My Grandma always had ginger ale in the house, which is why I always have it in my house, too!  She said it settled upset stomachs and I think it tastes great.  Whatever reason, ginger ale fills a little corner of my pantry all the time.  So, aside from drinking it, is there any other use for ginger ale?

Of course, one of the best uses for ginger ale is to make punch.  Everyone has at least one favorite party punch recipe, and mine just happens to include ginger ale.  It’s so simple I hate to even let people know how to make it, lest my culinary skills, or lack thereof, become exposed for what they are!  Nonetheless, here is the recipe:

1) Make ice cubes out of orange juice, enough to fill a punch bowl about halfway.
2) Chill punch bowl.
3) Wash fresh mint leaves.
4) Fill chilled punch bowl about halfway with orange ice cubes.
5) Pour in ginger ale over orange ice to top of punch bowl.
6) Float mint leaves on top and serve immediately.

See, it’s super simple, pretty, and delicious. Spike it if you like with a splash of vodka in your cup before you fill with punch, stir and sip.

If you have any other ideas for using ginger ale, I’d love to hear from you!

I don’t know if I really need to make something with white wine because it’s just so nice to sip!  It’s more of a curiosity than anything. I really do wonder if there are any dishes that use a lot of white wine in the ingredients.  It does sound yummy… a hearty, creamy cheese soup, perhaps?  Or a dessert, maybe?

Alcohol cooks out of any wine or beer you use in cooking, so the flavor changes in the end result.  If you simmer wine to reduce it, can you incorporate it into a creamy sauce?  What about adding chocolate?  This is all speculation, but I would love to hear what you think. 

When wine, either white or red, cooks for awhile in a rich, red sauce for spaghetti, it just gives a nice extra layer of flavor that sits very nicely on the tongue.  It’s such a nice addition to the sauce, I can’t imagine there is not a way to use wine as a main ingredient.  What do you think?

Whenever I think of cooking with beer, my recipes always lean toward bratwurst and sausage.  I just naturally equate beer with bratwurst and sausage, and that’s where I get stuck.  I know beer adds a really nice tangy flavor to recipes and a nice extra little background flavor, but what sorts of dishes other than sausage dishes can you use beer as an ingredient?

Of course, if I never found another recipe that uses beer, I could probably live quite happily for the rest of my life with my “Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Skillet” recipe.  Give this a try the next time you have some really hearty appetites to satisfy!

Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Skillet

1 ring of Kielbasa
8 medium potatoes (I like Yukon Gold) peeled and cut one lengthwise
1 jar “Barrel” Sauerkraut (Gundelsheim) You can use any brand, but this is tender and sweeter than most
1 12 oz bottle/can of your favorite beer
salt and pepper potatoes to taste
optional: sprinkle or two of caraway seeds

Get out your big, heavy cast iron skillet, put just a bit of oil in, slice Kielbasa into chunks at angles and lightly brown over medium high heat.  When Kielbasa is brown, move to the edges and arrange potatoes in the center and season with a little salt and pepper.  Cover with entire jar of sauerkraut, sprinkle on some caraway seeds if you wish (good for the digestion), and pour the beer carefully over the whole thing.  Cover skillet with tin foil top, poking two or three slots in the top for steam.  Bring up to a boil, and turn down to simmer nice and slow.  You’ll want to let this cook for about 1 hour so all the flavors combine.  Dinner’s on!

That’s a pretty basic beer recipe, but it’s sure yummy!  But if you’ve used beer in other imaginative cooking I’d love to hear about it.

I bought some Smirnoff’s Twist of Vanilla Vodka and it smells heavenly.

I’ve tried adding some to Diet Coke and it’s wonderful, but I’m wondering what else I can do with this great drink?

Do you have any good cocktail recipes using Smirnoff’s Vanilla Vodka? If so, please share.

I love my red wine. Anyone who knows me knows that. Show up with a bottle of red wine any old time and I’ll share a glass with you.

However, I’d love to hear from some creative moms what you do with your red wine. Do you have a Sangria recipe? Or another family specialty that you’re willing to share?

Lay it on me.