3 cups cranberry juice, chilled
1 cup orange juice, chilled
1 bottle (750 ml.) sparkling wine, chilled
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In a large pitcher (at least 2 1/2 qt.), combine cranberry juice, orange juice, and sparkling wine. Serve immediately, in champagne flutes.
Bourbon-Spiked Peach Tea
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches, divided (about 2 medium peaches)
1 cup bourbon
4 cups freshly brewed iced tea, unsweetened
In a saucepan over high heat combine the water, lemon juice, sugar, and 1 cup of peaches. Allow the mixture to come to a boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once the peach syrup has cooled, pour it into a 2-quart pitcher. Add the bourbon, the remaining 1 cup peaches, and the iced tea. Stir to combine and serve over ice.
Blueberry Lavender Vodka Spritzer
For the Blueberry Lavender Simple Syrup:
1 C. water
1 C. sugar
1 C. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
4 sprigs lavender
For the Blueberry Lavender Vodka Spritzer:
1 C. blueberries (frozen or fresh)
2 C. vodka
4 ounces lime juice (fresh)
Club soda
Garnish: fresh sprigs lavender
Combine the water, sugar, and blueberries in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and add the lavender sprigs. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain and pour into a jar, as you pour, use a masher to squeeze all the remaining juice from the berries. In a glass pitcher combine vodka, 3/4 C. of the blueberry lavender simple syrup, lime juice and club soda. Add ice and a healthy handful of frozen or fresh blueberries. When you’re ready to pour you can garnish with some more blueberries and a sprig of lavender. Tips: You can even make the simple syrup ahead of time for your next event and mix the drinks for you and your guests with ease come party time. Or, keep the ready-made simple syrup on hand for any day of the week–you never know when you’ll need a refreshing pick-me-up.
4 quarts water
10 litchi tea bags
1/2 C. ginger juice
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1/4 C. fresh lime juice
1/2 C. sugar
2 C. cranberry-flavored vodka
Lemon and lime slices, for garnish
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Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, ginger, lemon, and lime juices and sugar. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and cool the tea. Stir to be sure that the sugar is dissolved, and place in a large pitcher. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, add the vodka to the tea and serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon and or lime slices.
1 1/2 lb. (about 60) cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
1/2 C. tomato juice
1/4 C. vodka, if desired
1/2 tsp. red pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. celery salt
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 C. cocktail sauce
1/4 C. finely chopped green olives
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Arrange shrimp in single layer in rectangular glass or plastic dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches.   Heat tomato juice, vodka and pepper sauce to boiling in 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in sugar; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in celery salt and parsley; pour over shrimp. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.   Mix cocktail sauce and olives; pour into small serving bowl. Remove shrimp from marinade with slotted spoon; arrange on serving platter. Serve shrimp with sauce and toothpicks.  Don’t marinate the shrimp more than 3 hours; a longer time in the tomato juice will toughen the shrimp.
LEMON DROP MARTINI CUBES
3 3-oz. pkg. lemon-flavor gelatin
2 ¾ cups boiling water
1 cup vodka
6 Tbsp, lemon juice
Nonstick cooking spray
Sugar and/or lemon slices
In a large bowl stir together lemon gelatin and boiling water until completely dissolved. Add vodka and lemon juice. Coat a 3-qt. rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Pour gelatin mixture into dish. Chill 3 hours or until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Serve in sugar-rimmed cocktail glasses with lemon slices.
number of servings 6
per Serving 260 cal., o g fat, o mg chol., 244 mg sodium, 42 g carb., o g fiber, 41 g sugars, 4gpro.
Limoncello
10 large lemons
4 C. (946 ml) 100 proof grain vodka
4 C. (946 ml) water
3 3â„4 C. granulated sugar
Peel the lemons, making sure not to get any of the white pith (reserve the remainder of the lemons
for another use). In a large airtight container, combine the vodka and lemon peel, cover, and let the
flavors infuse for 5 days. In a 3-quart pan, add the water and the sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Add the simple syrup to the infused alcohol and then set aside for 2 more days. Strain the mixture
through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass bottle and discard the lemon zest. Serve chilled.
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup pink grapefruit juice
Champagne or sparkling wine, enough to fill champagne flute
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Pour cranberry juice and grapefruit juice into a champagne flute or a thin glass. Fill the remaining flute or glass with champagne or sparkling wine. Serve immediately and keep the juices and bubbly chilled for refills.
1 C. brewed espresso, chilled
3/4 C. vodka
1/2 C. Paula’s Texas Orange (or another orange liqueur)
1/2 C. Kahlua
1 C. ice
Sliced blood oranges
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Place ice in a cocktail pitcher and pour espresso, vodka, orange liqueur, and Kahlua over it; stir to combine and continue stirring for several seconds to chill the mixture; pour into four martini glasses while straining out the ice, and garnish each with a slice of blood orange.
8 large scallops
1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1 lime halved
Tequila
Olive oil
In a bowl mix the chilies, juice of half the lime, a little oil and a few shots of tequila. Put the scallops in and coat thoroughly. Allow to marinade for 1/2 an hour, then thread the white pieces onto 2 skewers. Bar-b-que until done, careful not to overcook, else they will turn rubbery.
1 ¾ Liters Malibu Coconut Rum
1 Liter Triple Sec
20 Ounces Margarita Mix
Mix all ingredients in a large punch bowl. Serve well chilled.
2 L. 7-UP
1 Magnum Champagne
1 qt. Lime Sherbet
Fruit Slices such as oranges, pineapple etc.
Soften the lime sherbet. It should be almost soupy, but not quite. Place one half of the quart in a large punch bowl. Pour the champagne and the 7-UP at the same time, over the sherbet until the bowl is full. Stir until mixed, but not vigorously. Add some of the fruit slices for color. This tastes very creamy and refreshing. You can make it non alcoholic by using ginger ale and 7-UP.
1 1/4oz Rum
3/4 oz Blue curacao
4 oz pineapple juice
1 C. crushed ice.
Blend until smooth.
2 ounces Raspberry Stoli
2 ounces Vanilla Stoli
1/2 ounce Chambord or Raspberry wine
1/2 ounce Blueberry Puree
Shake well, garnish with blueberries.
1 – 6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
6 ounces of dark rum
Fresh fruit: 1 large peach, OR 4 apricots, OR 1 basket strawberries, OR 2 nectarines, OR anything else that tastes good.
Ice
Place the lemonade concentrate in the blender jar. Fill the empty can with rum and pour it into the blender. Add the fresh fruit. Blend until mixed. Add ice to top of blender and blend at high speed until mixed. Serve at once in chilled glasses.
2 C. (16oz) Budweiser
2 small onions, sliced
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns
2 celery ribs
2 tsp. salt
1/2 lemon, quartered
2 lb shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Pour beer in large pot; add onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, celery and salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Add lemon and shrimp; simmer 12 minutes. Remove from heat, chill well.
40
ml Malibu
30 ml blue curacao
Sprite
Sugar
Lemon slice
Take a lemon and rub it along the outside rim of the glass. Put a small saucer with a sugar on a table. Turn the glass over and dip the outside rim of the glass into the sugar. Mix the ingredients without sprite and pour into a cocktail glass. After that add sprite in the cocktail glass, too. Make a spiral from the lemon and decorate your cocktail.
1/2 lime
Coarse salt
1 1/4 ounces gold tequila
3/4 ounce Grand Marnier
1/2 to 1 tsp. Green Jalapeño Pepper Sauce
Rub rim of a goblet with cut side of lime, then dip rim into saucer of salt. Fill glass with ice. Squeeze juice from lime. Pour lime juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, and TABASCO Green Sauce into an ice-filled cocktail shaker or pitcher and shake or stir vigorously. Strain into ice-filled glass and garnish with a slice of lime. Variation: Use Margarita or sweet and sour mix to make drink as directed on label. Shake in 1/2 to 1 tsp. TABASCO Green Sauce per drink and stir.
30ml vodka
15ml blue curacao
lemonade
Fill a highball glass with ice, add the vodka and blue curacao.
1/2 C. raspberries
3 T. Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)
2 tsp. sugar
1 half bottle (375ml) demi-sec Champagne or other semidry sparkling wine, chilled
Gently stir together raspberries, Chambord, and sugar in small bowl, then macerate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 2. Spoon 2 T. raspberries with some juice into each of 2 glasses and slowly top off with champagne.
3oz light rum
2oz blue Curacao
1/2 C. unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 C. well stirred canned cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez
3 C. ice cubes
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Garnish with a pineapple wedge
5 ml smirnoff no. 21 vodk
a (chilled in freezer)
20 ml sour raspberry liqueur
20 ml blue curacao
5 ml lime cordial
180 ml cranberry juice cocktail
4 -5 ice cubes
Pre-chill vodka in freezer. (Recommended: Pre-chill all ingredients instead of using too much ice; which can dilute the drink). Pre-chill large/9 ounce wine glass in freezer. Add about 4-6 ice cubes into the wine glass. Add vodka, raspberry liqueur, blue curacao, lime cordial, and cranberry cocktail. Stir or shake gently and serve.
2 tablespoons dry cranberries
1/2 cup organic pear nectar
32 ounces Moscato d’Asti wine
8 small sprigs fresh rosemary
Put cranberries in a small bowl; add 2 tablespoons warm water. Soak until cool, about 15 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and refrigerate until serving. Divide pear nectar evenly among eight tall champagne glasses. Add cranberries, and then gently pour the Moscato d’Asti into the glasses. Garnish each with a rosemary sprig.
Add 1 oz. (30ml) Ciroc Raspberry to glass with ice. Top with Sprite/7up, until 3/4 full. Add a Splash of Grenadine and ½ oz. (15ml) Blue Curacao. Garnish with cherry and lime if desired.
1 1/2oz light rum
1/2oz triple sec
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. maraschino liqueur or kirsch
Sparkling water to taste
Garnish: maraschino cherry
Shake all ingredients except sparkling water in a cocktail shaker with 1 C. ice cubes, then strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Add sparkling water and stir.
This dessert is reminiscent of a cocktail and is the epitome of refreshing on a hot summer night. Basil can be substituted for the mint.
2 bulbs fennel
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 bunches mint, leaves plucked from stems
4 limes, juiced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 C. gin
1 egg white
Chop fennel. Place in a nonreactive pot and add 4 C. water. Cover and simmer until very tender, approximately 30 minutes. Cool completely. Combine 1 1/2 C. water with sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Cool simple syrup completely.. Purée the fennel with the water it was cooking in, 2 C. simple syrup, mint, lime juice, salt, gin, and egg white in a blender for 1 minute. Strain through a cheesecloth. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Process in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
6 C. pitted chopped ripe apricots
3 C. granulated sugar
½ C. Rosé wine
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
1 tsp. unsalted butter
Preserving apricots with vanilla and wine plays up the flavor of apricots beautifully without overpowering the fruit. Place a couple small plates in the freezer, these will be used to test the preserves later. In an 8-quart heavy bottomed stainless steel pot, add all the preserve ingredients. Place pot on the stove over medium-high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Skim off the pale yellow foam that forms at the top and discard. Stir the preserves frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. After about 25 minutes, begin testing the preserves by placing a small amount on a cold plate. Transfer the plate to the freezer for several minutes. If the cooled preserve is the desired consistency, then it is ready for final processing. If not, cook a few more minutes and check again. To process jars: Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids. Ladle the hot preserves into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace at the top. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars and place flat lid and band on each jar. Tighten bands just finger-tight. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil for 8 minutes to process. Transfer the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 2 hours, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center; if the lid gives and makes a clicking sound when pressed, it hasn’t sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Sealed jars can be labeled and stored in a dark and cool place.
3/4 to 1 C. tequila
1/3 to 1/2 C. blue curaçao or other orange-flavor liqueur
3/4 to 1 C. canned coconut milk
1/4 to 1/3 C. lime juice
1 1/2 to 2 C. frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 1/2 to 2 C. frozen unsweetened blueberries
3 to 4 C. ice cubes
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. fresh or dried lavender blossoms
Lime wedge
Lavender sprigs, rinsed (optional)
In a blender, combine tequila, curaçao, coconut milk, and lime juice. Cover and turn to high speed, then gradually add raspberries, blueberries, and ice. Whirl until margarita mixture is smooth and slushy. Put sugar and lavender blossoms in a small bowl. Rub with your fingers or mash with a spoon to release some of the lavender flavor. Rub glass rims with lime wedge to moisten. Dip rims in lavender sugar, coating evenly. Pour margaritas into sugar-rimmed glasses. Garnish with lavender sprigs.
6 Beaten Eggs
2 C. Milk
1/3 C. Sugar
2-4 T. Light Rum
2-4 T. Bourbon
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Whipping Cream
2 T. Sugar
Ground Nutmeg
In large heavy saucepan mix eggs, milk, and 1/3 C. sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a sink or bowl of ICE water and stirring 1-2 minutes. Stir in rum, bourbon, and vanilla. Chill 4-24 hours. At serving time, in a bowl, whip cream and 2 T. sugar until soft peaks form. Transfer cold egg mixture to serving bowl. Fold in whip creamed mixture. Serve immediately with one or several of the following: ground nutmeg, chocolate curls, peppermint sticks, orange slices, maraschino cherries, cinnamon sticks, whipping cream, whipped, sherbet, ice cream, flavored brandy or liqueur, plain brandy, rum or whiskey.
Mix 1 1/2 C. ground Coffee with six cups water. Bring to a boil; turn off and allow to steep. In large pot combine 2 cups water and 4 cups sugar. Simmer until sugar is fully dissolved. Strain coffee and add to sugar water; allow to cool. Add 2 ounces vanilla, 4 cups karo corn syrup, 1 qt. 180 proof grain alcohol. Pour into jug. Add scored vanilla bean. Age 30 days before serving.
Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach Cosmo
2 oz Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach
1 oz cranberry juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a twist.
5 C. pomegranate juice)
2 1/2 C. vodka
1/3 C. orange-flavored liqueur
1/3 C. fresh lime juice
2 1/2 C. chilled ginger ale
In a pitcher, combine pomegranate juice, vodka, orange-flavored liqueur, and fresh lime juice. Cover and chill until very cold, at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale. Pour into ice-filled glasses. If desired, garnish glasses with thin orange slices.
1
(10-oz.) can frozen mojito mix
3/4 C. tequila
1/4 C. whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 T. orange liqueur or Triple Sec
2 T. fresh lime juice
Ice
Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender. Fill blender with ice to 5-C. level, and process until smooth. Serve immediately.
Rhubarb syrup is vividly pink and brightly flavored. Try using the colorful syrup over ice cream or pound cake, in all sorts of mixed drinks, and to make your own strawberry rhubarb sorbet.
Rhubarb Simple Syrup
1 C. rhubarb, cut into half inch chunks
1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/4 C. water
Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rhubarb is falling apart, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a fine mesh strainer, strain syrup from rhubarb solids. Reserve solids for another use. (For example, mix solids with lemon juice for luscious rhubarb jam.) Return strained syrup to stove top and simmer for an additional 25 minutes or until the syrup coats a spoon and has become brightly pink. Cool syrup, transfer to a sealed container, and keep refrigerated.
Makes 1 C.
Rhubarb Bloom
1 1/2 oz. No. 209 gin
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. rhubarb simple syrup
8 mint leaves
1 sprig mint
Combine gin, lime juice, syrup and mint leaves in a pint glass, add ice and shake very hard. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.
Flamingo Soda
2/3 C. freshly squeezed orange and/or lemon juice
1/3 C. rhubarb simple syrup
Soda water to your liking.
Pour the juices and rhubarb syrup in a large glass over ice. Pour soda water until it reaches the top. Taste and add more syrup if it needs sweetening.
Sunrise Cocktail
1 dash of angostura bitters
1 sugar cube
1 tsp. rhubarb simple syrup
Cold, dry champagne
Twist of orange peel
Add a dash of bitters to sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled champagne glass. Add rhubarb syrup and slowly pour in the champagne. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
1 quart loosely packed Japanese honeysuckle blossoms or elderberry flowers (no leaves)
Vodka, preferably 100-proof
Simple syrup, to taste
Put the blossoms in a quart-size canning jar and add vodka to cover them completely; push them down with a spoon if necessary. Put the lid on the jar and set it aside in a cool, dark spot for 3 to 4 days. It’ll turn a pretty amber color, and the blossoms will become a dark brown—this is fine. Rinse and squeeze out a heavy-duty paper towel and use it to line a fine-mesh sieve set over a large glass measuring cup. Strain the infused vodka into the cup. and discard the solids. Funnel the vodka into a clean bottle that will hold about a quart. Add simple syrup to taste—the cordial should be fairly sweet; the syrup will also serve to dilute the alcohol content, and you can also add a bit of water now or when you serve it (chilled, over ice, in small doses), or use it in cocktails.
1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Blueberries, plus more for garnish
12 fresh mint sprigs, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon peach preserves
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) lime juice
Ice
1/4 cup (2 ounces) spiced rum
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) Smucker’s Blueberry Syrup
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda
1 lime, quartered, for garnish
Place blueberries, mint, peach preserves and lime juice in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add ice, rum and blueberry syrup. Shake vigorously to blend. Strain into double old fashioned glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with additional sprinkle of blueberries and quartered lime on top. Add additional mint sprig if you like.
Chamomile Honey Syrup
3/4 water
1/3 C. honey
1-2 chamomile tea bags
For the Drinks
3 oz. fresh grapefruit juice (about half of 1 grapefruit
2-4 tsp. chamomile honey syrup (depending on your taste)
2 oz. tequila (omit to make a virgin version)
4 fresh strawberries, sliced
sparkling water, for topping off
crushed ice
Chamomile Honey Syrup: Combine water and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil, simmer 1 minute and remove from the heat. Add the tea bag, cover and steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the syrup to cool completely. Store in the fridge.
For the Drinks: Add the grapefruit juice, chamomile syrup, tequila and strawberries to a glass. Use a muddler (or even the end of a rolling pin), gently push the strawberries down until they release their juices and are lightly smashed. Add a handful of ice and then add sparkling water to top off. Give the drink a gentle stir. Taste and add more chamomile syrup if desired. Garnish with fresh chamomile flowers and strawberries if desired
1/4 C. local honey
2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Strip of lemon peel (optional)
Combine 1/4 C. honey and 1/4 C. water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir until the honey dissolves. Let cool and then store in the refrigerator. (This recipe makes slightly too much simple syrup. Save the remainder to sweeten other drinks – even your iced coffee.) Measure 3/4 oz. honey simple syrup with gin, lemon juice and ice. Shake vigorously and strain. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Sleepy Hollow Cider
2 bottles (64 oz. each) apple cider or juice
2 cinnamon sticks (3 in.)
3/4 tsp. whole cloves
1/2 of a whole nutmeg
Pumpkin spice-infused vodka (recipe follows; optional)
In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until steaming, about 14 minutes. Reduce heat to low to keep hot. Set pan on a tabletop burner or warming tray. Or pour into a thermos or insulated pitcher. Ladle or pour into C. and add vodka to taste (if desired).
Pumpkin Spice-infused Vodka: Cut 1 vanilla bean (6 in.) in half lengthwise. With a vegetable peeler, shave 12 thin ribbons (4 to 6 in. long and about 1 in. wide) off a rinsed piece of pumpkin or banana squash. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart jar, combine vanilla, pumpkin, 1/2 of a whole nutmeg, and 1 bottle (750 ml. or 1 qt.) vodka. Seal jar and let stand at least 4 days or up to 3 months. The flavor intensifies the longer it stands; remove flavorings once vodka tastes as strong as you like.
Grapefruit Tequila Slammer
4 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
2 oz. silver tequila
2 oz. 7-up
Grapefruit segments, garnish
Add first 3 ingredients to glass with ice. Cover top of glass with your hand and give it a good slam against your countertop (or wooden cutting board) to get it to mix and fizz up. Garnish with grapefruit.