FRIDAY COCKTAIL - HOLIDAY HOPPER!

This is a take on the traditional grasshopper cocktail with a twist. So rich and creamy with the creme de menthe and white creme de cacao....not especially low calorie, but IT'S THE HOLIDAYS!!!!

1 oz Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz green creme de menthe
1/2 oz white creme de cacao
2 oz half and half
mint leaves and raspberries for garnish

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass and garnish with mint and raspberry.


LOVE THE HOLIDAY SEASON!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - CANDY CANE!

Hope everyone had a marvelous Thanksgiving. I certainly did! Now begins all of our Christmas Holiday cocktails...yum! This makes a great pre-dinner cocktail or a perfect after dinner sweet!

3/4 oz berry flavored vodka

3/4 oz peppermint schnapps

3/4 oz white creme de cacao

1/4 oz grenadine

half & half

soda water

candy cane for garnish

In a shaker with ice, combine vodka, schnapps, white creme de cacao and grenadine. You can either crush the candy cane and rim a martini glass with it or hang the cane on the side of the glass as a garnish. Pour the vodka mix into the martini glass, fill with cream and add a splash of soda water.

WELCOME DECEMBER!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - AUTUMN EVE MARTINI!

This one may just knock your socks off!!!! Wonderful combination of flavors. A perfect start to your Thanksgiving Day festivities.

Ingredients:

1/2 oz Amaretto

1/2 oz Raspberry liqueur

1/4 oz sour mix

1/2 oz Southern Comfort

1 oz Raspberry Vodka

garnish with a cherry or raspberry

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a cherry or raspberry.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - APPLE CIDER SPARKLE!

This is a GREAT Thanksgiving punch for a big crowd. So Beth and Mary it's the one for you!


Ingredients:

6 cups apple cider(splurge get the good stuff)
2 cups of your favorite fruit juice or blend (like cran/rasp - orange/mango)
1-1/2 bottles champagne
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix the cider, and fruit juices in a bowl or pitcher. When you are ready to serve to guests add the champagne and keep the punch chilled. Serves about 15..

GOBBLE GOBBLE!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - TWIN SIX GIN COCKTAIL!

The Twin Six Cocktail was invented in the late 1920's and was then very popular. Most bartenders now would not know it. I blog this today in honor of the twin girls being born to our family today and as a toast to my dear Uncle Louie who loved loved loved his GIN!

3 oz gin

1 oz dry vermouth

1/2 oz orange juice

1 egg white

dash of grenadine

cherry for garnish

In a shaker with ice, combine all ingredients except the cherry. Gently shake it for about 10-15 seconds and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a cherry. Yummy

Happy Birthday Twins!

ENJOY!

HALLOWEEN FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BLOOD AND SAND!

A good friend passed this one along to me. Blood and Sand was created from the 1922 classic silent movie of the same name starring Rudolf Valentino. It is making a comeback in bars across the country that are going back to classic cocktails. This is one of only a few that feature Scotch!

The recipe calls for equal parts of all ingredients, but for a smoother taste you may want a little more scotch and orange juice.

Ingredients:
3/4 oz good Scotch
3/4 oz Orange juice
3/4 oz Cherry liqueur
3/4 oz Sweet vermouth

In a shaker with ice combine all ingredients, shake well and strain into a martini glass. You can garnish with a cherry or a slice of orange zest.


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - TEXAS FIZZ!

This one is for all my Texas Ranger Fans!!!!! It has Champagne for goodness sake so it's also for all my drinking fans!!!

1 shot gin

1 shot orange juice

1/4 shot grenadine

Champagne

In a shaker with ice, combine gin, orange juice and grenadine..shake and strain into a tall glass....FILL with champagne!!!

GO RANGERS!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - COLUMBUS COCKTAIL!

It's Columbus Day Weekend!!!!! Trees changing color, Fall crisp air...and just one more reason to celebrate being (at least partially) Italian. I could have posted some wild cocktail with Grappa and Sambuca...but that Grappa sure is an acquired (maybe) taste....so on the lighter side...and PS: I have these ingredients in my cabinet...YES!!!!

1-1/2 oz gold rum

3/4 oz apricot brandy

1 oz lime juice

lime wedge (optional garnish)

Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice...shake and strain into a LARGE martini glass. Garnish with lime if you like..

HAPPY TO BE ITALIAN!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - PUMPKIN CARVER!

As we all plan our pumpkin carving parties..keep this delicious cocktail in mind. It calls for pumpkin butter and if you have never tried it you are REALLY missing something...it is marvelous. You can also use it in baking cookies, pie and tons of Halloween treats.

1-1/2 parts good orange flavored vodka
3/4 parts maple syrup
1/2 part ginger liqueur
1 tsp pumpkin butter
1 part fresh lemon juice
garnish with apple chips

In a cocktail shaker with ice combine all ingredients. Shake vigorously so citrus is incorporated. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with apple chips.

HAPPY CARVING!
ENJOY!

FIRST FRIDAY IN FALL COCKTAIL - THE AUTUMN ORCHARD!

Happy First Day of Autumn!!!

The first sip of this fabuous cocktail gives you hints of spice and fresh fruit followed by tart lime and clove...YUMMY!!! This is the ideal cocktail for a season of falling leaves and fresh crisp air.

It may sound like a lot of ingredients, but go buy them and you can make tons of these..frankly except for the lime...I have them all.....crazy!

Makes 2

1/4 cup Cognac

1/4 cup apple brandy

2 tbl orange liqueur

2 tbl pear liqueur

4 tsp fresh lime juice

2 dashes bitters

2 lime slices

ice

Mix first 6 ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously...pour into cocktail glass and float a lime slice on top. So gorgeous!

HAPPY AUTUMN!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - MAIME TAYLOR!

This is a cocktail from way way back. Don't know what to mix with your scotch? Dust off that bottle of Dewars you crack open when relatives visit and try this!! However, my husband thinks this is criminal to add anything but an ice cube to scotch.

3 oz scotch

1 tbl lime juice

ginger beer

lemon

Mix scotch and lime juice in a tall glass over ice. Fill with ginger beer and garnish with a lemon.

HAPPY FALL!

ENJOY!

FALL FRIDAY COCKTAIL - AUTUMN DELIGHT!

A simple recipe is often a good place to start when it comes to cocktails. This recipe calls for Suntory Yamazaki 12 Year Old Whisky which has some resemblance to Scotch, but any good whisky will make this "delightful". You can also try this with warm cider for a hot drink.

2 oz good whisky
6 oz apple cider
Fresh cinnamon
Apple slices

Pour whisky, and apple cider into a shaker with ice. Shake then pour into a old fashioned glass and dust with cinnamon and garnish with 2 apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

TOAST TO A DELIGHTFUL AUTUMN!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - CLOSE OF SUMMER COOLATA :(

SAD .....SAD....SAD...... end of summer is near!



Try this great pick me up after all your Labor Day festivities!!



1 oz Bailey's

2 scoops coffee ice cream

1 oz iced coffee

espresso bean (minced)

mint sprig

whipped cream



Pour baileys, ice cream and coffee in a blender with a bit of chipped ice. Blend until smooth. Pour in a pint glass and top with espresso, mint and whipped cream!



HAPPY SUMMER!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - THE HURRICANE!

The Hurricane became popular at Pat O'Brien's bar in 1940's New Orleans. According to legend it debuted at the 1939 World's Fair and the rest is history. O'Brien created the heavy "rummed" version to get rid of a large stock of rum his Southern distributors made him buy.



2 oz light rum

2 oz dark rum

2 oz passion fruit

1 oz orange juice

juice of half a lime



Mix all in a blender with ice and - of course - serve in a big Hurricane glass!



STAY SAFE EVERYONE!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - JUICY FRUIT SHOT

I know I know......there are a few too many wonderful cocktails in this photo....lol....but IT'S FRIDAY!!!...



Our bartender friend made us one of these last week and it tastes EXACTLY like Juicy Fruit gum



1 part Three Olive Bubble Gum vodka

1 part Banana liquor

splash of ginger ale



Try this!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - SNEAKY TEQUILA!

So refreshing on these dog days of summer...although today on the coast...GORGEOUS!!!! Be careful with this one...it "SNEAKS" up on you...!!!!



4 parts tequila

4 parts coconut rum

1 part peach schnapps

splash of pineapple juice

splash of cranberry juice

garnish with pineapple wedge



Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into an ice filled tall glass. Garnish with the pineapple wedge.



KEEP IT SUMMER FOREVER!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 3 SHOT FRIDAY!

I have noticed a new trend in the bar scene lately..that in itself is scary...remember the peanut butter and jelly shot? Bartenders on their slow moments tend to look at "the inventory" and start mixing concoctions in shot glasses to try to come up with the flavors we all remember. So at one of our recent visits to a local joint...we got an Oatmeal Cookie shot, Green Tea shot and the best of all Key Lime Pie shot....here goes..pretty much the ingredients are equal amounts of each liquor unless listed, but adjust to your taste....

Oatmeal Cookie

1 oz Butter schnapps

1 oz Hot Dam cinnamon schnapps

1 oz Baileys

* tastes jut like an oatmeal cookie----seriously!

Green Tea

1 oz Jameson Whisky

hint of sour apple pucker

1 oz gingerale

* a little heavy but Rachel you would love this

Key Lime Pie

1 oz Midori

1 oz Vanilla Vodka

1 oz Malibu Rum

hint of Rose's lime juice

squirt of whipped cream (YES)

*My Favorite...tastes just like the pie...could drink a whole glass of this...maybe I did????

3 SHOT FRIDAY!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - PATRIOTS ABSOLUT PEAR-fect SEASON!

FOOTBALL IS ON!!!! This cocktail complete with New England blueberries is for all the New England Patriot fans!!! Can't wait for the season to begin!

Ingredients:

2 parts Absolut Pear Vodka

1/4 part lemon juice

10 blueberries

1/2 tbl simple syrup

lemon lime soda

garnish with blueberries, raspberries and a mint sprig

Muddle the blueberries and simple syrup in a glass. Add the vodka and lemon juice. Shake and strain into a tall glass with ice. Top with lemon lime soda and garnish with blueberries, raspberries and mint.

GO PATS!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 46 WHISKY SMASH

Simply put - for the whisky lover in all of us! There are a few variations...but I like the one with the splash of champagne on top..of course.

Looking forward to a great week with family and friends!!!

2 oz Makers Mark

4 mint leaves

one lemon wedge

one lime wedge

splash of Pomegranate liqueur

splash of simple syrup

splash of champagne

In a glass muddle all ingredients except the champagne. Strain into a glass with ice and top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Happy Summer!

ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 4TH OF JULY PATRIOT!

Gotta love this holiday for all it's Patriotic meaning....but also as it inaugurates us into SUMMER!!!! This is a super refreshing cocktail and so fun if you can get the layering down. You can make big batches of the red ingredients and the blue ingredients and just put them together as you serve.

Red Ingredients:
1 oz watermelon schnapps
splash of cranberry juice


Blue Ingredients:
1 jalapeno thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 lime thinly sliced
1-1/2 oz tequila
1/4 oz blue curacao
1/2 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water - heated until sugar dissolves)

Mix watermelon schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker and pour over ice. In another shaker muddle (crush) the jalapeno, lemon and lime with the tequila, curacao and simple syrup. Slowly strain the blue ingredients into the glass over red ingredients with ice.

Garnish with a watermelon slice.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL!
ENJOY!