Waldorf Salad

Makes 12 servings

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup honey
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 large Red Delicious apple, chopped
1 large Golden Delicious apple, chopped
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/4 cup raisins, or dried cranberries
3/4 cups chopped walnuts, toasted

Preparation:

Whisk together first six ingredients in large bowl.  Stir in Granny Smith apples and next five ingredients.  Cover and chill 1 hour.

Guest recipe by Clara Anderson. 

Bring any dessert lover to their knees with this sinfully delicious twist to créme brulée. French for "burnt cream," this rich custard is topped with a layer of caramelized sugar. The experience is all about breaking through the crackly sugar crust and having the first taste of creamy custard. The flavor of this créme brulée has been enhanced by infusing the vanilla custard with a delicious chai tea, ONO Aphrodisiac Chai.

ONO Aphrodisiac Creme Brulee

INGREDIENTS


• 1 Tahitian or French vanilla bean
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons ONO Aphrodisiac Chai
• 15 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup milk
• Spray bottle with Vanilla Grey Goose Vodka

PREPARATION: Set the oven at 350 degrees. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. In a saucepan, combine the split vanilla bean, heavy cream, and sugar. Scald the mixture to about 190 degrees. Add the ONO Aphrodisiac Chai and take the mixture off the flame. Let sit for 5 minutes, then strain the tea through a chinoise, a conical sieve with a fine mesh.

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the yolks and milk and whisk until smooth.

Temper some of the tea mixture into the cold mixture of yolk and milk. Add this tempered mixture back into the hot cream. Whisk as you're adding. Scrape out the vanilla bean and remove the foam. Pour into the ramekins.

Place the 10 or 12 ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until set but still jiggles in the center. Remove and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

After it's chilled, sugar the top generously. Spray with the vanilla vodka. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Let sit for 3 minutes. Garnish with fresh berries.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 512 calories, 6 grams protein, 42 grams fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 446 milligrams cholesterol, 53 milligrams sodium 

French 75 cocktail

Two parts gin

1 1/2 Ounces of Simple syrup

Juice of half a lemon

Champagne

Simple syrup is equal parts of sugar and water heated until sugar is dissolved.  Place gin, simple syrup and lemon juice in an iced shaker.  Shake.  Pour mixture in a champagne flute garnished with a thin slice of lemon or orange.  Top off mix with champagne.  Enjoy!

Cosmopolitan Cocktail

1 oz. vodka

½ oz triple sec

½ oz. lime juice

½ oz. cranberry juice

Place all ingredients in shaker and pour over ice in cocktail glass.

New Year's Eve Pink Champagne Punch

Mix together in punch bowl:

1 fifth of pink champagne

1 bottle of rose' wine

1 pint of vodka

1-2 liter bottle of ginger ale

Mix  all ingredients together in punch bowl and serve in punch glasses.  Extra ginger ale may be frozen in ice trays or other containers and added to keep punch chilled.