Sweet Summer Drinks

Whenever you are sitting outside in the sunshine, a nice refreshing drink should accompany you.  Ranging from fruity to sweet to whatever your taste buds can handle.  Here are some alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with the recipes to help.

ALCOHOLIC:

SILVER MONK

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of cucumber
• 1 spear cucumber for garnish
• 8 leaves of mint
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 ounce Basic Simple Syrup
• Ice
• 2 ounces Blanco Tequila
• 3/4 ounce yellow chartreuse
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber slices with 7 of the mint leaves, the salt and the simple syrup.  Add ice and the tequila, chartreuse, and lime juice and shake well.  Fine-strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the cucumber spear and remaining mint leaf.


AVIATION

 Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of gin
• ounce of maraschino liqueur
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• ounce of violet liqueur
• 1 marasca cherry, for garnish

Directions:
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.  Add all of the ingredients, except the cherry, and shake until chilled.  Strain the drink into a coupe glass and garnish with a marasca cherry.


NON-ALCOHOLIC:

WATERMELON LEMONADE

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pound sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mild honey (such as orange blossom)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, place watermelon and process until very smooth.  Strain through a coarse sieve set over a bowl, stirring to push through any pulp.  Pour juice into a large pitcher.  Add lemon zest.
 In a bowl, whisk lemon juice and honey until honey dissolves; stir into watermelon juice.  Stir 1 1/2 cups cold water; cover and refrigerate until very cold.  Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices


RASPBERRY SPRITZER

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups seltzer
• 2/3 cup frozen raspberries
• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• 3 ounces raspberry-flavored syrup, or Chambord
• ice cubes

Directions:
Combine seltzer, raspberries, mint and raspberry-flavored syrup (or  Chambord) in a small pitcher.  Pour over ice.

Slice of Heaven: Banana Split Pie

When it comes to baking, there is nothing more satisfying than biting into a piece of sweet and savory pie especially the kind that melts in your mouth and leaves you speechless. One of those types of pies is the banana split pie. Filled to the brim with fresh bananas, grated semi-sweet chocolate, powdered sugar, and an entire stick of butter, the banana split pie will remind you of the comforts of home and sweet childhood memories. Nostalgia comes naturally as the process to prepare this pie comes to fruition. Before adding the prescribed whipped cream topping, you should think about this tasty alternative: whipped egg whites, a tablespoon of vanilla, and half a cup of sugar. It takes about 10-15 minutes to get the egg whites whipped enough that it forms stiff peaks, but the result is more satisfying. Once stiff peaks have formed, stuff the topping into a small plastic Ziploc bag and cut a hole in the corner to squeeze out onto the pie filling.

Once the filling and topping are finished, be sure to garnish the pie with walnut pieces. It adds a wonderful crunch and flavor burst to the predominately banana flavor. Happy baking!

Ingredients

1.     1/2 cup butter

2.     1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

3.     3 eggs

4.     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5.     2 bananas

6.     1 tablespoon lemon juice

7.     1 (1 ounce) square semi-sweet chocolate, grated

8.     1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

Directions

1. Cream together butter or margarine and confectioner's sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time; beat for 3 minutes after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Slice 2 bananas, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Fold grated chocolate and bananas into sugar mixture. Turn filling into cooled pie shell. Garnish with walnuts, banana slices, and whipped cream.

Day or Night Tips to Hike!

Everyone knows the weather in North Carolina is unpredictable especially in the mountains.  When there is a day that cooperates with you, hiking is definitely an activity  to partake in.  Everyone from amateurs to wilderness junkies can enjoy the health and mental benefits of hiking.  During the day is usually an optimal time to go hiking , but if you are a night owl, night hiking can be interesting as well.  There are a few tips to use for this activity during either the day or night.

DAY HIKING trips can provide a welcome dose of wilderness in your weekend.  They also help you prepare and train for longer hikes.

These guidelines will enhance your day hiking journeys:

• Start early.  You'll enjoy cooler weather and better odds of spotting wildlife if you begin your hike before dawn.
• Avoid the crowds by hiking in a designated wilderness or road-less area.
• The right hiking gear - particularly shoes - is essential.

HIKING AT NIGHT will open your eyes and ears to a whole new world of wilderness.  Many designated wilderness and camping areas permit night hiking, but be sure to check before you visit.

Here's some great ideas on how to hike in the dark outdoors:

• Bring a small but powerful LED flashlight
• Travel in a group or consider taking a guided night hike
• Take water and simple snacks without strong odors to avoid attracting wildlife.

And most importantly enjoy and experience all the beautiful nature there is, because in the mountains there is A LOT!!!

New Year, Get Organized!

So it's the beginning of another new year. It seems like we always start off the year with our typical resolutions. We vow to exercise more often, eat healthier foods, or pick up a new hobby. As soon that clock strikes midnight on New Years, we are absolutely dedicated to achieving our new goals...until February comes along. I don't know about you, but I find it relatively difficult to keep the same drive towards a goal for an entire 365 days, or longer. Sometimes when the new year comes around, it may be more beneficial to create small goals that we can accomplish quickly, without feeling completely burned out. I believe one of the best tasks to put at the top of that list is re-organizing your home. It may sound like a daunting task at first, but use some of these quick and easy tips to help. Sometimes just doing a little can do A LOT!

The Kitchen:
The kitchen is typically the "heart" of the home. A lot of time is spent in this space, therefore, it can quickly become overly cluttered. Use some of these quick tips to clear some of that clutter out of the kitchen!
1. De-clutter your utensil drawer. Digging through a pile of spoons and spatulas can be extremely frustrating. Check out your local home or hardware store to find a compartmentalized organizer to keep everything visible and easy to locate.
2. Stop buying so many plastic containers! Although their ultimate purpose is great, having too many can result in a crowded, unorganized cabinet or drawer. It becomes frustrating to find the correct lid, or to maintain a neat stack of containers. Invest in a simpler form of Tupperware  such as the GladWare's interlocking lids, where each container fits inside one another, leaving much more space for organization.
3. Clean out your pantry and refrigerator. This one is pretty self-explanatory, but is often put off because it requires too much time. It may take a while to sort through everything, but in the end, you will end up with much more space to store food, and avoid any smelly expired food down the road.

The Bathroom: 
Bathrooms can sometimes be the hardest to organize, because it's often difficult to find a place for everything. However, by organizing your bathroom, it typically makes it much easier to maintain cleanliness.
1. Organize your medicine cabinet or drawers. Take out all of the items you do not need, or will not use and throw them away. Sometimes it may actually be easier to use the medicine cabinet for everyday grooming items, since it is easily accessible. Take out items that are alike and store them in linen containers underneath your sink. By leaving only the necessary items in the cabinet and creating "active storage," you will ultimately minimize time spent in the bathroom, and less time searching for items in different places.
2.Give your makeup some space! Drawers and counter space can quickly become cluttered with cosmetic bags or stray makeup items. Avoid this by purchasing an expandable cosmetic organizer that easily fits into one of your drawers.
3. Pick up some apothecary jars! If you have the luxury of a large counter space in your bathroom, buy a few small and stylish apothecary jars to store little things such as cotton swabs, Q-tips, or bath salts. This makes it quick and easy to find when you're in a hurry!

The Laundry Room: 
The laundry is room is notorious for being unorganized, but you can change that!
1. Organized your cleaning supplies. Gather all of the cleaning supplies, detergents, or soaps that you have lying around your laundry room and store them in a carry-all caddy. This way you will always know where to find them, and they will be stored out of the way.
2. Get some hampers! To cut down on laundry time, invest in three different laundry hampers, for whites, darks, and colors. When the hamper is full, you know it's time to wash them. This not only cuts down on the number of cycles you have to run, but it also helps de-clutter the number of random hampers lying around in the laundry room.

Hope you found these tips helpful! Get Organized this year!

Purely Peppermint

       Two weeks stand between now and Christmas. Christmas trees, lights, and reindeer statues decorate the house. Why not decorate your table with some festive, refreshing peppermint desserts or make a jar of cocoa to go? Look over the follow recipes and pick your favorite!!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup crushed peppermint or spearmint candies, divided

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth. Repeat with chocolate chips. Stir 6 tablespoons of crushed candies into each bowl. Drop white chocolate and semisweet chocolate in alternating spoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.

2. With a metal spatula, cut through chocolate to swirl, spreading to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candies. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 1 pound.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

Peppermint Meringues

Ingredients:

- 2 eggs whites

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

- 1/2 cup white sugar

- 2 peppermint candy canes, crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Drop by spoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the cookies.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours in preheated oven. Meringues should be completely dry on the inside. Do not allow them to brown. Turn off oven. Keep oven door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool. Loosen from foil with metal spatula. Store loosely covered in cool dry place for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 4 dozen

Peppermint Stick Cocoa (in a jar!)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup powdered milk

- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy

Directions:

1. - Layer powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and peppermint candy.

Makes: Fills a 1-quart jar (12 servings)

Note: If your containers are different sizes, keep the ratio of ingredients consistent. On the back of the tag, write: Mix contents in large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in a cup of boiling water. Store rest of mix in a container.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

***and happy cooking***

Pumpkin Madness!

       The trick-or-treating is over, the spooky decorations have been taken down, and that crazy cow costume you wore this year has been tucked away. Halloween is officially over, but who's to say the season of pumpkins is? Many times when we hear the word "pumpkin," our mind instantly flashed to an image of a jack-o-lantern, complete with triangle-shaped eyes and a goofy one-toothed grin, typically seen on everyone's porches during Halloween. However, Halloween can sometimes just be the beginning of pumpkin madness. The irresistible spicy flavor of pumpkin has recently become so popular that stores have even began selling products ranging from pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin flavored beer. Check out some of these recipes below and add a litte SPICE to your life!

Pumpkin Vanilla Oatmeal 
what you'll need:
1/2 cup cooked rolled oats (use gluten free oats for gluten allergies)
1/3 cup French Vanilla Yogurt (Hint: Organic sometimes works better)
2 Tablespoons of Pumpkin Butter
1 Packet Stevia or Truvia
Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Layer oats, yogurt, cinnamon, truvia, and pumpkin butter.
2. SWIRL to mix
3. ENJOY!

Pumpkin Spice Frappe
What you'll need:
1 1/2 cups coffee, frozen, partially thawed
2 Tablespoons pumpkin, canned
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ground
1 teaspoon Stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk from carton, not canned
2 Tablespoons whipped cream, fat free
1 dash cinnamon, ground

Directions:
1. In a blender, add coffee, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin spice, stevia, and coconut milk. BLEND until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon






Pumpkin Roll
For the Cake:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree

For the Filling:
1 (8ounce)package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. LIne a 15x10inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle a clean tea towel with powdered sugar. Set pan and towel aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar until thick. Add in pumpkin and mix to combine. Stir in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully, peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

4. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Christmas Tree Sale

       The Christmas season is just around the corner... FORTY NINE days to be exact! What better to way to get into the holiday spirit than to find the perfect tree to compliment your living room or den? and why not support a local school in the process? Hardin Park Elementary School (HPES) wants to refurbish their playground! With your help, in purchasing a tree, half of the proceeds from this fundraiser will do just that!

   

You have two choices: Order your tree/wreath from a HPES student 

OR 

Pick up a pre-order form at the HPES Front Office.

The Christmas Tree Lot is located at 1082 East King Street, Suite 6 in Boone, NC. Starting November 15th, the lot will be open for business. Order before November 12th to ensure your tree! If you decide to wait to buy a tree until the 15th, call the High Country HOME office to make sure there will be a tree for you!

Call (828)264-2670.

FYI: If you can't make it to the lot, pay the low cost fee of $5 for delivery!

Just hear those sleigh bells, ring-a-ling...