Tag Archives: cocktail

Anyone else dreaming of warm weather and sunny days?  I have a case of the Winter Blues and am thinking back to a fun summer weekend where we made “bucket drinks” to enjoy on a pontoon ride.  If you aren’t familiar with “bucket drinks”, they are cocktails made in plastic buckets…. like a jumbo, fruity cocktail.  And they are delicious! We made Blue Hawaiian Tropical Bucket Cocktails.  As the name states, they are tropical… and full of booze and fruit juice and garnished with some fun fruit, candy, and glitter.  We actually made them multiple weekends in a row after finding the perfect combination of each ingredient, and let me tell you, I’m craving a pontoon ride, sunshine, and a jumbo bucket cocktail right about now 😊 The recipe can be found here. You will need 32 oz plastic beverage buckets.  You can find them on Amazon (click here) or perhaps a local party supply store.  Make sure to wash them before … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  Do you plan to celebrate with your significant other, kids, or perhaps host a Galentine’s Day celebration?  We like to do something every year but it’s never the same thing.  Some years we go out, some years we stay in, and some years we postpone until we can figure out what we want to do.  Whatever you end up doing (or not doing), I hope you enjoy it! One tradition of mine is to ALWAYS make a beverage or 2 and a dessert or 2 to celebrate during the month of February.  I try to make simple recipes that don’t take a lot of time or ingredients and are something anyone could whip up at home.  Here’s what I have for you this year: Strawberry Pink Hot Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Martini Love Letter Pastries Strawberry Puff Pastry Hearts   Now let’s walk through how to make each recipe: STRAWBERRY PINK HOT … Continue reading

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Occasionally during the winter, I start craving warmer weather, fruity cocktails, and a beach somewhere tropical.  Who doesn’t?  But we live in MN and that’s not a reality this time of year.  To curb the winter blues, I sometimes make fruity cocktails at home to feel a little more cheerful about the amount of snow outside 😊 I’m going to share with you 2 new cocktail recipes using Starburst Infused Vodka.  You read that right…I infused vodka with Starburst candy.  It was super simple and didn’t take any effort to make but patience is required to allow the vodka to sit for a few days. The cocktail recipes can be found here: Cherry Limeade with Starburst Infused Vodka Strawberry Lemonade with Starburst Infused Vodka   You want to start by infusing the vodka.  Use a fairly nice vodka because it’s literally 2 ingredients: vodka and Starbursts.  And you want to enjoy the cocktail, not feel like you ordered some … Continue reading

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Christmas is a time for family, friends, food, and of course, cocktails!  I want to share 4 new martini recipes with you today.  All are fun, festive, and sure to get you in the holiday spirit.  Here’s what I have for you: Ornamentini Sugar Cookie Martini Eggnog Martini Holiday Spice Martini   ORNAMENTINI These are super fun to make and are a great way to serve martinis to your guests.  I think they would make great place settings at a dinner party, or you can make them ahead of time and save them to serve as an after-dinner drink.  It’s a very merry martini with a citrusy flavor! The recipe can be found here. Start by adding one rosemary sprig and a few cranberries to the bottom of 2 martini glasses.  Bonus points if you make sugared cranberries to use because they are both delicious and festive!  I opted for … Continue reading

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Look no further for fun and festive martinis that are packed with seasonal flavors and are delicious to drink!  I have 4 recipes to share with you today.  All are great for holiday parties or family gatherings because they are simple to make and don’t require many ingredients, and you probably have most of the ingredients at home already.  Here are the recipes: Espresso Martini Snickerdoodle Martini Mint Chocolate Martini Salted Caramel Martini   ESPRESSO MARTINI This martini tastes just like boozy espresso and it’s phenomenal…if you like coffee! Start by making the instant espresso, and let it cool completely.  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the vodka, Kahlua, espresso, and simple syrup.  Shake vigorously then strain into a martini glass.  Enjoy! This recipe is for ONE cocktail and can be found HERE. SNICKERDOODLE MARTINI This martini tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie.  It’s perfectly sweet with a hint of spice. Start by combining 2 Tbsp of … Continue reading

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I recently posted a blog for Halloween food called Ghouls, Ghosts, & Goblins Alike but now it’s time to talk cocktails!  I think cocktails can be the highlight of any party or holiday gathering and are often overlooked.  Most people tend to opt for beer or wine, something that’s simple to serve and comes in a variety of flavors.  I like to explore cocktails that are on theme to the event, easy to make, and don’t require a lot of ingredients to prepare.  That’s what I have for you today. WITCHES BREW COCKTAIL This cocktail is sweet, citrusy, and festive.  You probably have most of the ingredients on hand already but if not, they are pretty standard cocktails ingredients, so they are worth the purchase. I admittedly thought the cocktail would be more purple in color due to the combination of grenadine and blue curacao, but it actually turned out to be blacker in color.  To be honest, that’s OK … Continue reading

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Do you consider yourself outdoorsy?  If you interpret that to mean “outdoorsy” in, you like to sit on a patio with a cocktail in hand then you’ve come to the right place 😊 It’s that time of year – patio season!  And most definitely cocktail season.  Well, cocktails are really a year-round thing but there’s something about the start of summer, all the sunshine, and the opportunity to be outside with a drink in hand that calls to most Minnesotans.  I’ve been on a martini kick lately and thought it would be fun to try my hand at some fruity flavors, which is what I want to share with you today.  I tend to stay away from martinis because I think the alcohol flavor is too strong and overpowering but if you play around with different ingredients and flavor profiles, you can create some really yummy concoctions.  Here are the recipes: Blood Orange Martini Lemon Drop Martini Grapefruit Martini Strawberry Basil Martini … Continue reading

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Three words that come to mind when I think of key lime are citrus, sweet, and tart.  Key limes have a distinct lime flavor that can be hard to explain.  It’s tart without being overly acidic, very aromatic, has an elevated sense of flavor (more so than a standard lime), citrusy, and has a very subtle sweetness.  If you know, you know 😊 The flavor pairs well with many desserts, which is what I plan on sharing with you today.  Even better, it’s such a refreshing flavor that it’s perfect for this time of year! These are the recipes I have for you: Key Lime Pie Rice Krispie Bars Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Key Lime Cheesecake Parfait Key Lime Pie Martini   Key Lime Pie Rice Krispie Bars are a great combination of traditional Rice Krispie Bars loaded with key lime flavor.  They are sweet and slightly tart and everything you want in a Rice Krispie … Continue reading

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With Easter right around the corner, I want to share a few fun ideas for your celebration.  I’m strictly sticking with dessert, cocktail, and snack options here.  You don’t need me telling you what to bake for brunch or cook for dinner (or where to go out to eat if you prefer) 😊 My family has the same conversation every year about what we’re going to eat…and we always go with the exact same thing as the previous year.  It’s tradition, we know what to expect, and everyone looks forward to the meal.  I think the same applies to a lot of families out there.  So, that’s why I like to focus on the “sides” if you will.  It’s themed food that’s delicious, easy to make, and adds to the celebration in a way that doesn’t break tradition yet lets us enjoy something new.  So please enjoy the “treats” I’m sharing with you … Continue reading

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Thank goodness for cocktails!  Having a cocktail can be like a little vacation or perhaps a way to relax after a hard day of work.  This time of year, it’s a way to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring as we look forward to all the snow melting, flowers starting to bloom, and warmer days.  I’ve been working on some fun cocktails and hope you will continue reading to join me on this experience 😊 I chose to garnish each cocktail with an edible flower.  I won’t talk about the process for me to obtain the edible flowers but know it was not easy during the winter when I was working on the recipes, and I am forever grateful for the Festival Foods employees that came to my rescue.  If you do happen to luck out and find edible flowers at your local grocery store, I highly recommend purchasing some.  They don’t taste like much but make … Continue reading

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