 Star Christmas Punch. 

I served this beautiful punch to a crowd twice this year and the ladies drank cup after cup. It is not too sweet and very refreshing. At both parties, people crossed the room to tell me how much they liked the punch. I joked with a neighbor that I had made this recipe years ago and put a "star" next to it. She responded, "Put 2."

Step 1:
Freeze 2 cups of Cranberry Ginger Ale with 2 cups of fresh cranberries in the bottom of a Bundt mold (make sure the width of the mold will fit into your punch bowl). Tuck 5 whole sage leaves around the edge so that some green will show when un-molded.

When this first layer is frozen, pour in the rest of the 2 liter bottle of Cranberry Ginger Ale. My first section un-molded and floated to the top. That is perfect. Allow to freeze. When you place it in your punch bowl, the ice ring will look like this. 

When prepping for the party, pulverize one bag of fresh frozen raspberries (no liquid or sugar added, just berries) in a food processor and place into punch bowl. Add 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted frozen pink lemonade and 1 (12 oz) can of defrosted cranberry juice concentrate. 

When your guests are about to arrive, add 2 (2 liter) of regular Ginger Ale. Place ice ring into center. Stir and enjoy!

Chocolate Cottage Cake After a Buttercream Snowfall

Today, I'm baking this darling cottage cake.  I am hosting our annual family tea for my aunt, cousins and sisters-in-law and I thought that a chocolate cottage after a buttercream snowfall would be the perfect dessert.

The cake pan is called Gingerbread House and it is made by Nordic Ware.  You can find it online (the link is above) or in many specialty cake supply stores.  I just love it.

My go-to cake for this pan is Betty Crocker's Super Moist Cake Mix in Chocolate Fudge.  It fills the pan, bakes evenly and has a wonderful chocolate flavor.  The buttercream is the classic butter/powdered sugar/vanilla recipe.