Butterbeer

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar 

4 tablespoons butter 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

3/4 cup heavy cream, divided 

Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda, chilled

Directions: 

1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees, stirring occasionally which is about a minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and add the butter, salt, vinegar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature before using.

2. In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining cream (1/2 cup) with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar syrup.

3. In each glass, mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar syrup with 1/4 cup cream soda. Pour in the rest of the cream soda until it is nearly to the brim of the glass. Top with whipped cream.

Apricot Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup milk or almond milk

2 apricots, pitted

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup ice

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh mint. 

Marinated Edamame

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen edamame

200 ml of marinated cooking wine sauce 

Salt

Directions:

Boil a pot of water. In the meantime, wash the edamame in warm water.

When water boils, put edamame into the pot and cover. Remove lid when water boils again and remove edamame with a strainer into a bowl. Dispose excess water in the bowl.

Combine marinated cooking wine sauce with edamame. Do not cover and let cool as this will preserve the edamame’s green color. Season with salt. After it is cool, refrigerate overnight and serve the next day. 

Strawberry Romaine Salad

Ingredients:

1 bag of romain lettuce, dried and chopped

1 bag of spinach, dried and chopped

1 pint of fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/4 cup milk

handful of raisins

Directions:

In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, spinach, and strawberries.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and milk. Shake well and pour the dressing over salad. Sprinkle with a handful of raisins!

German Nougat Balls

Ingredients:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee

1 tablespoon rum

1 cup ground hazelnuts

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula. Remove the bowl from the heat until chocolate is melted.

In a separate bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder. Mix in the vanilla, coffee, rum, and nuts. The mixture should be fairly thick. Add more rum if necessary.

Allow the mixture to cool then shape the mixture into 1/2 inch diameter balls. Dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Chill until firm.