This recipe is too easy and really fun to customize. I’ve always loved this sweet-tart flavor that is festive for the winter holidays and refreshing for summer time. Plus, my children get to share in this bubbly New Years tradition!

For the basic recipe, all you need is cranberry juice cocktail and 7UP®.

Right now you can get your 7UP® at Walmart for just $1. Plus, when you stock up for the holidays and purchase (10) 2-liters or (5) 0.5L 6packs during the month of December at Walmart you can get a $5 VUDU credit good for a family movie night! So you’ll have your New Years activity covered!

We always play games on New Years eve and then cozy up with a movie. The kids don’t always last through to New Years day, but I enjoy feeling close to them when the clock strikes midnight.

To make your Cranberry Mocktail, just pour 1/2 cranberry juice first and then 1/2 7UP® in your container. You’ll want to limit the bubbles by pouring your soda on the side of the container instead of directly into the cranberry juice.

Serve with ice and fresh cranberries for decoration. For varying flavors and a sweeter drink recipe add mint simple syrup or cinnamon simple syrup, cranberry or raspberry sorbet, even some honey or agave. I like my Mocktail nice and tart so I think it is perfect the way it is.

I serve it to my kids in little mason jars. This makes them feel grown up; being able to drink out of a glass, but it is less likely to break if they drop it than a regular glass.

Adding this simple drink to our festivities helps to make the night memorable for my kids!

Do you have a favorite non-alcoholic drink recipe? Please share it in the comments below!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AMP Agency. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Non-Alcoholic New Year’s Drink Recipe first appeared on True Aim.

So break out the summer food and activities while you still can! Make some watermelon lemonade slushies and head outside to enjoy the beautiful weather while the kids burn off energy chasing each other in a last season game of tag.

Watermelon Lemonade Slushies

These are SO addicting. They taste like sweet and sour candy, but are probably a lot better for you. Well, maybe.

First things first, freeze your watermelon by taking a melon baller and scooping out the balls onto a pan lined with a non-stick sheet or wax paper. My kids LOVE using the melon baller for some reason, so they helped me out with this part. Then, freeze overnight or for at least 3 hrs.

If you are making the lemonade, you’ll want to do that ahead of time too so it can chill in the refrigerator before you add it to the frozen watermelon balls.

I just used some Simply Lemonade to make it fast and easy. Besides, I’m pretending the laziness of summer is still here.

Fill up your blender to the brim with the frozen watermelon balls. If you don’t like your slushies so sweet, then use some crushed ice with the watermelon. Cover the watermelon ice balls with the chilled lemonade and blend until smooth.

What you get is the best slushie flavor and texture. I was temped to just drink them all myself. I served mine in mason jars with straws for the kids and it made 4 jars full.

If you have an overripe watermelon, this would be a great way to use it. I can’t stand eating mushy watermelon, but if you put it in this slushie it will give it a strong watermelon flavor.

So I sipped the last of my summer goodbye. Until next time, I’ll miss you!

The post Goodbye to Summer: Watermelon Lemonade Slushies Recipe first appeared on True Aim.

I’ve been making this a little too often. I really could drink the whole crock pot full. Good thing I have kids to curb my cravings!

Slow Cooker White Hot Chocolate

My kids were so happy. You know, jumping up and down happy. They kept going over everything they got to do that day; our friends, SLEDDING, HOT CHOCOLATE! I love it when kids do that.

Emma was mostly excited about the hot chocolate, but wasn’t sure it would be good because it was white. “White?” She kept asking me like I wasn’t sure. Why do kids always do that?

I’m mom and I know what I’m talking about. When I say don’t tip your chair and it falls out from underneath you, when I tell you not to carry so many things at once and you drop them, when I tell you that it is cold and you need a coat yet you insist on not wearing one and then come inside 5 minutes later for a coat; you think that my kids would be confident in my knowledge of the workings of the universe. Lol!

Oh, but I do love their inquisitive curiosity and most questions are just the excitement of the unknown. So I added to their questions by putting peppermint leaves and my Mint Simple Syrup in the slow cooker to steep with the hot chocolate. Peppermint too?

Finally when it was done, their questions were answered with an amazingly creamy, pepperminty experience that they couldn’t get enough of. Once again, mom’s great intellect was confirmed.

Slow Cooker Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

 

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Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour

 

Peppermint white hot chocolate is conveniently steeped in a slow cooker to keep it hot and make it easy to serve.

Author: True Aim

Recipe type: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Serves: 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup white chocolate (6 oz)
• 1 cup water
• ½ tsp peppermint extract or handful fresh peppermint leaves
• ½ tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups of milk
• miniature marshmallows or whipped cream (optional)
• crushed peppermint candies (optional)

Instructions

1. In a 4-5 qt slow cooker on high heat mix chocolate, water, peppermint and salt. Heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chocolate is thoroughly melted, stirring with a whisk occasionally.
2. Add the milk, vanilla, and sugar to taste and heat until hot, but not bubbling; about 30 minutes - 1hr.
3. Reduce heat to warm and serve with marshmallows or whipped cream and top with peppermint candy.

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Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

The post Slow Cooker Peppermint White Hot Chocolate first appeared on True Aim.

Science Co-op is tomorrow and I get to host. We love having people over, but don’t always know what to serve. It’s right in between breakfast and lunch, so we like to make something it just can’t be too much of something.

This week is our last meeting before Christmas break so we wanted to do something a little more exciting than carrot sticks and ranch or a fruit platter like we usually do.

I decided to have my daughter whip up some my favorite appetizers and a festive punch to celebrate the holidays with our friends.

This was a great opportunity to have Audrey practice being the hostess.

She did an awesome job with the shrimp puffs. That’s how you know it’s easy. I mean, she’s only seven!

Next, the punch needed to be made. This was the fun part because it fizzes up like a rootbeer float.

That’s kind of what it is. You can make any kind of punch you can think of with just three simple ingredients; 7up, juice, and sherbet. I just had Audrey add one part of everything and then taste test it to make sure it’s not too sweet or not bubbly enough.

This time we used cranberry cocktail and raspberry sherbet, but I’ve had pineapple juice with mango or pineapple sherbert; pink lemonaid with lemon sherbet; even grape juice with grape sherbet. Although, grape sherbet is really hard to find.

Just add whatever flavors you like and experiment to see how much of each ingredient tastes right to you.

Of course with 9 people coming over plus our family, we had to use some SOLO cups and plates to help with clean up afterward. I didn’t know there were so many different SOLO products including paper, heavy duty, and premium strength.

My younger children have a hard time carrying around bigger round cups, so I usually have to get a smaller sized cup for them, but the SOLO cup is the only one with a squared design and that helps my little ones have a better grip.

I especially love the new ‘It’s My Solo’ cups that come with a label that you peel back and scratch your name on. That way everyone can keep track of their cup and none get wasted.

This helped with prep-time, so we were done with everything in just 30 minutes!

Easy Shrimp Puffs

 

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These shrimp puffs are addicting and so easy!

Author: True Aim

Recipe type: Appetiser

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 2 containers of refrigerator biscuits
• ½ lb of baby salad shrimp
• ½ cup mayo
• ¼ cup cheddar
• 1 tsp dill
• 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Rip each biscuit in half and press dough up the sides of each muffin cup. Sometimes if the biscuits are uneven and one is bigger than another, you'll want to rip the big ones into thirds.
3. Combine the next 5 ingredients and spoon about 1 tbs of the shrimp mixture into the center of the biscuits.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.

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Well, almost anything. I don’t know if I would be ready for an epic battle like the one in the video below!

How about you? Do you have any quick finger-food recipes that you like to whip up?

Watch more SOLO® Up for Anything videos, join the conversation on SOLO’s Facebook page, or check out SOLO’s Pinterest page for more inspiration.

The post Easy Appetizers: Shrimp Puffs and Raspberry Punch first appeared on True Aim.

I was avoiding even making them! Then I was approached by Squeasy Gear to review their new Squeasy Snacker (read my full disclosure policy). Now I don’t have to worry about my kids making messes with any kind of drink and it makes a great self feeder for infants too!

The Squeasy Snacker is the most versatile reusable food pouch on the market. It was designed by parents for parents to provide easy feeding on-the-go.

It is the only food pouch that offers the patent pending 2-in-1 NO SPILL INSERT for no spill or free flow.  It is made of BPA, PVC, and Phthalate Free, reversible 100% food-grade silicone for easy cleaning and collapses completely flat to prevent wasted contents. Plus, it is Dishwasher Safe (Top rack) and Freezer Safe!

I received two Squeasy Snackers to try. The 4oz and the 6oz. I wanted the 4oz for my baby and also for my friend’s baby that I watch. The small size makes it easier for baby to hold themselves and self-feed. Since my friends baby doesn’t like to be fed from a spoon, this really helped me out! She got the hang of it right away and finished her puree off in no time! What a happy camper she was

The 6oz Squeasy Snacker was perfect for my 2-year-old. Usually I give him a straw which ends up making a mess. I would make my kids stay at the kitchen table to drink their smoothies. Now, everyone can enjoy their smoothie where ever they want.

I definitely want to buy the larger 9oz Squeasy Snacker for my older children for all sorts of things like yogurt, pudding, juice, and milk. Unlike other food pouches, it prevents spills so I don’t have to worry about packing juice or milk for a trip.

Watch Clarrisa in the video below to see how easy it is to fill the Squeasy Snacker!

Mango Smoothie Recipe

This is my children’s favorite smoothie recipe! You can add more flavors to change up this base recipe like raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Mango Chunks

1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Peach Chunks

1 Banana

1/4 – 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. If you are using all fresh fruit, you can add crushed ice to make it thicker. Add baby spinach, cucumber, avocado, or dandelions to make a green smoothie. After filling your Squeasy Snacker for the kids, make sure you save some for yourself!

For more smoothie recipe ideas, follow Squeasy Gear on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

The post Mango Smoothie Recipe and a No Mess Solution! first appeared on True Aim.

It was a horrible pain. I was visiting my aunt this weekend when I peeked into the pantry and eyed some cheddar crackers. I popped a few in my mouth and it lit up the right side of my jaw with a cramp that felt like a charlie horse.  Luckily my aunt had just watched Doc Martin on PBS and knew exactly what it was! My salivary gland was plugged from being dehydrated. Sometimes it’s hard to remember (or want) to drink plain old water. That’s why Canada Dry’s new sparkling water helps #AddSparkle to your routine.

When I have something fun in the fridge to drink it is a lot easier to remember to hydrate. One of my favorite combinations is watermelon and mint. It’s sweet and refreshing, but adding some sparkling water gives it that extra zing that is irresistible.

This recipe is fantastic because the process is so simple. Change the fruit and there are a dozen of different flavors you can make. Watermelon just screams summertime, that ‘s when I love to make this drink so that’s what I use.

To make this drink you’ll need some watermelon, mint simple syrup, ice cubes, fresh mint leaves, and Canada Dry Sparkling Water. I used the original, but you can add even more flavor by choosing the Lemon Lime or Triple Berry kind.  I found the sparkling water in the snack section at my local Walmart.

Before you head to the store, make sure you print this coupon.  You’ll get .75 if you don’t share and 1.75 if you share with a friend!

To make the cooler, first wash and chop the watermelon into small pieces. Fill the glass with watermelon chunks, ice, and a few mint leaves, alternating between them so you get a layered look. You could also freeze some watermelon ball ahead of time and use them instead of the ice for even more flavor.

Next add a few splashes (1-2 tablespoons) of mint simple syrup or any flavored syrup and cover with Canada Dry Sparkling Water. You can also put everything into the blender and turn it into a sparkling slushy.  Just make sure you put your glass up high out of the reach of little hands or it will be gone before you turn around again.

What do you like to drink to add a little excitement to your routine?

The post Watermelon Mint Cooler with Sparkling Water first appeared on True Aim.

I’ve been struggling to get the kids to stay hydrated and have noticed their behavior decline at the end of the day. On Facebook I asked my followers how they keep their kids hydrated and if they gave their children juice.

WOW! Everyone had amazing ideas and great advice. A comment about mint and watermelon caught my eye so I decided to make something fun to put in their water.

How to Make Simple Syrup

We used to make simple syrup for our backyard bees so I just tweaked that recipe and dressed it up with some fresh mint to add a touch of flavor to the kids’ ice water. I can’t wait to whip up some more amazing recipes with it!

My daughter Audrey is our little harvester. She is always combing the garden to see if there is anything ready to be picked so I sent her out to clip the mint. We have chocolate mint, regular mint, spearmint and peppermint. I had her take a little of everything for our syrup because we needed a lot.

Together we sat in the backyard picking the leaves of the mint off the stems and talking – what a memory maker

If you want to do a smaller batch you could probably just cut it in smaller pieces, wash it and put it in the pot. The amount of leaves you use is really based on the flavor you want. If you want a really strong mint flavor, use more obviously. I like to make mine strong so I don’t have to use very much in recipes and drinks to get great flavor.

The house smelled amazing while it cooked and as my other children came down the stairs from their naps, they asked if they could have some of the cake I was making for snack. My two-year-old was very confused when I showed him the pot of boiling green stuff.  No cake, not yet anyways.

Fresh Mint Simple Syrup

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Fresh mint simple syrup is easy to make and you can use it in so many different recipes!

Author: True Aim

Recipe type: Drinks, condiments

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Sugar, or Honey
• 2 Cups Packed Fresh Mint Leaves

Instructions

1. Combine water and sugar in a medium pot. Wash mint leaves thoroughly and add them to the mixture.
2. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat to low. Cook until the desired sweetness, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Run through a fine mesh sieve and press the mint down into the sieve to squeeze all the goodness out.
4. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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What other recipes should I try with my simple syrup?

For more easy family recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Pinterest!

The post Fresh Mint Simple Syrup first appeared on True Aim.