The Porch Swing

I'm feeling a little rusty as I sit down to write this post.  Two posts on June, two in May… things have been quiet around here.  This summer has been quite busy, and I just needed to step away and focus on my family and other obligations for a bit.  But what better way to make my triumphant return than with a festive drink?

I never thought I'd see the day when my beloved margaritas were replaced as my go-to summer cocktail of choice.  But here we are!  I've made this drink countless times over the past month or so, with no signs of stopping.  It's so low-maintenance and easy too -- no prep work, just pour, mix, drink!

 

I realize the name "The Porch Swing" gives no insight into the drink, so here's what we've got:  gin, Pimm's No. 1 (which is a liqueur), lemonade, a splash of sprite, and cucumber garnishes.  It is super light and refreshing, and is actually somewhat reminiscent of sweet tea -- which is definitely a win in my book!  While the combination might seem a little strange, it totally works.  After seeing me make these for a few weeks, Joey got curious and asked me to mix one up for him too -- and he totally loved it!  That's huge for him because he doesn't like gin or cucumbers.  I usually make them one at a time, but I'm also including the measurements for a pitcher as well, which makes them party-ready!

If you're looking for a fun cocktail to serve at a cookout for the Fourth, then this one would be great.  And on a related note, I'll be back later this week with some festive menu ideas for the holiday as well.

Cheers to Monday!

 

The Porch Swing
barely adapted from Mix Shake Stir

makes one drink

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1 1/2 oz Pimm's No. 1
• 4 oz lemonade
• ice
• 3 slices cucumber, cut into half-moons
• splash of sprite, 7-Up, or ginger ale
• fresh mint, for garnish

In a tall glass, combine the gin, Pimm's, and lemonade.  Stir well, then fill the glass with ice.  Add the cucumbers, top with a splash of soda, stir, and enjoy!

makes enough for 8 drinks:

• 1 1/2 cups gin
• 1 1/2 cups Pimm's No. 1
• 4 cups lemonade
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced and cut into half-moons
• ice
• sprite, 7-Up, or ginger ale

In a large pitcher, combine the gin, Pimm's, lemonade, and cucumber.  Mix to combine, then chill until ready to serve.  To serve, fill glasses with ice, fill most of the way with the drink, and top off each drink with a splash of soda.

The Ultimate Strawberry Margarita

 

Fruity margaritas can be a hard sell.  Make it too fruity and sweet, and it's off-putting for margarita purists.  Make it not fruity or sweet, and it's off-putting to everyone else.  Strawberries can also be hard to incorporate into drinks because they can be bland and watery if not in their prime season.  So while a strawberry margarita seems like a good idea in theory, they are often either boring and underwhelming, or cloyingly sweet with artificial strawberry flavor.

Of course, leave it to the incomparable Rick Bayless to work out all the kinks.  His strawberry margarita is far and away the best one I've ever had.  Sweet and luscious strawberry flavor, a nice boozy kick from the tequila, and just enough lime juice to balance out the sweetness.

He has a few tricks up his sleeve that help to put this margarita over the top.  The first is using aperol as a supporting player.  The sweetness of the strawberries is nicely tempered by this dry, slightly bitter liqueur.  Strawberry puree gives you the most pure, fresh, and natural strawberry flavor, and finally, the strawberry sugar rim pushes the whole thing to a new level.  You use freeze-dried strawberries mixed with sugar to create the rim, and the result is what MAKES this the ultimate strawberry margarita.  freeze-dried strawberries, not to be confused with regular dried strawberries, are pulverized with the sugar in a food processor to create the powder for the rim.  I am normally a fan of salt with my margaritas, but the sweet and slightly tart strawberry rim makes this just over the top amazing.

Our street is having a Cinco de Mayo block party tomorrow, and I will be bringing a pitcher of these babies.  I hope you all celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend with a strawberry margarita!

 

The Ultimate Strawberry Margarita
from Frontera by Rick Bayless
makes 8 cocktails

• 3 cups hulled and halved fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups tequila blanco
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup Aperol
• 1/2 cup orange liqueur
• 1 lime wedge
• strawberry sugar (recipe follows)
• ice cubes

In a food processor, combine the strawberries and sugar and puree until smooth.  Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate until ready for use.

In a pitcher, combine 1 1/2 cups of the strawberry puree, tequila, lime juice, aperol, and orange liqueur. Stir well and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Use a lime to moisten the rims of 8 6-oz cocktail glasses, and dip the rims into the strawberry sugar.  Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, then pour in a little over 1 cup of the chilled margarita. Shake and strain into 2 of the sugar-crusted glasses.  Repeat with the remaining margaritas.  Garnish with fresh strawberries or limes if desired, and serve.

Strawberry Sugar

• 1 oz freeze dried strawberries (can be found at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or other well-stocked grocery stores)
• 1 oz granulated sugar

Combine the strawberries and sugar in a coffee grinder or small food processor and pulverize until a coarse powder forms.  Set aside until ready to use.

Hibiscus Margaritas

As Americans, we are really good at taking other countries' holidays and turning them into an opportunity for binge drinking.  And of these commandeered holidays, Cinco de Mayo is my favorite.  But only until we turn Bastille Day into a chance to drink lots of wine and eat cheese and bread though.  In the meantime, pass the margaritas and queso!

I have some really awesome recipes lined up to share with you this week, including TWO margarita recipes!  I'm starting with the hibiscus margarita, so that you have time to order some dried hibiscus flowers from amazon before the weekend!  They are relatively cheap, and you will pretty much have a lifetime supply, good for more cocktails, tea, glazes, desserts, etc.  So go ahead and order them now -- I'll wait!

These margaritas were kind of an experiment, but it was a wildly successful one.  I've had hibiscus cocktails before, but never margaritas, so I wasn't quite sure how they would turn out.  It was a fun recipe to make because you infuse tequila with the flowers, a technique that was new to me.  I liked this because it gives you a strong hibiscus flavor without watering down the tequila.  No one likes watered down tequila.

The resulting margarita is a gorgeous deep red hue, with a slightly floral, slightly spicy taste, well-tempered by the lime and orange juices.  This margarita had a wonderful complexity, without being too fussy or out there.  If you're looking for a unique margarita for Cinco de Mayo, give this one a try.  And stay tuned this week, I have more fun ideas and recipes coming at you!

Hibiscus Margaritas
adapted from chow.com
makes 6 margaritas

• 16 oz tequila blanco
• 2 oz dried hibiscus flowers (about 1 heaping cup)
• 5 oz orange liqueur
• 4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 6-7 limes)
• 5 oz freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 oranges)
• 2 oz simple syrup
• ice
• lime wedges, for serving

In a medium saucepan, combine the tequila and hibiscus flowers.  Over medium-low heat, bring to 160 degrees, or until the tequila is just beginning to steam, 5-6 minutes.  Immediately remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 15 to 20 minutes.  

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a heat-resistant, quart-sized measuring cup or pitcher, and strain the tequila from the dried hibiscus flowers, pressing on them with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard the flowers.

Stir the orange liqueur, lime juice, orange juice, and simple syrup into the tequila.  Cover and chill for at least an hour.

Serve over ice, with a lime wedge.

The Jalisco Flower (wherein tequila is appropriate for breakfast)

So, hi.  Long time no post.  Unfortunately, I discovered this week that my computer is lactose-intolerant.  A cup of milk, poured on the keyboard = no bueno.  So an impromptu blog vacation it was! But I'm back, and I have so much to share.  This week is all about Valentine's Day.

Since the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, we have some fun family plans and will spend the whole day celebrating.  We'll start with a big breakfast, then do some festive crafts and activities, have a heart-shaped lunch, and then Joey and I are going to to dinner that night while the kids watch a movie and eat popcorn.  

Since I won't be cooking dinner, I'm focusing all of my energy on breakfast this year.  First things first.  Whenever there's an opportunity for mimosas, I'm game.  And I hereby proclaim that Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity.  But why not turn them up a notch?  Perhaps with the addition of grapefruit juice, tequila, and St. Germain?   Yes, these will do quite nicely.  And bonus:  they make it totally acceptable to drink tequila before noon!

These potent breakfast cocktails are a great balance of fruity, sweet, boozy, and sour.  And the fizzy, bubbly, Prosecco is the perfect finish.  Even if you don't plan to partake in a breakfast cocktail, these are great pre-dinner drinks as well.  That's the beautiful thing about prosecco:  it's great any time of the day!

The Jalisco Flower

adapted from Food and Wine

makes 2 cocktails

• 3 oz freshly squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 1 oz silver tequila
• ice
• 8 oz chilled Prosecco, divided

In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice, St. Germain, and tequila.  Fill with ice and shake well to chill.  Divide the mixture evenly between two champagne flutes or wine glasses, then top each with 4 oz of the prosecco.  Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Margaritas

Happy Friday!  I've officially completed the first week of my November daily posting challenge!  Let's celebrate with a cocktail, shall we?

Joey and I have developed quite the ritual for "date night" on Fridays.  We feed the kids, do our nightly routine, and put them to bed.  Joey goes to our favorite Mexican restaurant and orders take out, and we veg out on the couch eating nachos and watching Top Chef and Modern Family.  It's comfortable and yes, maybe a bit lame, but we love it.  While Joey's gone to pick up our dinner, I do exciting things such as cleaning the kitchen, sorting the mail, and replying to emails.  And most importantly, of course making myself a margarita to enjoy with my dinner.

As I'm sure you've figured out by now, I do love margaritas.  The flavors are dictated by the seasons, so as we move into fall and winter, I'm looking to those seasonally appropriate fruits.  Exhibit A:  Pomegranates.

Pomegranate juice is great for mixing cocktails because it's beautiful, therefore creating a visually striking drink.  I also love the sweet-tart flavor.  And it pairs wonderfully with citrus, thereby making it and ideal margarita flavor.

These drinks are so pretty and festive, and they are delicious to boot.  Slightly tart from the lime juice, sweet from the pomegranate and orange juices, and just potent enough from the booze.  Love all around.

Pomegranate Margaritas
makes 4 margaritas

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 2/3 cup tequila
• 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
• pomegranate seeds for garnish

Combine all of the ingredients through the pomegranate juice in a  pitcher.  Stir well to combine, then refrigerate until chilled.  Serve over ice, garnished with pomegranate seeds in each glass.

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

 

Can Margarita Mondays be a thing?  Is there a petition somewhere I can sign?

I have a doozy for you today.  Aside from peaches, cherries are the fruit that I await most eagerly throughout the cold and miserable winter months.  There's a magical few weeks around this time where they are cheaper than grapes!  And we go through them faster than you can say "George Washington."

So naturally, turning those pretty red jewels into a margarita was the next step in my cherry obsession.  Pretty much every margarita I make is deemed "my new favorite," and the cherry version is no exception.  It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and you can't beat that gorgeous red color.

When you cook with cherries, you definitely have to work for them - pitting, stemming, chopping, etc.  So reward yourself for all your hard work with tequila!

Fresh Cherry Margaritas
adapted from Fine Cooking, via Annie's Eats
serves 4

• 14 oz stemmed and pitted fresh cherries (about 2 1/4 cups, or about 50 cherries)
• 2/3 cup tequila
• 1/3 cup orange liqueur
• 1/4 cup simple syrup*, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher.  Taste and add more simple syrup if it's still too tart, adding 1 tablespoon at a time.  

Serve over ice.

*To make simple syrup, heat 1 cup sugar with 1 cup of water over medium heat, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using.

Watermelon Margaritas

In an effort to drink margaritas made from every fruit on the planet (and some vegetables…), today I bring you the watermelon margarita.  Guys, this margarita is like drinking a watermelon jolly rancher.  Only better.  Because it's real watermelon, not "watermelon flavor."  And there's salt.  And there's tequila.  When does tequila NOT make it better?

Admittedly, I was a little apprehensive about this drink because sometimes drinks and food made with watermelon can be… well.. watery.  But not these.  The watermelon flavor is intensified by the lime and simple syrup, and you end up with a perfectly sweet margarita.

These margaritas have quickly become a new summer favorite.  I've made them once a week for the past three weeks, and I'm already counting the days until Friday, when I can enjoy them once again.

Oh who cares, why wait for Friday?  Let's celebrate Monday!  Watermelon margaritas for everyone!

Watermelon Margaritas
adapted from Martha Stewart, via Tide and Thyme

Use the ripest, most flavorful watermelon you can find.  Bland, watery watermelons have no place here!

• 1/3 cup simple syrup*
• 12 oz fresh watermelon cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, spent lime halves reserved
• 2/3 cup silver tequila
• 1/4 cup triple sec
• ice
• salt, for the rims

In a blender, combine the simple syrup, watermelon, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec.

Puree until smooth, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or large jar.

Use a spent lime half to wet the rim of your glass, dip it into salt, then fill it with ice.  Pour the margarita over the top, and serve.

*To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan set over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved,  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator, and use it to sweeten cocktails, coffee, tea, etc!

Rick Bayless's Summer Margarita

 

Last fall, my amazing and generous friend Annie invited Joey and I to join them for dinner at Alinea in Chicago.  Lo and behold, my wonderful mother-in-law offered to watch all four kids for a few days, and Joey and I were able to fly to Chicago for a perfect weekend getaway.  We planned our trip around our meals, obviously; and what good would a trip to Chicago be if we don't eat at a Rick Bayless restaurant?  Frontera was our first stop, and we enjoyed a wonderful and leisurely lunch there.  First thing we ordered?  Margaritas and beer, of course!  I went with the summer margarita, which is basically a cucumber-lime margarita.

I know cucumber may sound a little odd, but hear me out.  We've all seen water with cucumber slices before at spas, right?  And to me, cucumbers are more like a melon than a veggie, so it's a pretty natural pairing for a margarita.  It makes sense.

This margarita is amazingly refreshing, just sweet enough without being cloying, and just tart enough without being sour and bitter.  It is crisp and fresh, and it backs a nice boozy punch.  In short, it's a perfect margarita for summer.  And Cinco de Mayo.  Who knows when we'll get back to Chicago, but in the meantime I can enjoy a taste of our trip through this margarita.  I'll take it.

Rick Bayless's Summer Margarita
barely adapted from Fiesta at Rick's
makes nine 6-ounce margaritas

• 1-2 English (hothouse) cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced (you need 3 cups of cucumber slices)
• 1 1/2 cups silver tequila
• 1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
• 1 cup simple syrup*
• a lime half for moistening the glass rim
• ice cubes
• coarse (kosher) salt
• cucumber slices, for garnish

In a blender, combine the cucumber slices, tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup.  Puree until the mixture is smooth.  Strain into a pitcher.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

To serve, moisten the rims of your glasses with the lime half.  Dip the glass into a plate or bowl of salt to coat the rim of the glass.  Fill each glass halfway with ice.

Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full with ice, then measure in 1 1/2 cups of the margarita mixture.  Shake vigorously 10 to 20 seconds, then pour the margarita into the prepared glasses.  Garnish each drink with a cucumber slice, and serve.

Repeat as needed for the remaining margaritas, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for the next round!

*For the simple syrup, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, swirling often, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and cool.  This can be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Fresh Strawberry Daiquiris

 

My big kids are on spring break this week.  While I wish we could be off enjoying a beach vacation (or any vacation, really), it just isn't in the cards this year.  It's no matter though.  The kids and I have been enjoying the downtime:  Caroline is attending a dance camp at the community center, and it's a Frozen theme.  It's basically the best thing she's ever done.  Smith's been helping me do some yard work and organizing.  And the twins are just being adorable, as usual.  We've all been taking advantage of the gorgeous weather by spending as much time as possible outside, and I have a few fun activities planned for the rest of the week as well.

One thing that helps a grown-up enjoy a spring break stay-cation?  A fun and fruity drink.  I've been wanting to make fresh strawberry daiquiris for over a year now, but haven't been able to keep any strawberries in the house long enough! This week I bought a package specifically earmarked for these pretty drinks, and I'm so glad I finally made them!

When I was a kid, the pinnacle of cool was to order a virgin frozen drink. I mean, it's basically a dessert that you get to enjoy though out the entire meal - what's not to love?  As a seasoned adult, I now know that the frozen daiquiris of my childhood are nothing more than sugar, sugar, sugar, fake strawberry flavor, and red food coloring.

But these.  Oh my, they are good.  Fresh strawberries, freshly squeezed lime juice, and rum.  Theres' a little water, sugar, and ice to round things out, and the drink is just the essence of summer.  I mean, just look at that color - could these drinks be any more vibrant??  These went down waaay to easily, and I foresee them being a dangerous and delicious addition to our summer cocktail list.

When we have friends over for dinner, I always like to serve a "signature cocktail," or something a little fun and unique besides beer and wine.  These are officially in the rotation, and I can't wait to enjoy them all summer long.

Who needs a beach vacation when you can enjoy awesome frozen drinks from the comfort of your own home?

Fresh Strawberry Daiquiris
adapted from Gourmet Today
makes 4 drinks

• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered*
• 3/4 cup crushed ice
• 3/4 cup rum
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar**

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange the strawberries in a single layer, and freeze until hard, at least 2 hours (however, the frozen strawberries can be transferred to an airtight container and kept frozen for up to 1 week).

Combine the strawberries with the rest of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.  Divide evenly among 4 glasses, and garnish with strawberries and lime slices.

*Frozen strawberries can also be used.  Be sure to buy them with no added sugar though.

**If you don't keep superfine sugar on hand, add granulated sugar to a food processor and pulse several times.  

Blood Orange Cosmopolitans

 

When I was freshly out of college, single, and responsibility free, my friends and I used to frequent the same restaurants and bars on the weekends.  One such bar was called East Andrews, and it was where we went if we wanted to feel cool and sophisticated.  And in the spirit of feeling cool and sophisticated, one must drink a cosmo.  I mean, I knew this for a fact - I did watch Sex and the City, after all.

With those days long gone, I don't have much need to come off as urban and cool - let's not kid ourselves, I drive a minivan - but I still like cosmos just the same.

Instead of the usual combo of cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, and vodka, I used the juice from a few gorgeous and sweet blood oranges.  I think that blood oranges are just a little more tart than naval oranges, which leads to this cocktail being less on the sweet side, more on the sweet-tart side - just how I like it!  And of course, given the gorgeous ruby-red color of blood oranges, the color of this cocktail is unmatched - how pretty is that??

As always, when making a cocktail, feel free to adjust the amounts and ratios as you prefer.  This particular cosmo isn't super strong, so if you're a vodka lover, by all means, bottoms up!

Blood Orange Cosmopolitans
makes about 4-5 martinis

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice (2-3 blood oranges)
• 3/4 cup cranberry juice 
• 1/3 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)
• 1 1/4 cups vodka

Combine all of the ingredients in a large cocktail shaker.  Add a handful of ice, shake vigorously, and pour into chilled martini glasses.  If your cocktail shaker isn't big enough to hold all of the liquid, mix it first in a large measuring cup, then shake in the cocktail shaker in batches.

Serve, garnished with a slice or wedge of a blood orange if you'd like.

Sangria Slushies

I am all about fun summer cocktails.  Is there anything more relaxing than sitting on the back porch, watching the sun set, and sipping a cocktail?  I already think of sangria as a summery drink, but when it's in slushy form?  And full of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries? Epitome of a summer drink, right here.  The berries, wine, liqueur, and juice are blended, then the mixture is frozen using your ice cream maker - such a revelation!  I'm already imagining the endless possibilities of adult slushies - rum and cherry coke anyone?

Feel free to play around with the fruits and flavor profiles here - I think a peach and white wine version would be absolutely delicious!

After the scary thunderstorms we had last night, we're gearing up for an absolutely gorgeous weekend here in Atlanta - I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and Happy Father's Day to all the dads, grandpas, and father-figures out there!

Mixed Berry Sangria Slushies
method inspired by Annie's Eats and Bon Appetit

• 1 (750-mL) bottle red wine (I used Pinot Noir)
• 1/4 cup chambord, or other raspberry liqueur
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups mixed berries
• 1 Tbs sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Transfer to an ice cream maker and churn until a "slushy" consistency is reached.  Divide among serving glasses and drink immediately!

Blackberry Lemonade

Behind margaritas, lemonade is the quintessential summer drink.  Over the past year or so I've been experimenting with different variations - sparkling strawberry lemonade, basil-infused lemonade, sparkling lemonade, roasted peach lemonade, limeade, and now this blackberry lemonade.

To be honest, I made this out of necessity, but I'm so very glad that I did.  We were getting ready to head to the beach for the week, and I wanted to rid our house of any and all produce that could spoil.  I had some blackberries and lemons in the fridge, so the blackberry limeade recipe that I saved a year ago became sparkling blackberry lemonade!

This comes together in minutes, is a perfect balance of sweet and sour, and most importantly - look how pretty it is!  I am totally addicted to sparkling water, so I of course love it in this lemonade.  The little bubbles are so refreshing, and it makes the drink seem fancy and special.  This would make a wonderful addition to a cookout this weekend, and if you're looking for an adult beverage, I think vodka, gin, or even sparkling wine would be great.   

Note:  I like my lemonade on the tart side, so feel free to use less lemon juice and/or increase the sugar for a sweeter drink.  Also, if you don't want sparkling lemonade, just omit the sparkling water and replace with 2 cups of still water.

Sparkling Blackberry Lemonade

adapted from Cooking Light, via Cook Like a Champion

• 4 cups cold water, divided
• 3 cups blackberries
• 3/4 cup sugar (can increase to 1 cup if your blackberries are especially tart)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups sparkling water

In a blender or food processor, combine the blackberries and 1 cup of the water.  Puree until smooth, then press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds.  In a pitcher, combine the blackberry puree, sugar, lemon juice, and the remaining water.  Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

Chill until ready to serve, and top with the sparkling water just before serving.

Frozen Mango Margaritas

When we go out for Mexican, I am a creature of habit.  I order a margarita on the rocks, no salt.  I make an exception at one particular Mexican restaurant, where I order a prickly pear margarita.  I have no idea what a prickly pear is, but it makes a darn tasty margarita!

So even though I'm a boring margarita patron at restaurants, I love experimenting with fun new flavors at home.  Blackberry-Thyme is a good one.  Peach is a summer favorite, and cranberry and pomegranate are mainstays during the fall.  But one thing is pretty constant - always on the rocks.  So these mango margaritas were most definitely outside of my comfort zone.  And I liked it!

On our honeymoon, the resort in St. Lucia made the most delicious mango daiquiris.  It was basically just mango puree, rum, and lime juice.  Nothing else.  I definitely enjoyed my fair share.  These margaritas reminded me a bit of those wonderful drinks in paradise.  Mango, lime, and tequila are the stars, with a subtle sweetness from the triple sec and the tiniest bit of sugar.

I used frozen mango to keep the flavor even more pure (and because I had some in the freezer already), but feel free to use fresh and just add a bit more ice.

And if you are looking for more fun margaritas, check out my friend Shawnda's blog.  She is the margarita queen, and not to be sacrilegious, but I'm pretty sure that Cinco de Mayo is her Christmas.  Bottoms up!

Frozen Mango Margaritas
adapted from The Complete Book of Mixed Drinks, via Cook Like a Champion

• 3 oz silver tequila
• 1 1/2 - 2 oz triple sec
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cups frozen mango chunks
• spent lime wedges, for rimming the glasses
• 1 tsp sugar + 1/2 tsp kosher salt for rimming the glasses

Combine all the ingredients through the mango in a blender and blend until smooth.  Check the consistency and add lime juice, more tequila, or ice as needed.

Use a spent lime half to moisten the rims of the glasses.  On a small plate, combine the sugar and salt and dip the glass to coat the rims in the mixture.  Divide the margaritas between the glasses and serve immediately.

Strawberry Rose' Sangria

When I was pregnant with Caroline, all I wanted was a glass of sangria.  I wanted red wine sangria - with the booze-soaked fruit at the bottom of the glass.  And wouldn't you know - when I finally gave birth and was ready to have a drink again, it was completely lackluster.  We went to a Mexican restaurant, and as usual I hemmed and hawed deciding whether to order a margarita, beer, or sangria.  But I ended up going with sangria since I'd been craving it for all those months.  And it was not good.  I'm pretty sure it was just a bottle of "sangria" from the grocery store.  No fruit on the bottom.  Being in my hormonal post partum state, I think I started crying.  And Joey quickly flagged the waitress down and ordered me a margarita.

I can't think of a single person who would be disappointed in this sangria.  It's pretty awesome.  You start by soaking strawberries and peaches in sugar, vodka, and triple sec - it makes them unbelievably sweet and perfect.  Then you add rose' wine and sparkling water.  I know that rose' wine seems to get a bad rap because of the association with white zinfandel, but trust me on this.  It's not white zin.  It is not cloyingly sweet.  It's dry, fresh, very crisp, and incredibly drinkable.  It's actually my favorite wine to drink throughout the summer.  So if you're a fellow rose' lover, I'm sure that you can imagine that combination of rose' wine with strawberries is pretty great.  

Sangria is my absolute favorite cocktail to make when we entertain.  It's ideally made ahead of time so you have no prep work to do when it's time to (drink) eat.  Just pour and enjoy.  Cinco de Mayo is just over a week away, so if you can't/don't do tequila (don't worry, I've been there), then this sangria is a great alternative to margaritas. 

Strawberry Rose' Sangria

adapted from The Cilatnropist

• about 1 1/2 cupa sliced frozen peaches (or 2 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced)
• 3 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
• 1/4-1/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like your sangria and how sweet your strawberries already are)
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3/4 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1 bottle dry Rose' wine, chilled
• 2 cups sparkling water, chilled

In a large pitcher, stir the fruit and sugar until the fruit starts to release it's natural juices.  Mix in the lemon juice, triple sec, and vodka.  Allow to sit (at room temperature) 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

When ready to serve, stir in the Rose' wine and sparkling water.  Serve each glass with some of the strawberries and peaches.

Strawberry-Basil Mojitos

One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is sit outside on the patio and have a fun fruity drink.  There is nothing more relaxing.  Whether we're at a restaurant, or I'm just sitting out back by myself reading, or we're all outside and Caroline's running around in the yard, it's all good.  

I really love mojitos, but this time I thought it would be fun to take them in a different direction.  Given my recent strawberry obsession, making them strawberry was a logical choice.  Then I decided to branch out even more, and forgo the mint in favor of basil.  I really love using fresh herbs in desserts and drinks.  A little goes a long way, and herbs give them a brightness and another depth of flavor without tasting like grass.  

I made a strawberry syrup using the same recipe as this sparkling strawberry lemonade, then just smashed some basil in the bottom of the glass, added the strawberry syrup, ice, and rum, and topped it off with some sparkling water.  This drink was bright, refreshing, and definitely dangerous.  I foresee these in my near future - I can prep a jar of the strawberry syrup, then just mix up the drinks anytime.  The directions are written per drink, but I think you could definitely make a pitcher.  Just add the strawberry syrup and rum to a large pitcher.  When ready to serve, muddle the basil leaves in each glass, add ice, fill each glass about 2/3-3/4 full, then top off with the sparkling water.  Instant party!

Strawberry-Basil Mojitos

Pink Parsley Original

Strawberry Syrup adapted from Sweet Melissa Baking Book

Strawberry Syrup

• 1 heaping cup chopped strawberries
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 2 Tbs cold water

Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.  If you don't like the seeds, strain the syrup through a strainer.  Chill until ready to use

For Each Mojito:

• 2-3 fresh basil leaves
• 5 Tbs strawberry syrup
• ice
• 1 1/2 oz. light rum (adjust to your taste depending on how strong you like your drinks!)
• sparkling water
• strawberry slices and basil leaves for garnish

Use the back of a spoon or a muddler to bruise the basil in the bottom of the glass.  Add the strawberry syrup, ice, and rum, and top off the drink with sparkling water.  Garnish with strawberry slices and basil leaves and serve immediately.

Sparkling Pear Sangria

Sangria is one of my favorite cocktails to serve at a party.  It can be made ahead of time, in large batches, and everyone loves it.  Plus, there are endless variations out there.  White wine sangria made with peaches is one of my favorites, and this Pomegranate Sangria is my go-to during the winter months.  Well, it was anyway.  Now this sparkling pear sangria holds that spot. 

If you are still looking for a fun and festive cocktail for New Year's Eve, look no further.  Vodka, Pear nectar, lemon juice, and sparkling wine.  What's not to love?  Joey has a theory when it comes to mimosas - that they are pretty nearly impossible to screw them up.  100% orange juice = good.  100% champagne = good.  Any combination of the two?  Good!  I'd venture to say that the same is true for sangria.  Though actually I guess you actually could add too much vodka to this one and it might be a bit strong. 

This is mixed up in literally 2 minutes.  Then just chill it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.  Pop open your champagne, and you're good to go!  The bubbles make it fun and festive, the pear flavor is nice and prominent, and there's just enough kick from the vodka to keep it interesting.  We enjoyed these for "cocktail hour," and I'm already looking forward to having another one on New Year's Eve. 

Happy New Year's, everyone!  Thanks for being so awesome - see you in 2012!

Sparkling Pear Sangria
adapted from The Bonne Femme Cookbook, by Wini Moranville
makes 4-5 drinks


Pear nectar can be found in the Mexican food section of your grocery store, or in the juice section.  One can costs about 50 cents.  Regular vodka is fine, but if you happen to come across it, pear vodka would be even better.

•  6 oz vodka (pear vodka is optional)
• 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 oz pear nectar
• sparkling wine, preferably a sweeter variety, chilled
• thinly sliced pear slices, for serving

In a small pitcher, combine the vodka, lemon juice, and pear nectar.  Refrigerate until chilled.  When ready to serve, fill champagne flutes 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full, and top with champagne.  Drop a pear slice into each glass and serve immediately.

Peppermint White Russians

Though I've never seen it, I hear that White Russians are the drink of choice in the movie The Big Lebowski.  In fact, one night in college some friends decided to have a Big Lebowski party and watch the movie while drinking White Russians.  We ended up just drinking them and hanging out instead of actually watching the movie.  So the moral of the story is - I love White Russians.

My neighbor shared some Peppermint Mocha Kahlua with us a few weeks ago, and Joey and I immediately fell in love.  After we got a bottle of our own, we started dreaming up drink possibilities for it:  drink it on the rocks, mix into hot chocolate, mix into coffee (though not in the morning.  We're not that big of lushes), use it to make a martini.... but in the end we decided on Peppermint White Russians.  It proved to be an excellent choice.

We went out and bought our Christmas tree over the weekend, and these were the perfect drink to sip on while we decorated and made the house merry.  If you like White Russians and you like peppermint, then it's hard to go wrong here.  Feel free to adjust the volumes to your tastes - obviously you can make it as strong or as weak as you like - just add more milk or Kahlua until you think it tastes perfect! This would be a great drink to serve at a holiday party - make a big pitcher and then just add ice to individual glasses when you're ready to serve.  Happy Holidays!

Peppermint White Russians
Pink Parsley Original
makes 2 drinks

• 2 oz Peppermint Mocha Kahlua
• 1 oz vodka
• 2 oz milk or cream

In a large glass or pitcher, combine all the ingredients and stir to combine.  Divide between small glasses and add ice to fill up the glass.  Serve.

optional:  crush peppermints or candy canes, wet the rim of the glass, and press into the candy.  This make for an especially festive presentation!

Pomegranate Sangria

Sangria is one of my favorite drinks to make for entertaining.  It is easily adaptable to any season, so your choices for fruit and wine are pretty much endless.  It can - and should - be made ahead, so you're not scrambling to blend frozen drinks or mix cocktails at the last minute.  And it can be made in as big or as small of a quantity as you want.  Pretty perfect in my book.

This sangria is my favorite for the fall and winter months.  While as a general rule, I prefer produce from the spring and summer months, the combination of pomegranate seeds, apples, and pears is hard to beat.  It's sweet, tart, and boozy.  And the best part:  eating the fruit once you've polished off the sangria!

I mixed up a big pitcher of this for my book club, but I also think this would be a great signature cocktail to serve before dinner if you are hosting Thanksgiving.  Nothing like a little mixed drink to calm you down if you're frazzled and running behind.  And your guests won't mind if dinner is served a little late - as long as there's plenty of sangria!

Pomegranate Sangria
Pink Parsley Original Recipe

• 1 (750-mL) bottle red wine (I used Pinot Noir)
• 2 cups Pomegranate juice
• 2/3 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 pears, chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

In a large pitcher, stir together the wine, Pomegranate juice, brandy, and orange juice.  Add the apples and pears, and refrigerate for several hours, but preferably overnight.  Sprinkle pomegranate seeds into each glass before serving.

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade + A Special Announcement

One of my favorite things to do when the weather warms up is to sit outside on our deck and drink a glass of wine, a beer, or a yummy cocktail.  However, this spring and summer I'll have to settle for a nonalcoholic option... because I'm pregnant!  That's right, Caroline is going to be a big sister!

I am due in September, and Joey and I are over the moon with excitement.  I have to admit that keeping up a variety of new recipes for my blog has been difficult with morning (all day) sickness, but I'm hoping that with the second trimester, things will improve.

So while this isn't a yummy cocktail, it is a pretty delicious mocktail.  With this pregnancy, I have taken to making mocktails quite often.  See, drinking too much water causes me to feel sick, and juice is way too sweet for me, but sparkling water really helps settle my stomach.  So I've made several variations of sparkling water + a splash of juice.  It makes me feel fancy, plus keeps me from getting sick.  Win-win!

This sparkling lemonade takes advantage of all the beautiful Florida strawberries that are starting to flood the markets, and the sweetness of the strawberries are nicely tempered by the tartness from the lemon.  The addition of sparkling water gives the lemonade a fun fizzy finish, and the sugar on the rim really made me feel like I was enjoying a fun drink.

I personally thought the lemon flavor could have come through a bit more (I really love super tart lemonade), so I've given a range for the amount of lemon juice.  And if you don't want to have a fizzy drink, just use regular water instead of sparkling.  I am already excited about trying new variations of this - I think blueberry or raspberry will be especially delicious this summer!

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade
adapted from Willow Bird Baking, originally from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book
makes 6-7 cups of lemonade


Strawberry Syrup

• 1 heaping cup chopped strawberries
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 2 Tbs cold water

Lemonade

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup very hot water
• 1-1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 1/2 cups cold sparkling water or seltzer

 To make the strawberry syrup, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and water in a food processor or blender.  Puree until smooth.  Pour through a strainer into a medium bowl to remove the seeds, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible.

To make the lemonade, combine the hot water and sugar in a pitcher and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add the lemon juice, strawberry syrup, and water.

To serve, rub a lemon wedge around the rim of a glass, then dip in sugar.  Fill with ice, then the lemonade.  Garnish with fresh strawberries or lemon slices.  Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Milkshakes with Burnt Marshmallow Topping

Top Chef is pretty much my favorite tv show (save for Top Chef DC - it was a hugely disapointing season).  As I've said in previous posts, my best friend Emilie and I love going to eat at (stalking) cheftestants restaurants, and one of our favorites is FLiP Burger Boutique, which is owned by Season 4's Richard Blais (sidenote:  I am so embarrassingly excited about Top Chef All-Stars).  The concept is gourmet burgers, which are awesomely creative and delicious, but the real stand-outs are the liquid Nitrogen milkshakes.  They are all super-fun flavors, but my favorite is the Nutella with burnt marshmallow topping.  Reee-diculously good.  I have tried sips of some of the other flavors, but I always come back to the Nutella. 

So when I made the sweet potato ice cream, I was inspired to add some marshmallows to the top and torch them.  For one thing, I always like to torch things in the kitchen - so fun!  Also, burnt marshmallow is one of the greatest things ever created.  Since sweet potatoes are often paired with marshmallows, I thought it would be a great flavor for a milkshake.  Annnd of course I was right.  So so good.  Joey, who said "blech" when I told him I was making sweet potato ice cream, even enjoyed the milkshake.  I was having a little bit of a rough day when I made these, so I added a splash of bourbon, but they certainly don't neeeeed it.  Overall, a super fun and festive milkshake!

Sweet Potato Milkshake with Burnt Marshmallow Topping
Pink Parsley Original
makes 2 milkshakes

• 3/4 cup sweet potato ice cream, slightly softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup bourbon or  splash of vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• mini  marhmallows

In a blender, combine the ice cream, milk, bourbon, and cinnamon.  Blend until smooth and thick, and divide between 2 small glasses.  Add a layer of mini marshmallows on top, and using a kitchen torch, burn them and melt in spots.  Allow the marshmallow topping to cool slightly, and serve.