Thanksgiving Cocktails

Thanksgiving is in three days.  Here are a few cocktails that you can add to your menu and impress your guests with your bartending skills. Even the non-drinkers will be impressed by your skill and originality.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 part kahlua
• 1 part spiced pumpkin pie filling
• 2 parts coconut rum
• 4 parts cold milk
• 6 ice cubes
• Garnish with cinnamon

Put everything but the cinnamon in a blender. Mix on high. Serve in graham cracker crust highball glasses and sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

Smashing Pumpkin Spice

• 1 part Goldschlager
• 1 part Irish Crème
• 1 part Kahlua
• Cinnamon candies
• Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice

Drop 3-4 cinnamon candies in the bottom of a martini glass. Mix the Goldschlager, Irish Crème, and Kahlua in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top.

Gingersnap

• ½ part ginger brandy
• 1 part spiced rum
• 4 parts eggnog
• Crumbled gingersnaps

Put your gingersnaps in a blender and grind until you have cookie crumbs. Use the cookies to rim highball glasses. Mix the eggnog, rum, and brandy in your glasses. Serve with an intact gingersnap for dunking.

Royal Cider Grog

• 6 parts apple cider
• 1 part Crown Royal
• Cinnamon sticks

Warm the apple cider in a mug. Top it with the Crown Royal and stir with a cinnamon stick.

Malibu Baked Apple

• 2 parts coconut rum
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 3 parts apple juice
• Dried apple rings

Mix all 3 in a microwave safe glass and heat until toasty warm. Garnish with a dried apple ring.

Rock Gobbler

• 1 part Wild Turkey
• 2 parts Cranberry Juice
• 2 parts Chambord
• 2 parts Amaretto

Mix everything in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Caramel Apple Martini

• 1 part vodka
• 2 parts sour apple liquor
• 2 parts butterscotch liquor
• Caramel candy

Drop a small caramel candy into a martini glass. Mix everything else in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into the martini glass.

Turkey Shooter

• 3 parts Wild Turkey
• 1 part crème de methe

Chill both ingredients. Pour the Wild Turkey into a brandy snifter then carefully float the crème de methe on top. The whiskey will warm you up while the mint flavor keeps you cool.

Turkey Trot

• 1 part bourbon
• 2 parts 7-Up
• 2 parts cranberry juice

Mix everything in a highball glass and drink on the rocks.

Butterball

• 1 part amaretto
• 1 part butterscotch schnapps
• Whipped cream

Pour amaretto into a shot glass and layer the schnapps on top. Top with a dash of whipped cream. Throw it back as a single shot.

Source: FoodVu

Happy Hour Friday

Almond Joy & Milky Way Martinis

Almond Joy Martini

1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka

1 oz. Frangelica

1 oz. coconut rum

Shake together while chilling and pour.

Milky Way Martini

1 1/2 oz. Starbucks Cream Liqueur

1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka

1/2 oz. cream

Shake together while chilling and pour.

Source: Fine Living

Happy Hour Friday

Texas Twister

Ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3 oz. high-quality tequila
1-1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
1-1/2 to 2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 pint frozen limeade
Splash of Corona (or your favorite Mexican beer)
Splash of your favorite red wine such as Zinfandel
2 cups crushed ice

Preparation:

Blend all ingredients with ice in blender until smooth. Pour into a chilled margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Yield: Two drinks

Source: Fine Living

Cinco De Mayo - Margarita Time

Most people drink a Classic Margarita when going out. I like the flavored margaritas such as Peach or Mango, so I was happy to see that Hostess with the Mostess had 10 unique flavors of margaritas. Below are my favorites from the ten.


Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients:
32 ounces Pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about two juicy limes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup orange flavored liquor

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients. Place in a freezer and mix every 20 minutes for up to 1 hour until the mixture has a slushy frozen texture (or freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions). Serve frozen or chilled over ice.

Prickly Pear Margaritas
serves 6

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups crushed ice
3 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
3 oz. frozen limeade
6 Tequila
4 1/2 oz. Cointreau
3 oz. prickly pear cactus juice
3 T. sugar
Lime wedges and kosher salt for garnish

Instructions:
In a blender, add all of the ingredients (minus the garnish) and pulse it until the ice is completely blended. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.

Rub some of the lime around the rim of the glasses and then dip the glasses into the salt. Pour in the drink and garnish with a lime. Enjoy!

Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:
2 parts, watermelon juice
1 part, orange liquor
1 part, tequila
1/2 lime, squeezed into shaker

Instructions: Add all ingredients into a shaker, shake well and pour into glass.
You could also choose to garnish with lime wedges instead of a watermelon chunk. You may opt to make these super strong or fairly light; play around with the measurements to get a drink that suits your event.

I found this Chocolate Margarita at Margarita Texas. This site has a number of different margaritas to choose from, since I like Chocolate Martinis, the Chocolate Margarita appealed to me.

Chocolate Margarita Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz tequila (any kind)

1 oz Godiva liquor

2 tablespoon chocolate syrup

3/4 oz cream or half and half

2 oz orange juice

Stirrings Cocoa RimmerIce

Instructions:
Rim the glass with the cocoa rimmer. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and pour into a glass.

To see the other seven margaritas from Hostess with the Mostess, click here.

Source:

Pomegranate Margarita: Skinny Chef

Prickly Pear Margarita: My Sweet and Saucy

Watermelon Margarita: Eat Boutique

Chocolate Margarita: Margarita Texas

Chocolate Martini

A Cocktail Celebration inspired by the Chocolate Martini

Chocolate Martini

1 1/2 shots Godiva® chocolate liqueur
1 1/2 shots creme de cacao
1/2 shot vodka
2 1/2 shots half-and-half

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

Recipe from Drinks Mixer Photo from My Recipes.


Today, Polka Dot Bride featured a great inspiration board for a wedding inspired by the chocolate martini. You know I love chocolate martinis, it’s one of my favorite cocktails!. I couldn’t help but share this delicious idea. Go over to Polka Dot Bride right now to find more ideas and inspiration for this awesome event…do so by clicking here.

Wedding gown by Mariana Hardwick, cake from Brides, boutonnieres from Martha Stewart Weddings, programs from Brides, chocolate martini from My Recipes, cigars from The Fairmount Bride, chocolate desserts from Koko Black, Bircage Veil from ktjean, Lounge photo from Theobroma Chocolate Lounge, polka dot stockings and shoes from Jigsaw

Cocktails

In celebration of my birthday today, I am sharing a few cocktails that I have found and enjoy.

Snickertini

Snickertini

*note: 2 tablespoons=1 ounce…and drink responsibly!

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, for rimming

2 ounces dark creme de cacao (recommended: Dekuyper)

1 ounce Irish cream liqueur (recommended: Bailey’s)

1 ounce hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)

1 ounce light creamMint sprigs, for garnish

Dip the rim of each glass in water and then in the cocoa powder; set aside.
Pour the remaining ingredients, except for the mint, in a cocktail shaker, half-filled with ice cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glasses. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and serve.
Makes 2 servings. *This is a great substitue for the chocolate martini.

Pomtini (Pomegranate Martini)

Ingredients:

2 oz. Citrus Vodka

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/4 oz. fresh pomegranate juice

1 oz. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Coconut Grove

· 1½ ounces Malibu (or other coconut-flavored rum)
· ½ cup coconut sorbet or gelato
· 1 ounce fresh lime juice
· 1 ounce coconut milk
· Pineapple wedge
· Dusting of ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients but the garnishes in a blender with ½ cup ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the pineapple, and sprinkle the top with nutmeg.

Anyone of these cocktails can be used for a signature drink during your wedding or event.

Source

Snickertini

Pomtini

Coconut Grove