Mix up a batch of these “mock-aritas” for a baby shower, ladies night, or even a superbowl party.   Prep is about 15 minutes.  Add a little sweet and sour to kick it up even further.  If you gotta have booze by all means add the tequila but try them without first!

Mock-aritas

 6 cups crushed ice

1 can frozen limeade (thawed but not diluted)

1 can frozen lemonade (thawed but not diluted)

1 liter sprite (sin free: sprite zero)

1 cup powdered sugar (sin free: 1 cup splenda)

Limes wedges for garnish

Margarita salt

Prep:

Run lime wedge around edge of glass dip glasses into salt, add lime wedge garnish to each class and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Blend sugar, ice, lemonade and limeade mix in a blender or pitcher.  If serving right away add sprite until mixture becomes slushly. 

If serving later, place pitcher in freezer, remove 30 minutes before serving, immediately before serving add sprinte until mixture becomes slushy.  If mix is getting watered down refreeze. 

Pair this mocktail with  margarita chicken on the grill in the summer or a hot Chicken Enchilada Soup during the winter. 

Now I can already hear some of you saying No way! Too much work!  Who has time?  Being a very busy woman myself I’ve found a few ways to give something of yourself without giving up your life.  Below are a few tips and a step by step guide to make your Christmas Cookie Boxes a success.

Tips for making Christmas Cookie Boxes:

• Go semi-homemade.  Keep recipes simple and fast.
• Be prepared.
• Give yourself plenty of time for baking. For me it’s two afternoons.
• Narrow the list, gift to those who’ve been a big part of your life this year and aren’t receiving regular gifts.
• Make up a few extra boxes for your hairdresser, babysitter, mailman, and the UPS guy if he’s hot!  They make a great personal gift at little cost. They also make great hostess gifts.
• Tune in!  Rock out to a cool Christmas soundtrack while you bake.
• Invite the kids in.  It doesn’t make it any easier but always way more fun!

Step by Step Christmas Cookie Boxes: 

• Create list of recipients and gather addresses.
• Choose 2-4 treats to include. My picks this year include peppermint bark, oatmeal raisin bars, brownie cookie bites, chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate covered twizzlers (sounds gross tastes amazing.)
• Purchase ingredients, packaging materials, shipping boxes (if shipping)
• Create labels or notes for inclusion in the box (i.e. “Merry Christmas and a Delicious New Year” or “Thanks for not stealing my lunch money this year”)
• Fold cookie boxes or prepare bags for packaging
• Decide your plan of attack
• Bake like crazy
• Package and tie with pretty ribbon and a label
• Ship to friends and family.  I try for the second week of December before people have OD’d on sugar.

For those not receiving a box of treats I send an e-greeting or make a phone call so they know that I’ve thought of them and I can still convey our holiday wishes.  If you have the time and desire you can of course send both treats and cards! 

Food can be a simple pleasure and a way to share the warmth of the holidays with those you important to you.  For me it’s a joy to see my creations and hear how happy the recipients are to enjoy them.  If you choose simple and quick recipes you’ll find that boxes of cookies are far superior to fruitcake, and they cost much less to ship too.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter

Raisin Filling:

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Teaspoons Cornstarch

1 ¼ cup Raisins

Frosting:

Ground Cinnamon

Powdered Sugar

Milk

Preparation:

1.     In a medium bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda.  Using a pastry blender, a fork, or your hands cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve about ½ cup of the crumb mixture for the topping.

2.       Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9×9 pan.

3.       In a medium saucepan combine ¼ cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 1 ¼ cups raisins.

  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. 

Add filling on top of crumb mixture in 9×9 pan.

4.       Top with reserved crumbs and bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top in golden.  Allow to cool.

5.       Mix cinnamon and powdered sugar add 1 tablespoon cold milk at a time a mix until well blended. 

Add milk until mixture becomes a drizzle-able frosting.  If the mixture gets too runny simply add a bit more powdered sugar. 

Drizzle over cooled Oatmeal Raisin mixture and cut into bars.

6.       EAT & ENJOY!!!!

Ingredients:

3 cans (15 oz.) sweet potatoes, drained

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups Jet-puffed Marshmallows

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Beat potatoes, butter, cinnamon, salt, vanilla,and nutmeg in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Coat 1 qt. baking dish with pam and spoon in mixture; top with marshmallows and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet potato mixture is heated through and marshmallows are lightly browned.

**If your marshmallows are a little too toasty but the good stuff isn’t hot yet cover with foil and continue to bake until warmed. **

***This dish is a great take and bake recipe.  Mix everything up (leave the marshmallows off) spoon into dish, take, allow to warm to room temp a bit before baking (this will take longer so wait to put on the marshmallows until the sweet potatoes are pretty warm.***