Happy Hour Mixology: Spooky (Low-cal) Cocktails from Skinnygirl

Fright-tini

What you need: 

2 parts Skinnygirl Tangerine Vodka

1 part fresh blood orange juice

Prep:

 Combine blood orange juice and vodka in an ice shaker

Strain and pour into a frosted martini glass to enjoy!

Hocus Pocus Punch

What you need

(For a crowd ladies)

1 Bottle Skinnygirl Sangria

1 blood orange, sliced into wedges 

1 red apple, halved and thinly sliced

Black licorice for garnish

Prep:

Combine all ingredients into a large pitcher

Add ice

Chill for at least 30 minutes to set 

Garnish with licorice wand and enjoy!

Pina Ghoul-ada

What you need:

Skinnygirl Pina Colada

Blood Garnish: 3 tablespoons corn syrup, 1/4 teaspoons red food coloring

Prep:

Pour the corn syrup in a shallow bowl and add a few drops of red food coloring

Stir with a toothpick to combine

Hold glass by the stem, dip rim into the syrup mixture, and turn glass, coating the rim. 

Turn the glass upright, allowing mixture to drip down sides.

Poured chilled Skinnygirl Pina Colada into prepared glasses, serve & enjoy. 

Happy Hour Mixolgy/Wine Wednesday: Fall Apple Sangria

It's that wonderful time of year where the air gets crisp, the leaves start to change, and the farmer's markets stock up on seasonal favorites such as pumpkins and apples. 

Delight in the ambiance of the season with this Apple Sangria Recipe from Health.com

What you need:

3 medium apples, sliced with skins on

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1 1/2 cups apple-cranberry juice

1 cup seltzer

3 cups dry white wine (Sauvingon Blanc)

What you need to do:

Prep apples, cut into slices 

Place apples in large chilled pitcher

Add juices, seltzer, and wine. 

Cover & refrigerate for two to four hours

Remove from fridge, and enjoy! 

Photo Credit: Howsweeteats.com

Mellow Monday: Relaxin' With Skinnygirl Cabernet

Looking for something sassy and sophisticated? Then this Cabernet is for you.

Blended with an intoxicating melody of dark berries and rich chocolate, this Skinnygirl varietal is sure to impress any red wine lover. 

Perfect for a cool October evening, a great episode of your favorite sitcom, and the company of a loved one. This warm, mature blend most definitely stands behind her label. 

With a 100 calorie serving size, you don't have to worry about wrapping yourself in a huge sweater (unless of course, baby, it's cold outside!) 

For more information on Skinnygirl wines, please visit www.skinnygirlcocktails.com 

Wine Wednesday: Skinnygirl Chardonnay & Food Pairings

White peach, French oak vanilla, and a whisper of orange blossom. 

What do these three ingredients have in common? 

They comprise the enticing Skinnygirl Chardonnay.

I have to admit, I used to shy away from chardonnay. In college I opted for sweeter varieties such as Moscato. I thought chardonnay was far too bitter and too rich for my liking. However, as I got older, I revisited the flavor and it became my wine of choice. Because of this, I had high expectations for Skinnygirl. 

She did not disappoint. True to her label, this blend had a light finish lingering with a crisp acidity that balanced the rich fruit flavors. A touch of citrus delights the palate and would add a touch of (low-calorie!) elegance to any dinner party. 

But how do you know what to pair it with?

Believe it or not, chardonnay can be quite difficult to pair with food, but these dishes compliment the wine quite nicely. 

Try any of the following: 

Caesar Salad

Salmon with Lemon Sauce

Angel Hair Pasta w/cream sauce

Porkchops

And for dessert: Creme Brulee.

For more information on Skinnygirl, please click HERE. 

Happy Hour Mixology: Celebrate National Vodka Day with Marilyn Inspired Cocktails

It's National Vodka Day. 

Subsequently, this wonderful holiday falls on a Friday. 

Cheers to the weekend with these Marilyn Inspired Cocktails from Three Olives:

The Marilyn

Two parts Three Olives Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka

2 parts cranberry juice

Splash of half & half

Strawberry Blonde

Two Parts Three Olives Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka

2 parts cranberry juice

2 parts club soda

The Marilyn Blush

Two parts Three Olives Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka

2 parts club soda

Splash of grenadine

Recipes courtesy of Chilled Magazine

to-young.tumblr.com

Happy Hour Mixology: Great Gatsby Inspired Cocktails

"I like large parties, they're so intimate. At small parties, there isn't any privacy."

-Gatsby 

Hornitos "The Aristocrat"

What you need:

2 parts Hornitos Plata Tequila

1 Part Lemon Juice

1/2 Part Agave Nectar

1 Barspoon of Blackberry Jam

What you need to do:

Pour ingredients in shaker, shake and double strain into a shot glass and garnish with a mint leaf. This recipe makes two shots. 

West Egg Punch:

Named after the town from which Gatsby hailed, this festive punch can be prepared in big batches ahead of time. Make in a glass drink dispenser for guests to serve themselves. 

What you need:

1.5 oz. SkinnyGirl White Cherry Vodka

1 oz. lemonade

2 oz. sparkling water 

Strawberries

Watermelon slices

What you need to do: Muddle strawberry and watermelon slice. Add vodka and fill with sparkling water and add lemonade. Garnish with a watermelon slice and a strawberry. 

The Garden Party:

Champagne was a Gatsby party-goer favorite. This modernized champagne cocktail is perfect for toasting with friends. 

What you need:

1 oz. SkinnyGirl White Cherry Vodka

2 oz. champagne

Frozen cherry

What you need to do: Pour champagne into flute, top with vodka, and garnish with one frozen cherry. 

Gatsby Gimlet:

Simple yet sophisticated like Mr. Gatsby himself

What you need:

1.5 oz. SkinnyGirl Bare Naked Vodka

1.5 oz. fresh lime juice. 

What you need to do: Shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. 

{Source: OKMagazine}

Happy Hour Mixology: Three Olives Launches Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka

I usually don't rush to the liquor store after work, but today I may have to. Three Olives just launched it's Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka. Marilyn Monroe...vodka...in the same sentence? AHH!

"Three Olives Vodka honors Marilyn Monroe with a flavor offering that celebrates the legends love of strawberries and her dazzling style and iconic Hollywood glamour."

Live, love, Marilyn Monroe. 

Happy Hour Mixology: French Kiss Margarita

The weekend is finally here. 

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this delicious Margarita. 

& Dream about being on the beach...like I am. 

Ingredients:

• 4 basil leaves
• 8 ounces blood orange juice
• 2 ounces lime juice
• 4 ounces Anejo tequila
• 2 ounces sweet vermouth

Instructions:

1. Muddle basil in blood orange juice. Add in remaining ingredients stir and strain into a glass filled with ice.

{Recipe Credit}

Valentines Day Happy Hour Mixology: Rasmopolitan

Rasmopolitan

"This fruity cocktail combines raspberry with the traditional flavors of a cosmopolitan."

{Martha Stewart}

What you need:

1 ounce citrus-flavored vodka

1 ounce raspberry flavored vodka

1/2 ounce Chambord

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon Simple Syrup

2 tablespoons cranberry juice

Raspberries for garnish

What you need to do:

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add vodkas, Chambord, lime juice, simple syrup, and cranberry juice. Shake or stir until well chilled. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with raspberries, serve. 

My Wish To You on New Year's Eve...

That there will be champagne! 

& that you kiss the one you love one minute before, and one minute after so you can have the perfect ending and a perfect beginning.... 

Happy Hour Mixology: Apple Cider Sangria

Happy Wine Wednesday!

What you need:

1 bottle of Pinot Grigio

2 1/2 cups fresh apple cider

1 cup club soda

1/2 cup brandy

3 honey crisp apples. chopped

3 pears, chopped

What you need to do:

Combine all ingredients and stir.

Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving. 

{Recipe}

Happy Hour Mixology: Tequila Sunrise

thatssorue.tumblr.com

Fast, Simple, and Made with Jose Cuervo Gold

Tequila Sunrise

What you need:

2 ounces of Jose Cuervo Gold

4 ounces of Orange Juice, Simply Orange is my personal favorite

Grenadine

Orange Slice

What you need to do:

Fill glass halfway with ice

Pour in OJ and Tequila

Add a splash of Grenadine 

Garnish with an orange! 

Happy Hour Mixology

Enjoy the end of summer with a Cucumber Honeydew Margarita

What you will need:

2 cups honeydew melon

1 cup seedless peeled cucumber (plus a little more for garnish)

1/4 cup mint

1 1/2 cups tequila

2 tablespoons agave

1/2 cup lime juice

What you need to (dew)

Combine the honey dew, seedless peeled cucumber, mint, tequila, agave and lime juice in a blender and mix until smooth. 

Serve over ice with cucumber slice for garnish. 

Recipe found here

Happy Wine Wednesday

Image: http://thealternativebride.blogspot.com/2012/03/back-to-reality.html

Cheers!

I will be enjoying a glass of chardonnay & you?

-Kristina

Happy Hour Mixology: Sexy White Wine Sangria

What you need:

1 bottle of Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 liter of club soda (or ginger ale)

2 kiwis

1/2 cup raspberries

2 limes

1/2 cup sugar

What you need to do:

Cut the lime into wedges.

Pour wine into a large glass pitcher

Add all the fruit and the sugar and mix well

Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour. 

When you are ready to drink, add the club soda and about two handfuls of ice. Mix again and serve immediately. 

*This recipe comes from Backroads & Barstools Blog! Please visit her southern style blog at:

http://backroadsandbarstools.blogspot.com

(I do not known this gorgeous picture!)

Happy Hour Mixology: 5 Girl's Night In Cocktails

1. A Tropical Dream 

Ingredients:

1 oz Malibu mango rum1 oz Malibu coconut rum1 oz 99 Bananas banana schnapps1 oz Stoli Vanil vodka2 oz orange juice2 oz pineapple juice1 splash grenadine syrup

Directions:

Combine all ingredients (except grenadine) together over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice. Float grenadine on top, and serve.

2. Beer Margaritas

Ingredients:

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate

12 fluid ounces tequila

12 fluid ounces water

12 fluid ounces beer

Ice

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Pour limeade, tequila, water, and beer into a large pitcher. Stir until well blended and limeade has melted. Add plenty of ice, and garnish with lime wedges. Adjust with additional water, if needed.

allrecipes.com

3. Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka

1/2 oz Amaretto

1 splash Cranberry Juice

1 splash Pineapple Juice

Directions:

Mix together over ice and shake until frothy. Strain into shot glass.

www.barmeister.com

4. Strawberry Dreamsicle

Ingredients:

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Strawberry Schnapps

1 oz cherry juice

1/2 orange juice

1/2 pineapple juice

1 oz cream

Directions:

Mix and add ice.

www.mixeddrinkrecipes.net

5. Mojito Fresco

Ingredients:

2 large limes, cut into pieces (reserve one piece)

2 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

2 water

1/4 to 1/2 cup light rum

Sugar

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Ice cubes

Quartered limes and/or mint leaves (optional)

Directions:

In a blender combine lime pieces, 2 cups water, and 2/3 cup sugar. Cover and blend about 30 seconds or until limes are chopped; do not puree Strain through a sieve into a large pitcher. Mix in 2 cups additional water. Cover and chill for 1 to 12 hours.

Stir rum into lime mixture. Moisten the rims of 8 glasses with the reserved lime piece; dip rims in sugar. Divide mint among glasses. Use a wooden spoon to press mint into the bottom of each glass; press firmly to release flavor. Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour chilled lime mixture over ice and mint leaves. If desired, add extra quartered limes and/or mint leaves.

www.fitnessmagazine.com

(Blog post adapted from AllWomenStalk.com: 9 Fabulous Drink Recipes for Girls Night In)

Happy Hour Mixology: Pineapple

It's hot out. 

It's Friday the 13th. 

It's time for a cocktail. 

Here's the recipe for a sweet pineapple coconut concoction. 

What you need:

(This is to be consumed with a few friends)

1 can pineapple juice (46 oz)

1 cup County Time Lemonade

2 Cups Water

2 Cans Sprite

& Pineapple Coconut Rum

(hmm, the original Pinner didn't leave an amount of booze, so measure accordingly and find a DD)

What you need to do: 

Mix all the ingredients together, serve over ice, put on some music and be thankful the Zombie Apocalypse didn't occur today. 

Red, White, & Blue Sangria

Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July!

Enjoy this easy-to-make Red, White, & Blue Sangria I found on:

http://www.punchbowl.com/p/red-white-and-blue-cocktails

What you need:

Handful of strawberries sliced

Handful or two of blueberries

Pineapple cut into star shapes

2 bottles of dry white wine

1 cup Triple Sec

1/2 cup of your favorite berry flavored vodka

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup simple syrup

What you need to do: 

Combine the ingredients in a large pitcher & stir!

Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours, serve & enjoy. 

Punch Bowl

Classic Margarita

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

 

Let's celebrate with a Classic Margarita!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces tequila made from 100 percent agave, preferably reposado or blanco
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Salt for garnish

Prep:

Combine tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Moisten rim of Margarita or other cocktail glass with lime juice or water. Holding glass upside down, dip rim into salt. Shake and strain drink into glass and serve.

 

 

National Geographic

 

Happy Hour Mixology: Strawberry Sangria

Made with Picasa, myheartisfullofwine.tumblr.com

Whenever I think of spring orsummer, I envision warm evenings, brightly colored skies, chilled white wine, and strawberries. 

So why not combine all them?

Strawberry Sangira

What you need:

1 bottle of dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio (one of my favorites) or Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 cup of strawberry schnapps

1/4 cup of sugar

2 cups of sliced fresh strawberries

Ice.

2 qt. pitcher

What you need to do:

1. Stir wine, schnapps, and sugar together until sugar is dissolved.

2. Add sliced strawberries.

3. Cover & chill for 1-4 hours

4. Serve over ice in wine glasses

5. Garnish with strawberries & Enjoy!

Xo -Kristina