Firewater Friday - A Roa

I was looking for a cocktail for mixers I happened to have on hand.  What I found was a simple, elegant cocktail made with melon liquor, cranberry juice and vodka.  

I don't know what the history of this drink is but it's delish!

A Roa 

3/4 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Melon Liqueur
1 - 2 oz Cranberry Juice

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, shake 3 - 4 times and strain over ice in a cocktail glass.

Firewater Friday - The Spin

Light and refreshing - a little sweet, a little tart.  The mixture of the ingredients give this drink an almost sweet grapefruit taste.  Delish!


The Spin


1 1/2 Ounces Vodka
1/4 Ounce Triple Sec
2 Ounces Fresh Cranberry Juice
1 Ounce Fresh Orange Juice
Orange Garnish


Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in an ice filled shaker.  

Shake and strain into a chilled wine glass.

Garnish with an orange wedge.

Cranberry Nut Bark

This is a quick and easy recipe to make a rich, yummy candy for your sweetie pie - or yourself.  This recipe is made easier by using the microwave to melt the chocolate chips.

Cranberry Nut Bark


1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Line an 8x8 pan with foil.


Place the chips in a medium sized microwaveable bowl.  Cook on high for no more than 30 seconds at a time in microwave.  Remove and stir.  Repeat until the chocolate is all melted and smooth.  It took my microwave 1:30 but the times will be different machines.

Stir in the cranberries and walnuts. 

Spread evenly into the prepared pan.  

Sprinkle with additional nuts, if desired.

Place into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  Break apart into chunks when hardened.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cranberry Apple Pork Loin Roast with Sour Cream Sauce

Cranberry Apple Pork Loin Roast with Sour Cream Sauce


1 (3 To 4 Lb) Boneless Pork Loin Roast
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Can Whole Cranberry Sauce
1/4 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Apple Juice
2 Apples, Cored, Peeled And Coarsely Chopped
Salt And Pepper To Taste
1 Coup Sour Cream 


Place roast in slow cooker; rub all over with the minced garlic. 

Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. 

Pork should be about 160° when fully cooked.

Remove roast from crock pot and cover with foil.  

Mash the apples in the sauce with a hand masher or the back of a fork.

Remove a cup of sauce from the crockpot.  Allow to cool then mix in sour cream.  The mix the sour cream mixture in with the rest of the sauce.

Slice the roast and spoon sauce over slices.  Delish with rice.

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Cranberry Walnut Brownies

Cranberry Walnut Brownies

1 1/3 C. Unbleached Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 C Dried Cranberries

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1 Cup White Chocolate Chips

1 Cup Butter, Room Temperature

1 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 3/4 C. White Sugar

4 Eggs

2 Tsp. Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º F.  Butter an 8 x 8 baking pan.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl cream together softened butter and cocoa.  Mix in the sugar, eggs and vanilla.  

Slowly add the dry ingredients.  Fold in cranberries, walnuts and chips.  

Pour into the baking dish, and spread until even.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, or the brownies start to pull away from the edges of the pan.  

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.  Sprinkly with confectioner's sugar, if desired.

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Firewater Friday - Frog in a Blender

Frog in a Blender

There's not actually a frog in this drink . . . it's supposed to look that way though.  Did it?  Kinda, a little, maybe.  Mmmm . . . but it tasted good.

1 Cup of Ice
2 oz Vodka
4 oz Cranberry Juice
2 Slices Lime

Place all the ingredients in a blender.  

Blend for 3-5 seconds.  You don't want it to be smooth, blended enough to chop up the "frog"/limes a bit.

Pour into a chilled hurricane glass.

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