Happy New Year 2013!

Happy New Year!  These cocktails will make your New Year celebration one to remember!  Be safe, be sane, be happy!

Hardware:  Mixing glass, shot glass, strainer, stirrer, and martini glasses

All the drinks follow the same instructions: 

1. Fill the mixing glass with ice cubes.
2. Add all of the ingredients, stir, and strain into the chilled martini glasses

 

Floridian Breeze

• 3 parts citrus vodka
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 1 part orange liqueur (I use Curaçao)
• A squeeze of lime juice

 Ginger What Ails You

• 3 parts white rum
• 4 parts cranberry juice
• 4 parts raspberry ginger ale
• 1 part orange liqueur
• A squeeze of lime juice

Raspberry Love

• 2 parts citrus vodka
• 1 part Chambord
• 1 orange peel

Cranberry on the Sauce

• 3 parts citrus vodka
• 3 parts cranberry juice
• 1 part orange liqueur
• 1 part orange juice
• A squeeze of lime

You can dress up your cocktails with rimming sugar, chunks of frozen fruit, and citrus peel.  Make some snacks for your guest.  You might enjoy last year's cocktail recipes, too.

 

Summer Cocktails

Hot! Hot! Hot! These summer drinks are an excellent way to cool down.

Raspberry Lemonade

Servings:  1 ½ quarts
Time: prep:10 minutes 
Hardware:  Cutting board and knives, pot, measuring cup, a blender, a strainer/ sieve, a wooden spoon, a 2 quart pitcher, glasses

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar, maybe more
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (6-8 lemons), maybe more
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup lemon flavored vodka
• ½ cup raspberry liqueur
• Ice
• Colored sugar, lemon wedges, and raspberries for garnish

1. Dissolve the sugar in boiling water.  Allow to cool.
2. Rinse the raspberries and liquefy them in the blender.  With the spoon, force the raspberries through the sieve into the pitcher.  Discard the seeds.
3. Mix the syrup, the lemon juice, the vodka, and the liqueur together in the pitcher with the raspberries.
4. Add more sugar or more lemon juice, depending upon your taste.
5. To serve, wet the glasses' rims in water and then in colored sugar.  Drop a few berries into the lemonade and place a lemon wedge on each glass. Serve over ice.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Sangria

Servings:  1 ½ quarts
Time:  prep: 10 minutes,   chill: overnight
Hardware:  Cutting board and knives, measuring cup, a blender, a strainer/ sieve, a wooden spoon, a 2 quart pitcher

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 1 lime
• 2 peaches
• 1 bottle of red wine
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅛ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup brandy
• sparkling water (optional)
• Fruit for garnish

1. Rinse the raspberries and liquefy them in the blender. With the spoon, force the raspberries through the sieve into the pitcher. Discard the seeds.
2. Squeeze the citrus fruit into the pitcher.  Slice the citrus fruit, remove the seeds, and slice the peaches.  Add the sliced fruit to the pitcher.
3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the water. Chill overnight.
4. Remove the fruit.  Garnish with fresh slices of citris fruit. Add a splash of cold sparkling water if desired.

Happy 2012! Champagne Cocktails

Good-bye 2011!  Invite over some friends, pop a cork or two, pass around the munchies, and find someone to kiss when the ball drops!

These recipes will help make the last night of this year more memorable. When making Champagne cocktails it isn’t necessary to use the good stuff. Any sparkling wine will do. Chill the champagne flute first. Always pour the mixers in first and then top with the Champagne. These cocktails don’t need to be stirred.

Raspberry Royale:  Add 1 ounce of Chambord to a chilled flute and then top off with Champagne.  Garnish with frozen raspberries.

Mimosa:  Add 1 ounce of orange juice and ½ ounce of triple sec to a chilled flute.  Top off with Champagne and garnish with a twist of orange.

Poinsettia:  Add 1 ounce of cranberry juice and ½ ounce triple sec to a chilled champagne flute.  Top off with champagne and a few frozen cranberries. 

These munchies, much of which can be made ahead, will compliment the cocktails and make your guests very happy! These quick bites also contain protein, which will keep your guests from becoming too happy.

Phyllo Bites

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Honey Mustard Dip
Baked Egg Rolls with  Sweet & Spicy Hoisin Sauce
Roasted Baby Peppers with Herbed Goat Cheese
Cranberry Bacon Cheese Spread with crackers