Winter Recipes

Caden Green 8th, Harper Lile 8th Grade – Editors-in-Chief

The best way to spread holiday cheer is baking treats for everyone near.

Pomegranate Fizz Drink 

A refreshing and festive mocktail that tastes just like a fun Christmas party. It has the winter flavors of pomegranate and basil. It’s also sparkling with a touch of sweetness. Not to mention it also takes 5 minutes to whip up. 

Credit to: Allrecipes 

Ingredients 

• 5 fresh basil leaves 
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey 
• 1 oz lime juice 
• 3 oz pomegranate juice 
• 4 oz club soda 
• Ice cubes (optional) 
• 1 lime wedge 

• Double or triple to feed a large party 

Directions 

In a shaker, add the lime wedge, basil leaves and syrup and muddle together. You can use a cocktail muddler, but if you don’t have one you can mash it with the back of a spoon or fork. 

After muddling, add the pomegranate juice to the shaker and shake, shake, shake it up. 

Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the mixture, (from the shaker) until the glass is half way full. 

Finish by filling the remaining space in the glass with club soda for fizz and garnish with a lime wedge. 

Enjoy! 

• Make for yourself for a holiday pick me up or make for a holiday party that’s sure to make you the hostess with the most-est. 

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Learn how to make this super easy, 4 ingredient hot chocolate that warms your soul. Homemade hot chocolate is the best because you can taste the pure melted chocolate and it’s so creamy. It takes a total of 10 minutes to make and around 5-10 minutes to cool. 

Ingredients 

• One Hershey’s chocolate bar, broken into pieces 
• ½ cup hot chocolate 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 tablespoon of butter 
• Marshmallows (Optional for garnish) 

Directions 

• Heat a saucepan on medium heat and place your butter in the pan. Let your butter melt so the chocolate doesn’t stick to the pot. 
• Combine the chocolate, chocolate chips and milk in the pot. 
• Stir until all chocolate is melted and it’s silky smooth. 
• Pour into a mug and garnish with marshmallows (optional) 
• Make sure to let it cool!
• Enjoy!

• Make for yourself a warming treat on a snow day or put into a thermos to bring to a party, to delight everyone at the gathering. 

Oreo White Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles 

A delicious bite of heaven. Soft, creamy Oreo with a hint of cream cheese then covered in white, silky, smooth chocolate. You can even top the white chocolate with some Christmas sprinkles for some extra festive fun! They are easy and super fun to make.

Ingredients

• 1 large bag of Oreos 
• 1 8 oz block of cream cheese 
• 2 bags of white chocolate melts 
• Festive sprinkles (optional) 

Note: If you are planning on bringing these to a party, make them ahead of time because it takes 1 and a half total to freeze them. 

Directions 

• Put all the oreos into a large ziploc bag. Then mash the oreos up with a rolling pin until a fine oreo powder is created.
• Add the oreo powder to a stand mixing bowl with the cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until the cream cheese is well combined with the oreo mixture. 
• Then roll the oreo and cream cheese mixture into truffle balls. 
• Place the tray of truffle balls into the freezer for 30 minutes. 
• While the truffles are freezing, melt your white chocolate, start by melting one bag in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 second increment.
• After the truffles are frozen, dip them into the white chocolate so the whole truffle is covered. (You can also dip it into sprinkles now for extra fun.)
• Then freeze the truffles one last time for an hour so the white chocolate hardens. 
• Enjoy!

Christmas Salad: 

This is a super quick and delicious five minute salad for those hectic holiday times.

Credits to: Allrecipes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ packages mixed baby salad greens
• 1 ½ cups pecans
• 8 ounces dried cherries
• ¼ pound Parmesan cheese, shaved
• ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

Directions:

• Mix baby salad greens, pecans, dried cherries, and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. 
• Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad, and toss to coat evenly.
• And there you have it, the quickest yet most delicious salad!

Strawberry Santa’s:

You can easily make these little strawberry Santas for a Christmas party or last-minute holiday dessert. They’re perfect for all ages!

Ingredients:

• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

• Cut the hulled-side strawberries so they can stand up on a plate (note: hulling strawberries means to remove the leaf and the inner core of the strawberry, which preserves the fruit).
• Slice the tip off each strawberry to make Santa’s “hat”; set aside.
• Beat cream and confectioners’ sugar in a glass or metal bowl until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up; the whipped cream will form soft mounds.
• Spoon a large dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberry base for the “face” and “beard”. Set the “hat” atop the “face'”. Add a dot of whipped cream, using a toothpick, on top of the “hat” for the “pom-pom” and 2 dots on the strawberry base for “buttons”. Place 2 sprinkles on the “face” for “eyes”.
• You really can’t mess up, these Santa’s are too cute for that. Most importantly, have fun making them!

Happy holidays!!