Raspberry lime punch

• 2/3 c. ginger simple syrup, plus more to taste
• 2/3 c. fresh lime juice (about 1 bag of limes), or more
• 18 oz. fresh raspberries
• 2 2L bottles of seltzer water, chilled
• raspberry ice cubes
• 2 more limes, sliced

Blend raspberries in blender until smooth.  Use a spatula to press raspberry puree through a sieve to remove seeds.  (Alternately, and preferably, use a food mill.)

Mix ginger simple syrup, lime juice, and raspberry puree in a container and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to blend.

Put raspberry mix in punch bowl.  Carefully add a 2L bottle of seltzer water.  (It will fizz violently.)  Add seltzer water from second bottle to top off.  Add more ginger simple syrup to taste.  Add raspberry ice cubes and lime slices.

For raspberry ice cubes:  Fill one ice cube tray with water and 1 fresh raspberry per cube.  Freeze.

For ginger simple syrup:  Put into a small saucepan 1 c. water, 1 c. sugar, and peeled, sliced ginger (at least half a cup, most of a Trader Joe's pkg).  Bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and steep for a while.  Strain out solids.

Hot chocolate

• 1 Trader Joe's 70% dark pound plus bar
• 8 c. (1/2 gal) whole milk

Chop chocolate.  Put milk and chocolate in slow cooker on low for 2 hours.  Stir occasionally while heating.  Sweeten to taste if desired.

Note:  Even at its best, chocolate wasn't fully smooth and incorporated.  Next time try the immersion blender after it's heated.

Note:  Remaining hot chocolate kind of congealed after several hours in the slow cooker and after most of it had been drunk.

Scotch broth

Broth:

• 1 lamb shank
• 9 c. water
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
• dash of dried celery flakes (or chopped leaves from ~1 celery stalk)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 12 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

Soup:

• 1/4 c. salted margarine or butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• small handful of dried celery flakes (or 1/2 c. diced fresh celery)
• dash of garlic powder
• 1/2 c. barley
• 3 TBS flour

For broth, combine all ingredients and simmer slowly, covered, for 3-4 hours.  Strain.  Reserve meat from lamb shank (pulling it apart into bite sized pieces).  Ideally, refrigerate broth overnight and then skim off the fat.

For soup, melt margarine in a large pot.  Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic powder.  Saute 5 minutes.  Do not allow to brown.  Add barley and flour.  Cook 2 minutes longer.  Add stock; stir well.  Simmer slowly, covered, for 1.5 hours until barley is fully cooked.  Add reserved meat to soup and heat through.  Season to taste as needed.

Butternut squash with bourbon, browned butter, and amaretto

(from http://www.cincinnatinomerati.com/2010/02/roasted-butternut-squash-with-bourbon.html)

• 1 butternut squash
• olive oil
• 2 TBS unsalted butter
• 2 TBS bourbon
• 2 TBS amaretto
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cut squash in half.  Scrape out seeds and fibrous material.  Place cut side up on a baking sheet, brush cut sides with olive oil, and then bake 45-60 minutes until tender.

Melt butter in a saucepan.  When it has just browned, add bourbon then amaretto.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer until it has a syrupy consistency, stirring frequently.

Allow squash to cool somewhat.  Scoop out flesh and stir to achieve a more homogeneous consistency.  Stir in syrup.

Jellied cranberry sauce

(modified from https://blog.etsy.com/en/2012/kitchen-histories-cranberry-sauce-serving-set/)

• 1 bag fresh cranberries (12 oz seems to be a standard size so hopefully that's what I meant)
• 1-2 apples, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. water
• 3/4 c. brown sugar

Put all ingredients except sugar in a saucepan and cook on medium-low until all the cranberries have burst and the sauce is thickening.  Stir in sugar until dissolved and remove from heat.  Add more sugar and/or a splash of lemon juice to taste.

Run the sauce through a food mill twice:  once on the coarsest setting and once on the finest setting.  Refrigerate.

Turkey gravy

1 part turkey drippings (well mixed, not separated)
1 part or slightly less flour
2 parts broth
salt, pepper, and sage

Make a roux from drippings and flour.  Gradually whisk in broth.  Cook until thickened.  Add salt, pepper, and sage to taste.

Yeasted ginger carrot bread

(adapted from http://waywardspark.com/yeasted-carrot-ginger-bread/)

• 1.5 c. tea, cooled to lukewarm
• 2 c. finely chopped or grated carrot (food processor is helpful)
• 1 TBS finely minced ginger (I use a garlic twist to mince it)
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 TBS yeast
• 3 TBS honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 c. rye flour
• 4-4.5 c. white flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water, following package directions.  Stir in all other ingredients except flour.  Gradually stir in flour.  Knead for 10 min.

Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Form into 2 loaves.  Place each in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise until doubled, about 40 min.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.