Picnic Spodie Boat

Prep:1 hour
(picture borrowed from indobase.com to show as an example)

Ingredients:

• 1 large seedless watermelon
  
• 1 honeydew melon
  
• 1 cantaloupe
  
• 1 lb strawberries
• 1 pineapple
  
• 1/2 to 1 c lemon juice, to taste
  
• 1, fifth, lemon vodka (suggestions: Absolut Citron Vodka, Stolichnaya Limonnaya Vodka, Smirnoff Lemon Vodka)

Optional Ingredients:

• 2 c blueberries, washed
  
• 1 lb grapes, washed
• quartered kiwi
• banana slices (I don't add banana because it gets mushy)
  
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• Sprite for non alcoholic Picnic Boat
  

Directions:

1. Using a knife cut a lid from the top of the watermelon in a shark teeth style circle, remove the lid.
2. Use a melon baller to ball out all the meat of the melon down to the core.
3. Place balls & juice into a large strainer over a large bowl & discard watermelon "scraps" (pieces that do not work as balls) into a separate bowl.
4. Scrape out the inside of the melon core so it is mostly smooth.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for both Honeydew & Cantaloupe.
6. Wash strawberries, remove leaves, stem & core; place berries into large bowl & scraps in garbage.
7. Cube pineapple into 1 in pieces placing in large bowl, discard rind & hard core in garbage.
8. Gently mix fruit in large bowl tossing with lemon juice.
9. Fill the Watermelon with fruit & and the bottle of lemon vodka.
10. Finish off the watermelon by filling the rest of the way with fruit juice.
11. Replace lid & chill overnight to allow fruit to absorb the alcohol.
12. Use remaining fruit to make a non alcoholic version in either a fruit bowl or in the cantaloupe & honeydew shells; use sprite rather than vodka & serve within 1 hour of adding sprite so it retains the carbonation.
    

Dry Chocolate Milk Mix

Prep: 5 minutes Serves: 26-40 Cost: under $3

Compared to Nesquik's 40.7 oz container costing $8.50 with 72 servings & Nesquik's 21.8 oz container for $6 with 38 servings making your own mix is definitely the better buy. Not to mention you cut all of the unnecessary processing.

Tip: Buy 1 plastic container of Nesquik & use the emptied container as the storage for your homemade mix. That way there is no need to label as chocolate milk mix & the instructions are listed.

Ingredients:

• 1 c sugar
• 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa

Directions:

1. Thoroughly combine ingredients & store in a clean, airtight container.

To prepare chocolate milk:

1. Fill glass with Hot or Cold milk.
2. Dissolve 2 Tbs mix into 1 c Milk.
3. Serve
   

Optional prep for smoother chocolate milk:

1. Place 1-2 Tbs hot water in the bottom of a glass.
   
2. Dissolve 2-3 tsp mix into water.
3. Add 1 c cold milk & stir to combine.
4. Serve.
   

Dry Hot Chocolate Mix

Prep: 15 min Serves: approximately 15 Cost: under $5

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 c sugar
2. 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
   
3. 1/2 c non dairy creamer
4. 1/4 tsp salt

Optional Ingredients:

1. 2 c dry milk
2. 1/4-1/2 tsp your choice ground: allspice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, pumpkin pie seasoning, vanilla
3. Miniature marshmallows
4. 1/4 c crushed peppermint
   
5. 1/4 c instant coffee

Optional Ethnic Ingredients:

1. Mayan Hot Chocolate: 1-2 tsp cinnamon & a pinch of cayenne
2. German Hot Chocolate: 2 Tbs shredded coconut & 2 Tbs chopped pecans; throw into a blender and blend into a powder.
   

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients thoroughly & store in an airtight container.

Drink prep instructions:

1. Combine 2 Tbs dry mix to 1 c of hot milk.

Note: If you add 2 c powdered milk to the mix the drink prep instructions change to: Combine 1/4 c mix to 3/4 c hot water.

Grape Slushies

Prep: 10 min Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup concord grape juice
2. 1 cup seedless grapes
3. 1 cup your choice fruit or berries, or just add more grapes
4. 2 cups ice cubes

Directions:

1. Pour juice into a blender.
2. Drop in fruit & ice.
3. Put the lid on & blend until near smooth.

Traditional Eggnog

Note: This dish should not be prepared for pregnant women, the elderly, young children, or anyone whose health is compromised because the eggs in this recipe are not cooked.

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs
2. 1 c (super fine) granulated sugar
3. grated nutmeg
4. 3 c (or 1 c ea) Irish whiskey, brandy or rum, divided
5. 1-1/4 tsp. salt, divided
6. 3 c heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
   
7. 2 c whole milk, divided

Directions:

1. Beat yolks in a very large bowl until thick & pale.
2. Slowly beat in sugar.
3. Whisk in milk & 2 c cream.
4. Mix in liquor.
5. Cover & refrigerate for up to 1 day.
6. Just before serving, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
7. Fold whites into eggnog.
8. Whisk remaining 1 c cream until stiff peaks form & fold into eggnog.
9. (Alternatively, you can fold half the whipped cream into eggnog & top with remaining half.)
10. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Pumpkin Milkshake

Prep: 5 min

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2. 1 cup vanilla ice cream
3. 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to blender.
2. Mix.
3. Serve.
   

Naturally Sweet Strawberry Lemonade

Prep: 15min

Ingredients:

1. 3 lemons, juiced
2. 1 lemon, sliced into 8 wedges lengthwise
   
3. 20+ frozen strawberries
4. Cold water

Optional Ingredients:

1. 1/2 c sugar, if Original recipe is too tart for your tastes.
2. 1/2 c frozen raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries
   

Directions:

1. Combine lemon juice, wedges and frozen strawberries in a pitcher.
2. Fill the pitcher with cold water.
3. Stir.
4. Let stand 10-15 min while the strawberries release their juices into the liquid.