Thirsty Thursday - Mom-A-Licious Summer-tini

This weeks Thirsty Thursday cocktail is brought to you by

Better Homes and Gardens.

But has , of course , been adapted by ME :)

If you would like to see the origanial recipe you can find it on my cocktail pin board HERE

or at bhg.com HERE.

6 fresh raspberries

( like the ones I am fortunate enough to get from my Mother In Law )

3 basil leaves

3 ounces vodka

1 ounce raspberry liqueur

( Schnapps or RazzleDazzle )

Muddle the raspberries and basil together in the bottom of your cocktail shaker.

(Slightly mashing the berries )

Add vodka , liqueur and ice to the shaker.

Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds

 ( this is where I like to interject a little hip shake )

Strain into a martini glass

( or not , I see no reason to waste the berries )

If you are feeling fancy , you can garnish with more fresh berries.

Additional tip :

Freeze the garnish berries first to help keep your cocktail cold.

( although mine don't last long enough to get warm... )

I actually do that with any fruit I'm planning on using.

I keep lemons and limes ( sliced ) in the freezer for that reason.

Cheers Friends !

Thirsty Thursday

This weekend's new cocktail combines two of my favs that have I talked about MANY times,

Sangria and Martinis.

The Sangria Martini 

Sounds too good to be true right ?

Well , here it is ...

First you make the Sangria simple syrup ( which , personally , I think can be used in a LOT of cocktails ), in 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix sangria simple syrup ingredients. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool 30 minutes. Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer; discard solids. Cover and chill sangria syrup until ready to use. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Sangria Simple Syrup

1

cup sugar

1

cup red wine, such as Merlot or Zinfandel

1

cup dark sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved

1

stick cinnamon

Strips of orange peel from 1 medium orange (orange part only)

 Then get to shakin ! Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka and orange liqueur to cocktail shaker; cover and shake. Strain into martini glass. Drizzle sangria syrup into cocktail in glass. This will give it that layer look. Garnish with cherry.

 

Sangria Martini Cocktail

Ice cubes

3

tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) citron (citrus) vodka

2

tablespoons (1 oz) clear orange-flavored liqueur

2

tablespoons (1 oz) sangria simple syrup, chilled (above)

1

dark sweet cherry on a cocktail pick

YUMMO !

Did you know "sangria " means " bleeding " in Spanish?

I did not ...

You would think as much of this stuff as I make and drink , I would know that .

Kinda creepy huh ?

Thirsty Thursday - Strawberry Daiquiri Punch

Thursday is my Friday !

And I say let's get this weekend started!

The hubs is not quite the lush I am , but he does like margaritas and daiquiris.

I received this recipe in an email today .

It's going to be super hot and humid here this weekend.

Plus we have loads of fresh strawberries from my mother-in-laws strawberry bed .

So this looked like the PERFECT cocktail to make at the Trailerhood II.

From recipe.com

6 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

6 oz. can frozen limeade

3/4 cup light rum

16 oz. lemon-lime soda

2 cups ice cubes

If using fresh strawberries, remove stems and caps. For frozen strawberries, thaw the berries after measuring; do not drain.                             

Place strawberries, half at a time, in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover; blend or process until smooth. Transfer blended berries to a large pitcher. Stir in limeade concentrate and light rum. Cover; chill until serving time.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon-lime carbonated beverage and the ice. If desired, garnish with whole berries. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip

Combine blended berries with concentrate and rum . Cover and chill up to 4 hours. Add carbonated beverage and ice just before serving.

 

There is also a non-alcoholic version too .

(not that I'll use it of course)

But I think this would also be nice for a summer bridal or baby shower.

All you do is substitute pineapple juice for the rum .

There  you have it !

 

Cheers !

                                      

 

Thirsty Thrursday... Homemade Limoncello

I have been obsessed with Limoncello since the first time I saw the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.

Then Rachael Ray was always talking about how her Mom loves it.

I just had to try it.

I was so excited the first time I found it.

It was rather expensive , but I had to have it.

Disappointment.

It was VERY syrupy and not very lemony, not at all what it looked like in the movie.

Then I stumbled upon this recipe while stalking reading one of my favorite blogs , A Beach Cottage.

First you wash 10 lemons.

 I got lucky one day and found a bag of 10 at Walmart for $2.50.

Mine were not organic, so I soaked them for a bit in water, then scrubbed them really well.

Then I peeled them all.

How you do this is up to you.

 You just want to get the peel not the white pith ( that would make it bitter).

I used a ridiculously expensive veggie peeler I bought from my niece when she was trying to make money in college.

(I really do try to be a good aunt...)

I tried a paring knife first , but I felt I was getting to much of the white.

Evidentally , my knives are all dull ....

Put all the lemon peel in a glass jar  that you can seal and cover with 3 cups of vodka.

Again , your choice of brand.

I used cheap stuff.

You will be left with a bunch of naked lemons.

I made lemonade with mine.

My family LOVES fresh squeezed lemonade.

I've also read ( at A Beach Cottage, I think ) that you can slice and freeze them.

I have not tried this, but it sounds like a great idea.

Anywhoo...

Let the lemons and vodka sit for a week or a little longer.

This makes the best lemon vodka EVER !

Anywhoo.... (again)

Once they have steeped long enough and you are ready to make your limoncello,

put 3 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down and add 3 cups of sugar.

Stir until the sugar is dissolved and becomes a thin syrup.

Strain the vodka into a bowl.

Add the simple syrup.

I stirred mine gently together with a whisk.

Then I poured it into recycled wine bottles ( I always seem to have plenty , hmm..)

Now I don't have a funnel and I thought it would pour just fine from my bowl.

I was wrong.

And I did not want to waste one drop.

Sooo..

I put the wine bottles in the sauce pan I had used to make the syrup to catch any wayward drops.

Worked like a charm.

I ended up with the 3 full bottles and a small amount in a fourth bottle.

Now, you must let it sit for a few days to age.

I know, I know , this is the most difficult.

But really , you must.

Here is the original recipe from A Beach Cottage.

Beach Cottage Limoncello

10 lemons (unwaxed & organic are best)

3 1/2  cups white sugar ( I'm not sure why, as the instructions call for just 3 cups)

3 cups water

3 cups vodka

You really should check out this blog.

I never miss it.

There is something about looking at her beach when we are in the dead of winter that just sooths me.

Plus she ( Sarah ) is HILARIOUS !

You can drink your limoncello straight , on the rocks, very cold.

OR

I like to mix an once with an ounce of sweet tea vodka and an ounce of sour.

Shake well, and serve in a martini glass.

HEAVEN....

the possibilities are endless!

Warning - it is very sweet, if you don't care for sweet, sugary cocktails, but love lemon like I do,

just do the first step.

It's like lemon vodka sun tea !

I will defiantly have some on hand at the river this summer !

Linking this post to :

Show and Tell Friday@ My Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday@ At the Picket Fence http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
Pinning and Singing on the Weekend@ 5 Minutes Just for Me http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com
Potpourri Friday @ 2805 http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Fabulous Friday @ Faith,Trust and Pixie Dust http://michellelunt.blogspot.com/
Weekend Bloggy Reading : Link Up @ Serenity Now http://www.serenitynowblog.com/

Thirsty Thursday

Welcome to the first installment of Thirsty Thursday. On Thursdays , I will post recipes and pictures of some of my favorite cocktails ( and there are quite a few ! ).
In honor of my upcoming wine weekend I am sharing one of my famous ( or infamous, depending on who you talk to ) sangria recipes. I LOVE sangria! At our favorite Mexican restaurant , I am known as Grandma Sangria ( ok , we must go there too much ) !
If you like wine and people know it , you tend to get gifts of wine that maybe don't appeal to you. I NEVER waste a bottle of wine ! If it's not one I enjoy , I just save it for a Sangria Event. Sangria recipes generally make a pretty big batch so I don't like to make it unless I am having an "EVENT", besides Sangria is always best shared with friends !
Sangria is basically a wine punch made with fruit and liquor. And the great thing is there are as many combinations as there are people. You just can't do it wrong. Sometimes I add a little ginger ale or soda to a glass 3/4 full of Sangria , but again , it's all personal preference.

Today I am going to share the recipe I used for my Sangria at out Labor Day potluck at the campground . It was DELISH !
One Bottle of Merlot - I will interject here and say it's best to use a cheap wine. Why use a expensive wine when it's  flavors are just going to mingle with that of the liquor and fruit.
One Cup Raspberry Schnapps-  I like to use a sweeter liquor , like Schnapps  or brandy.
One Cup Triple Sec - I almost always use Triple Sec
One bottle of Cranberry Juice -  I always use a fruit juice of some kind , depending on the flavor combo I'm going for . I usually prefer citrus though , like,  lemonade , limeade or  even a mixed fruit punch. This particular weekend I happened to have a bottle of cranberry juice in the frig.
Sliced fruit - if you slice the fruit the flavors mingle faster. AGAIN , it's all preference. This weekend I used a lemon , lime , orange and frozen  mixed berries.
Another tip - if you freeze your sliced fruit or use frozen fruit , you don't need to use ice , which dilutes the Sangria. Who really wants diluted Sangria ? NO ONE !
 I called this one WILD Berry Sangria !  And I have to say it WAS a hit !I can't think of a better  or more affordable cocktail to serve a crowd than Sangria. Experiment with different combinations , I can honestly say I have never made two batches alike ! Give it a try !