Wassail Punch

This is something done in my Aunt's home every Christmas. It's a tangy, spicy holiday beverage. It's also the extremely stretched joke from a favorite holiday show from when I was younger: "A Claymation Christmas." Here are the first and last 1 or 2 minutes of the show (courtesy of youtube), featuring the start and end of the wassail joke:





anyhow, here's the recipie:

Wassail Punch

From the kitchen of Maureen Kijek
~
Preperation time: not long
Servings: lots
[This is exactly what the recipe card says - take it for what it's worth]
~
2 cans frozen apple juice
1 can frozen orange juice
1 can pineapple juice OR 1 can frozen white grape juice

cinnamon sticks, whole cloves or spice mix, tied in a square of muslin with clean white string

2 T. brown sugar
~

In a large pot, reconstitute juices as directed, plus an extra quart or so of water. Stir in sugar and add spice bag. heat for 15 minutes or more. Serve in punch cups or mugs. For a festive punch bowl, float small orange slices that have simmered about 10 minutes. Makes about 2 gallons. The spice bag may be used several times. Squeeze out excess juice, put into a small plastic freezer container and freeze until next time, even next Christmas.

Spanish Hot Chocholate

My mother's sister served a mission in Spain. She learned how to make Spanish Hot Chocholate there and has made it every winter for as long as I can think of. I've never had this anywhere else, so of course it always makes me think of her.

Spanish Hot Chocolate

From the kitchen of Mareen Kijek
~

Preperation Time: 20 Min
Servings: 6-8
~

3/4 to 1c. Sugar
1/4 c. corn starch
1/4 c. cocoa
1 1/3 c. dry milk
2 qts. water
~

Over high heat in a large pot, bring 1 1/2 qts of the water to boiling. Meanwhile, mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the last 2 c. of water and stir until there are no lumps. Stir into the boiling water and continue stiring until it boils again. You may cook it a few seconds longer. Remove from heat and serve in cups or mugs. The Spanish people use more water than milk so that the chocholate is a darker richer brown, maybe 1 1/2 qts. water and 2 c. liquid milk. You seem to like the milk chocolate version. [I'm not sure who "you" is... might be me, but I never can tell when somebody hands me a recipe they printed off their computer at my request.]