Hurricane Sandy: The Mixed Drink

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beverages, food, foodie, hurricane, mixed drink, recipe

 

 

We’re at home another day due to Hurricane Sandy, but we are lucky enough to have electricity. Even though I made sure I had some chilled wine in the fridge, I knew it wouldn’t cut it for me today. I strolled into the dining room to visit an old friend… Evelyn. She has a very important job in our house. She houses the liquor. While perusing my choices, I saw I didn’t quite have the fixings for a hurricane. However… I could modify a classic to create a Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy: The Mixed Drink

 

Hurricane Sandy Ingredients:
1 part vodka, 1 part dark rum , 1 part amaretto, 1 part sours mix, gernadine

 

 

Hurricane Sandy Directions:
Place ice in tumbler (might as well use it before it melts, right?), layer ingredients in order. Add gernadine to taste. Garnish with a cherry or orange twist, or whatever you have on hand during a hurricane…

*For authentic Hurricane Sandy flavor, make and enjoy your drink while basking in candle light.

 

What better time to enjoy sipping on a hurricane than during one?

 

 

 

 

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Fleur-De-Lis Napkin Folding

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napkin folding, napkins

Saturday, I had a much need two-hour phone date with my sister. When our time-zones are 5 hours apart, it’s hard to find time to chat. While talking about plans for her upcoming wedding & reception, I remembered that she folded 200 napkins for Hubster & my wedding reception. Shortly after our conversation, I felt the itch to practice my folding skills again. I’m not sure if I’ll have to return the favor for her soon. And after all, it IS almost holiday season.

The fleur-de-lis napkin is an easy fold…

Step 1:Lay napkin open to create a diamond. Fold bottom of napkin up to form triangle.

Step 1

Step 2:Take left corner and fold up to top point, repeat with right corner.

Step 2

Step 3:Fold bottom up to about 1″ from top point.

Step 3

Step 4:Fold the same point down to the bottom.

Step 4

Step 5:Fold back sides and tuck in back.

Step 5

Step 6: Stand napkin up and pull down the left and right tabs to create a fleur-de-lis.

Step 6: Fleur-De-Lis Napkin Fold

Anyone else have an unusual impulses recently?

Red Cat Slushies

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birthday, drink, Entertaining, friends, friendship, postaday2011, recipe, Red Cat, slushie, wine wine trail

Today is my one best friend’s birthday. One year we did a wine tour in NY at the Finger Lakes. The first time I ever had Red Cat was at the Hazlitt 1852 Vineyard & Winery. It was towards the end of our tour on a cold and muddy November Day, but it was still a blast! After sampling wines inside, we ended out at the tent drinking Red Cat slushies. I still have my plastic, color-changing cup and think about that day every time I use it.

One Stop on the Wine Trail

You can get a slushie at the winery or make them at home…

Red Cat Slushie Recipe from Hazlitt’s Winery

In a standard counter top blender combine.
375 ml of Hazlitt Red Cat (about 1/2 bottle or adjust to your liking)
1/4 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
2 oz. Frozen Fruit Punch concentrate
Ice (fill to blender top)

Happy Birthday Mrs. H!!! I hope you don’t mind me posting this pic! XOXO

Cranberry Infused Vodka

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cranberry, drink, Entertaining, gift giving, gift ideas, Holiday, infused vodka, personalized gifts, postaday2011, recipe, vodka

I tried this a few years ago with a citrus infused vodka. I’ve been meaning to try more flavors, I just never got around to it. This is so easy, I can’t wait to make other holiday flavors!

Cranberry Infused Vodka

Ingredients:
750 mL of vodka, 1 lb. cranberries, splash of lemon juice, 1/4 c. sugar

Directions:
Wash and sort cranberries. Add cranberries, lemon juice and sugar in a sauce pan. Simmer over low heat until berries burst. Using back of the spoon, burst any reluctant berries. Place cranberries and vodka in glass jar (I use a larger carafe). Stir, cover and set aside for one week. I give mine a shake once a day. Stain and discard berries. Make sure all particles are removed from vodka. Pour infused vodka back into original bottle.

Add a few drink recipe cards and this makes a fantastic holiday gift.

What’s in your glass tonight?

Second Day of Christmas – Wine Glass Charms

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beverage, beverage charm, Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Christmas party, cocktail charm, cocktail hour, cocktail party, craft, drink charm, food, frugal, Frugality, gift, gift giving, gift ideas, handmade, handmade gift, Holiday, holiday menu, holiday season, holiday traditions, homemade, homemade gift, hostess gift, party, party favor, party favors, personalized gifts, second day of Christmas, stemware, thank you gifts, vino, wine, wine charm, wine glass

On the second day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me her Wine Glass Charms and Glass Globe Ornaments…

Simple and elegant as a gift or party favors. Make them match your holiday decor and give them to guests to keep as party favors. Customize them with a monogram and give them as a gift to the wine lover. Create a festive set and bring them to a party as your hostess gift. Kids can help  create this simple craft.

Wine Glass Charms

How To:
Select a charm and several beads, slide on hoop in desired pattern. Make sure each wine charm is unique to help guest easily recognize their glass. Place a bead of clear drying glue under the last bead to hold them on the hoop.

Approx. Cost of Project:
package of 10 hoops = $1, assorted beads = $2-4, 2 sets of charms = $5, you can make a set of 10 for under $10!

*If you’re hosting a holiday party, hand out wine charms at the beginning as a party favor. Set up a wine charm craft station; arrange little bowls of beads, charms and hoops, then your guest can each make their own wine charm.

Unfortunately all my stemware is in our storage unit, so I couldn’t model the charms in the picture. Remember to check out my blog tomorrow to see what gift idea I’ll be sharing.

2009’s Christmas Countdown – On the twelfth day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me, her chocolate Christmas fudgerecipe, chocolate bonbons, coconut clusters, cranberry almond bark, chocolate amaretto cherries, pecan turtles, raspberry chocolate truffles,gingerbread fudge, peppermint bark, dark chocolate peanut butter balls, cracked glass candy, and her peanut butter fudgerecipe…

Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends!
 

 

Mocktail Mixings

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250th post, alcohol free, autumn drinks, bachelorette, bachelorette party, beverage recipe, beverages, cocktail party, cranberry cocktail, drink recipe, drinks, favorite beverages, girls day, girls day out, girls night in, girls night out, mock mimosa, mocktail, mocktail hour, mocktail party, non-alcoholic drink, party, party ideas, recipe, shirley temple, summer drinks, virgin long island

During my girlfriend’s bachelorette party, we had a mocktail hour at my house. As I was planning the day, I knew it was supposed to include one pregnant girl, one breast-feeding and one teenage bridesmaid. So of course mocktails were our way to go. Saturday everyone was boring and stuck to Shirley Temples. I did however have the recipes and fixings for other mocktails I thought would be fun to offer…

So in honor of my 250th post (yay!), I’m going to enjoy a few mocktails myself! Here are a few fall appropriate mocktails I was ready to make…

Mocktail Mixings

Virgin Long Island Iced Tea
In a pitcher mix together 2 c. strong brewed unsweetened iced tea, 1 qt. apple cider, 1/2 c. lemon juice, 1/2 c. ginger ale. Pour in pint glasses over ice and garnish with lemon slices.

Mock Mimosa
In a champagne class, pour equal parts sparkling white grape juice and orange juice.

Cranberry Cocktail
Mix 2 parts cranberry juice an 1 part seltzer water and pour over ice.

Shirley Temple – The Classic Mocktail
In a highball glass, pour Sprite or ginger ale over ice, top off with grenadine and garnish with a few cherries.

I enjoyed my evening with my girls, it was nice to have some downtime between our day out and our evening ahead.

What unconventional celebrations have you thrown?

Summer Beverages

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alcoholic tea, BBQ, beverage, ice tea, iced tea, lemonade, limeade, limeade cocktail, party, peach iced tea, peach tea, rose spritzer, summer beverages, summer drinks, summer recipe, wine spritzer

I was recently told that I make the best lemonade and Iced Tea. Seriously? Do these people ever drink things that aren’t bottled or doesn’t come from a mix? Since it’s BBQ and party season I decided to share my summer beverage recipes perfect for entertaining any group.

Three Gallon Beverage Dispensers

Lemonade: For every gallon of water, mix together 1 c. sugar and 1 c. lemon juice. You can either use fresh squeezed lemon juice or from the bottle, but never frozen or from a mix! If I squeeze fresh lemon juice, I leave the lemon halves in the pitcher. Most people prefer the juice from the bottle, with just a few lemons as garnish.

Limeade: For every gallon of water, mix together 1/2 c. sugar and 1 c. lime juice. You can either use fresh squeezed lime juice or from the bottle, but never frozen or from a mix! If I squeeze fresh lime juice, I leave the lime halves in the pitcher. Add light rum, vodka or tequila for an adult drink.

Iced Tea: For every gallon of water, use 10 tag bags (I always use Lipton) and 3/4 c. sugar. Bring about half of the water to a boil, add tea bags and allow to steap. Squeeze tea bags to remove extra fluid, and discard. Mix in sugar while tea is still hot, this will allow it to dissolve. Add a sprig or two of fresh mint and a splash of lemon juice if desired. Then add ice to fill pitcher or container and finish off with water.

Alcoholic Peach Iced Tea: For every gallon of water, use 10 tag bags, 1 c. peach schnapps (or more to your liking), 1 fresh sliced peach. Bring about half of the water to a boil, add tea bags and allow to steap. Squeeze tea bags to remove extra fluid, and discard. Add ice to fill pitcher or container, then peach slices and finish off with water.

Wine Spritzer: I use 1 gallon of rosé wine, two 2-liter bottles of citrus soda and fresh fruit (one chopped green apple or a pint of sliced strawberries). Fill pitcher halfway with ice and add fruit. Pour wine and soda on top.