Caramel Apple Cider

• 12-oz plain or Spiced Apple Cider
• 1 1/2 tbsp caramel sauce
• whipped cream, for topping
• additional caramel sauce, for topping
• small pinch salt (optional)

Heat cider on the stovetop or in the microwave until it is steaming. Pour into a large mug. Stir in caramel sauce.
Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of additional caramel sauce. If desired, add a small pinch of salt to the caramel on top.

Berry Smoothie

• 3 T. orange juice concentrate
• 3 T half-and-half or milk
• 10 ice cubes
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1 ripe banana cut into pieces
• One-half cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• One-half cup fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries

Combine all ingredients in a blender, cover and process for 30 seconds or until smooth. Serve immediately in chilled glasses.

Orange Blossom Punch

• 2 cans frozen orange juice
• 1 can frozen lemonade
• 3 cans water
• 2 bottles of champagne or ginger ale
• 1 quart of orange sherbet

Mix the juice, lemonade and water in a pitcher and chill. At serving time pour the mixture into a punch bowl. Add the champagne or ginger ale. Scoop the sherbet on top of the punch. The sherbet helps to create a frothy summer drink. Delicious!

Judi, from the Green Mountains of Vermont

Harold’s Punch

• 2 bottles orange/raspberry juice
• 2 liter bottle of 7-Up
• Combine these two in a punch bowl.
• Mix together:
• 1 pint frozen raspberries with juice
• 1 small container cool whip
• 1 small container (same size as cool whip) raspberry sherbet
• Float spoon fulls of this berry mixture on top of the juice in the punch bowl. When you serve, be sure each glass gets its share of the berry mixture.

Rhubarb Slush

• 12 cups chopped rhubarb
• 2 c. sugar
• 9 c. water
• 6 oz. frozen lemonade
• 1 pkg. sugar free raspberry or strawberry Jell-O

Bring to a boil the rhubarb, sugar and water. Simmer for one-half hour. Strain the juice into a large bucket with lemonade and Jell-O. Stir to dissolve Jell-O. Freeze. Thaw slightly to slush consistency and serve mixed with 7-Up or Ginger Ale.

This Spring Punch recipe is a hit at graduations and receptions:

Spring Punch

• 2 large cans frozen mixed fruit punch (thaw until slushy)
• 2 large cans frozen pineapple juice (thaw until slushy)
• 1 large can frozen lemonade (thaw until slushy)
• 3 qt. dry Ginger Ale

Place punch, pineapple juice and lemonade in punch bowl. Add Ginger Ale; stir well. Yield 24 servings. You can make an ice ring ahead of time out of the same ingredients.