Category: Libations

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Happy Birthday USA!!!

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Wishing you all a very happy 4th!

May your day be filled with laughter and tradition, smoldering sparklers, charred BBQ and a sweet summer drink. I hope today you are saturated in all things “American” – baseball, backyard barbeques, homegrown corn, apple pie, and good, front porch company. I hope you eat until you’re full and then eat some more. I hope your conversation and laughter are endless. I hope the only loud noises you hear are celebratory fireworks. I hope your worries are few. I hope the music is loud and I hope you dance.

And then, I hope you thank the lucky stars that you are on this soil. Here, a full belly, peace and safety, free speech, religion without persecution, education and luxury unlike any other place in the world has become an expectation not a privilege. It is afforded to the masses, not the few. I hope today, you appreciate the gift that your life circumstances have afforded you by landing you here. 

For the brave warriors who fought endlessly for our freedoms, for the immigrants who tirelessly journeyed to build our rich culture, for every person who loves this country and has fought to always make it better without sacrificing its soul….thank you!

I am not always proud of our administration. I am not always proud of our electorial results. But, I am proud to be an American!

In the spirit of new experiences mixed with old tradition…here’s a bomb pop cocktail that will take you back to your youth and doesn’t require freezing or advanced prep!

Enjoy! And Happy Independence day from Life Liberty and a Little Bit of Libations!!

Stay Safe and Stay Happy!

 

 

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Out-of-the-box Frozen Drinks to help cool-off on these hot summer days

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It is Hot Hot Hot outside!

While I hate being stuck inside the hospital with no exposure to the outside world – no sunshine, no warmth, no fresh air … my days off, in the muggy 90 degree heat often feel like a shock to my system, like walking into an inferno. While bodies of water and good ol’ a/c do a lovely job keeping us cool on these hot summer days, a nice frozen libation is always a refreshing accompaniment!

I’m not going to bore you with the usual suspects like Strawberry Daquiries or Piña Coladas … nor would I ever suggest you use a mix 😉 Instead, here are some less common, made from scratch, out-of- the-box recipes, to help quench your thirst and cool down on these hot summer days. Obviously, you’ll need a blender. Enjoy!

All recipes make aprox. 2 servings

Frosé

  • fill an ice cube tray with rosé wine and freeze
  • sprinkle 2 cups of strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar let sit
  • blend the rosé ice cubes and sweetened strawberries with 1/2 cup vodka and a splash of grenadine

Watermelon Margaritas

  • 2 cups frozen watermelon
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup Cointreau
  •  3/4 cup tequila
  • blend

Snowball

  • 1/4 cup Godiva white chocolate liquor
  • 1/4 cup Baileys
  • 3 tablespoons crème de cacao
  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream
  • blend

Brandy Shakes

  • quart of good vanilla ice cream
  • blend with 1 cup Brandy

Blueberry Mint Gimlet

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 2 shots of gin
  • 1 shot simple syrup
  • 1 1/2 shots fresh lime juice
  • handful of mint leaves
  • blend with a large cup of  ice

Tropical Frozen Lemonade

  • 1/4 cup frozen lemonade
  •  4 Tbs Malibu
  • 2 cups crushed ice
  • blend and garnish with a lime slice

Pineapple Gin Freeze

  • 3 cups frozen pineapple
  • 6 oz gin
  • 2 oz simple syrup
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz pineapple juice
  • blend and garnish with mint sprig

 

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No place does Crabs better than Maryland! Here’s some drinks to accompany our favorite steamed crustaceans!

IMG_1736June is here! Which, if you live in Maryland, means crab season is upon us!!! 2017 is projected to yield a great crab harvest! High yields translates to affordable crab feasts …. so start planning one now!

Marylanders love their crabs! They love the taste of the sweet meat, the spice of the Old Bay and most of all, they love the social gathering that embodies a crab feast. Now, everyone knows crabs and beer go hand-in-hand. But not everyone is a beer drinker. So here are some drink ideas that everyone can enjoy and perhaps will even broaden your crab-pairing horizon 🙂 Enjoy!

If You Don’t Drink Alcohol:

Cola, Rootbeer, Lemonade and fresh-brewed iced tea are go-to non-alcoholic crab pairings. Also feel free to make any of the cocktail recipes listed below with the alcohol omitted. Iced water with lemon is another no-brainer to quench your thirst from all those tongue-tingling spices.

If You Drink Beer: 

Baltimore natives tend to go with Natty Boh or Coors Light. For the most part any lager or pilsner is a safe bet too. The favorite in our house is a Belgian white like Blue Moon with a slice of orange. But for the beer connoisseur, my research yields less traditional but well-respected pairings which include smaller batch beers like : Brooklyn Lager, Mobjack’s Old Coot Stout, Claypipe BackfinPale Ale, Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale,

If You’re Looking for Something Other Than Beer:

Bloody Mary (my favorite steamed-crab pairing)

  • rim a glass with lemon and then old bay
  • pour 3/4 glass of Spicy V8 juice
  • add 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • the juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 tsp horseradish
  • 1 tsp old bay
  • a shake of black pepper and celery seed
  • add vodka to taste
  • stir and garnish with olives and a celery stick

Spicy Mango Punch

  • 1/3 cup jalapeno vodka like Stoli Hot
  • 1/3 cup rum
  • 1/3 cup tequila
  • 1/4 cup grenadine
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup mango juice

Spiked Lemonade

  • Lemonade mixed with an alcohol of choice, mixed to taste with ice
  • Some alcohols that would work, depending on your taste are: citrus vodka, PIMMS, bourbon, Malibu coconut rum, peach schnapps, sparkling wine or even beer!

Long Island Iced Tea

(while this pairs well, be careful! These are strong!!!)
  • 1 shot of vodka
  • 1 shot of gin
  • 1 shot of rum
  • 1 shot of tequila
  • 1/2 shot triple sec
  • 1 freshly squeezed lemon
  • cola to taste

Captain and Coke

  • Captain Morgan spiced rum with Cola to taste
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It’s Strawberry Season! Let’s drink!

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Motherhood and Nursing alike call us to be many things. We are called to be patient and loving care-givers, be it for a skinned-knee or a laboring woman. We are called to be resilient, in the face of the worst tantrum or nastiest patient despite our sleep deprivation and empty belly. We are urged to use creativity, for those ridiculous school projects or an unconventional way to hang an IV bag without a pole.  We are the hardest workers, building and saving lives and yet we are asked to be financially responsible and cut costs wherever we can. So, for you all you parents and nurses and anyone who needs a little sweet amongst the saltiness …. Take advantage of the sweet fruit that is cheap and in season. Make yourself a drink and leave out the booze if you’re a cheap date or pour it extra heavy if it’s just one of those days … nobody’s here to judge! All of these recipes leave room to play and I think I’ve covered just about every major alcohol type except whiskey. So, there’s something for everyone!

Here are the favorite strawberry drink recipes of mine and my friends and family!  (plus a few goodies I researched) :

My go-to summer drink: Gin and Tonic with fresh strawberries

  • Tonic water and Gin mixed to taste with a slice of lime and fresh sliced strawberries over ice….if Gin is too grown-up for you, sub out Vodka 😉

From my sweet English friend Therese: An English summer spritzer

  • Mix Pimm’s and Sprite to taste with sliced cucumber and strawberries

From Kathy, a veteran nurse and mother: Strawberry Shortcake

  • Frozen strawberries, vanilla ice cream, amaretto, ice cubes. Blend ( don’t measure, recipe to taste and drink like a milk shake ).

From Gretchen, my super hip Nurse/Mom-friend: Strawberry Mojitos

  • In a glass, muddle 3 strawberries, 1 TBS of simple syrup and a few mint leaves
  • Add a shot of white rum, then ice, then top with seltzer water to taste

From Colleen, my doggie rescue go-to: Strawberry-infused Tequila

  • Using a small-medium sized glass bowl or a glass carafe, fill the bowl half-way with whole, fresh strawberries then cover with tequila.
  • Cover bowl and place in fridge for 4 or more days.
  • After the four+ days drain off the tequila. You now have strawberry-infused tequila which you can drink alone or mix with lemonade and garnish with fresh fruit.
  • And if you were me, you’d also eat the drunken strawberries 🙂

From my hot Chilean husband: Borgona (Chilean style sangria)

  • Chop 1-2 cups of fresh strawberries and sprinkle with 1-2 TBS sugar, let sit 20 min
  • Once strawberries have sat and absorbed the sugar, add 1 bottle of either white or red wine in a pitcher or glass carafe, add more sugar to taste
  • Chill and serve when cold. Will keep several days in the fridge.

From some internet searches and my own inspiration: Strawberry Moscow Mules

  • In a pot, simmer 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water until sugar dissolves
  • To the simmering pot, add 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries and mash with a fork while simmering another 10 min.
  • Remove pot from heat and cool
  • Squeeze 1 lime into the cooled strawberry mixture
  • Take 1/2 cup of this mixture and add vodka and ginger beer to taste; serve with ice
  • *another version includes adding basil to the heated strawberry mixture

Inspired by Crazy for crust: Strawberry Shortcake Mimosas

  • In a glass, add a spoonful of chopped strawberries, a scoop of strawberry ice cream or sorbet, a shot of vanilla vodka and top with Prosecco (sweet sparkling wine) or Champaign to taste

From myincrediblerecipes.com: Strawberry Moonshine

  • In a pot, heat 4 cups of sugar with 12 cups of water until sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and cool
  • Add 1 1/2 cups of pureed strawberries and 4 cups of fresh lemon juice to the cooled sugar-water. Then add 5 cups of Everclear
  • Mix and pour into mason jars, let sit in refrigerator for 2 weeks
  • Can drink as-is or mix into lemonade etc.
  • Note: Everclear is grain alcohol and carries a very high alcohol content

From dessertfortwo.com: Strawberry Rose Gin Fizz

  • Sprinkle a handful of strawberries with sugar, let sit for 10 min then mash
  • Shake the sweetened strawberries, 4 shots of gin, 1 tsp of rose water and a pinch of salt with ice
  • Pour into 2 glasses and top with seltzer. Serve with a slice of lime.

 

Enjoy!

Because life is short, work is hard … and strawberries aren’t always in season!

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Pineapple Mojitos

Like most nurses, I work 12 hour shifts and I usually work my shifts back-to-back. Working those long shifts in the hospital keeps me removed from the weather outside. In the winter, it’s not so bad. But in the summer, I miss the sunshine and fresh air and my body starts craving vitamin D. This weekend was one of those stretches where I worked 48 hours in 4 days. I ended my stretch of days with a particularly difficult shift that reminded me of the fragility of life and the blessing that my children are, regardless of how difficult they may sometimes be.

Yesterday was my night off and with the weather warming-up now, you can bet I was ready to be outside! My husband loves mojitos and we had a pineapple sitting on the counter that needed to be used. 15 minutes of prep and 20 min to make some syrup and ..

… Voila!!!  Pineapple mojitos to celebrate a night at home, together! Delicious!

I ordered some carry-out, left my phone and the screens in the house and brought the speakers outside to listen to some Beatles music. The kids played with the neighbors while my husband and I sat outside and chatted. We even ate our dinner outside. Those are the moments that make life worth living …. the moments that we slow down and just enjoy where we are and who we have in our lives. This fresh summer cocktail was the perfect accompaniment to have in our hands while soaking in the last rays of sun for the day and appreciating the life that we have.

A couple suggestions:

If you like mojitos or mint juleps and you’re not growing your own mint … start! You can pick up a pot at any nursery or Home Depot/Lowes for a couple bucks. Plant it in an inconspicuous spot in the yard because it grows like a weed or in a pot on your porch. You’ll have fresh mint for the rest of your life! It comes back every year, the bugs never bother it and you can use it for a variety of food and drink recipes.

Also, if you’re unsure about this mojito recipe or you are counting your sugar intake … consider ladling the rum mixture into your glass first and then adding the pineapple syrup one tablespoon at a time, for each drink (rather than to mix the whole batch). You can control the sweetness that way. And, if this recipe is not your favorite … you can strain the pineapple out of the syrup and you have pineapple infused simple syrup to use for another cocktail like a pineapple martini 🙂

Lastly, if your kids are around and they like pineapple, you’d better buy two! This recipe uses 3/4 of a whole pineapple and it’s possible that you might just hear some complaints that you’re using “All that pineapple to make a drink!!!!” LOL

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  • 1 fresh, ripe pineapple, skinned and chopped
  • 2 Tbs brown sugar
  • large handful of fresh mint
  • 1 1/4 cup white rum
  • 4 oz lime juice (about 6 limes-squeezed)
  • Seltzer

Makes 4 drinks

  1. Cut the rind off of the pineapple and cut the flesh into chunks
  2. In a pan, add half of the chopped pineapple, 2 cups of water and 2 Tbs brown sugar. Stirring occasionally, simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is reduced by half-takes about 20-30 min. This will become your pineapple syrup.

IMG_35733.  While the pineapple syrup is simmering, muddle another 1/4 of the fresh chopped pineapple and all but 4 sprigs of mint. I used a mortar and pestle but any pot and mashing tool would suffice.

IMG_35744.  Once the pineapple and mint are mashed, add the rum and lime juice. Muddle some more.

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  1.  Once the pineapple syrup is done and has cooled a bit, add the pineapple syrup with the soft, cooked pineapple to the rum mixture. Mash a bit more. -OR- if you want to control the sugar, add the rum mixture to your glass and add syrup a little at a time.

  2.  Ladle over ice and top with seltzer. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

 

(I found the original recipe on the Food and Wine website and then modified it to meet my tastes. This is my modified version.)

 

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Libations for Mother’s Day weekend … Raspberry-Lemon Martini … and more!

Just in time for Mother’s Day weekend. I think every mother would agree that motherhood is the single most challenging/rewarding job in the world. Only our children have the ability to fill our hearts and break them with such frequency that it’s painful …. and yet they are the only people who despite that cycle, we will never give up on or walk away from. They are the most common cause of our tears and our biggest source of pride. So to all you Mommies out there …. here’s some libations … because you deserve it!

I wanted to expand on the libations post using flowers in drinks but I posted this raspberry-lemon martini earlier in the week and it was so good that I can’t stop making them and decided to expand on it instead. As much as I enjoy my drinks and love playing around with mixology… I hate spending $50 to make a drink that I may not even like. That’s the mother in me that aims for fiscal responsibility. If I purchase several liquors and then don’t like the drink, I’m stuck with a costly purchase and dusty bottles of liquor that I don’t know what to do with.

So, to encourage you to try it, here is the original, again, and here are some additional recipes that use raspberry vodka and limoncello and a few that even use the sour mix too (though that’s cheap), so that no matter what, you won’t get stuck with liquor. I also adjusted the measurement device from the original recipe as I recently discovered many people don’t have jiggers LOL

tip: If you don’t have bar tools or a small measuring device, a shot glass is aprox. 1 oz

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Raspberry-Lemon martini

  • 1.5 oz raspberry vodka
  • 1.5 oz pink limoncello (regular limoncello would swap out just fine)
  • 1/2 oz sour mix
  • a few drops of lemon juice
  • a few drops of grenadine

Shake ingredients with ice and pour into a sugar rimmed martini glass; makes 1 drink

Raspberry – Limoncello spritzer

  • 1 bottle Prosecco (sweet white sparkling wine) chilled
  • 4 oz limoncello
  • 3 oz raspberry vodka

Stir and pour; serve with fresh raspberries and mint; makes 4 drinks

Limoncello Martini

  • 1oz limoncello
  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz sour mix
  • 1/2 oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and pour into sugar rimmed martini glass

Bacio del Limone

  • 4 oz sparkling wine
  • 1 oz limoncello

Serve over ice with fresh berries; makes 1 drink

Lady Cello

  • 1 oz  limoncello
  • 1 oz rum
  • 1/2 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp grenadine

Shake with ice and pour into a sugar rimmed glass; makes 1 drink

Italian sunrise

  • 6 oz vodka
  • 3 oz bitters
  • 1 oz limoncello
  • 3 oz orange juice
  • 3 oz sour mix

Stir and pour over ice; makes 2-4 drinks

Pink Cello

  • 1/2 oz limoncello
  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1 oz cranberry juice

Shake with ice and pour; makes 1 drink

 Pineapple-Raspberry cocktail

  • 1/2 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup raspberry vodka
  • 1/4 cup peach schnapps

Mix; serve over ice; makes 2-4 drinks

Raspberry Mojito

  • small bunch of mint leaves
  • 4 slices of lime
  • 3 tbsp. simple syrup
  • 6 oz seltzer (could use a lime or raspberry seltzer too)
  • 2 oz raspberry vodka

Mash mint leaves and 3 slices of lime; shake crushed mint and lime with simple syrup and seltzer; add vodka and shake once more; garnish with remaining lime slice and fresh raspberries

Raspberry Moscow Mule

  • 2 oz raspberry vodka
  • 2 oz vodka
  • ginger beer
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • fresh or frozen raspberries

Shake sugar, lime juice, raspberries, vodka and raspberry vodka. Pour in a glass and top with cold ginger beer to taste. Garnish with a lime.

Two other easy go-to’s for raspberry vodka :

mix to taste; good for those who don’t have a stocked bar and like it sweet and light

  • Raspberry vodka and Sprite (tastes like raspberry sherbet)
  • Raspberry vodka and lemonade (spiked raspberry lemonade)
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Raspberry-Lemon martini

 

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This drink was inspired by a similar drink I had for my birthday but the ingredient list I created here is easier to come by and I’m quite proud of its deliciousness. If you like martinis and you like raspberry-lemon…This drink is for you!

  • 1 jigger raspberry vodka
  • 1 jigger pink limoncello (regular probably works fine too)
  • 1/2 jigger sour mix
  • a few drops of lemon juice
  • a few drops of grenadine

Shake ingredients with ice and pour into a martini glass….or any glass really.

Rim glass in lemon juice and then sugar. Could garnish with lemon or raspberries.

This recipe makes 1 drink. Don’t have a jigger? A jigger is simply a 1.5 oz bar tool. Substitute a jigger for any part and simply increase the lemon juice and grenadine to taste.

Enjoy!

 

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Cocktails for Bikini Season

 

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It’s that time of year….the weather is warming up and you want to enjoy a refreshing cocktail outside…but you’re also trying to stay trim for bathing suit season.
Click here for the link to skinny cocktails!

(If it doesn’t open, copy and paste the URL below)

http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1078512/low-calorie-cocktails

These recipes don’t rely on sugary syrups or artificial sugar-free mixes and this list offers a good variety of flavors and ingredients! I’m personally going to be making some rosemary-infused simple syrup for the Gin, rosemary, lime soda but I’m betting my husband would love that celery-cilantro cocktail…Yummm

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Fun Floral Cocktails to Welcome Back Spring

While I’ll admit I’ve been too busy this week to try out any new cocktails…I did find this link on buzzfeed that has some super interesting and super fun drink recipes using an awesome variety of liquors and flavors. And…they all have flowers…I mean…fun…just fun!

Click here for : Buzzfeed’s 20 Flowery Cocktails

In addition, I’ve included a list of common edible spring flowers below. None of these are hard to find. In fact, they might just be blossoming in your garden right now! It’s a great way to not only jazz up a cocktail but any food or drink for that matter! Sprinkled atop a fresh salad or floating in an iced tea – it’s sure to make a ordinary dish feel extraordinary! You can also make floral ice cubes for use in cocktails, mocktails, tea and water. Keep them ready in the freezer for the next time you have guests. Take your entertaining skills up a notch or just bask in your own little festive nature!

Edible Flowers:

  • Pansies
  • Violets
  • Roses
  • Carnations
  • Chamomile
  • Chrysanthemums (mums)
  • Impatiens
  • Lilac
  • Hibiscus
  • Gladiolus
  • Fuchsia
  • Lavender
  • Jasmine
  • Dandelions
  • Clover flowers
  • Nasturtium
  • English daisy aka lawn daisy

 

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“A Win-o’s Guide”- everything you need to know to understand the basics of wine pairings and characteristics

My interest in wine began with my marriage to a Chilean man. My intrigue (borderline compulsion) began when we visited the winery of the second largest wine producer in the world-the Concha y Toro winery in central Chile. It was there that I learned how to place a sniff, how to interpret aroma and discover hints of flavor and how the flavors change with aeration and sitting. I also learned how different types of wine are made from different types of grapes. It was in Chile’ that I truly became a “Win-o”. 😉

Despite the fact that I love wine tremendously and my knowledge of wine has grown exponentially … I am still quite ignorant and I am nowhere near a wine connoisseur. What I’ve found however, is that most other people aren’t either. So here’s some basic info to get you started on understanding the most popular kinds of wine and where they fall on the sweet-to-dry spectrum, how to pair these basic types of wine to general foods and a little bit of terminology.

A sweet to dry spectrum of whites:

very sweet- Moscato – Riesling – Pinot Grigio – Sauvignon Blanc – Chardonnay- dry

A sweet to dry spectrum of reds:

very sweet- Port – Pinot Noir – Zinfandel – Malbec – Syrah -Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot – Chianti -Dry

Rose’:

Can be sweet or dry. White Zinfandel is an example of a sweeter rose’.

Sparkling Wine:

 Prosecco is a sweet sparkling wine. Champaign can be sweet or dry.

Types of wine and food pairings:

sparkling wine– (ie.Prosecco or Champagne)
-cold veggies, soft cheese, hard cheese, fish or salty foods

light white wine– (ie.Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc)
– veggies, fish

full-bodied white-(ie.Chardonnay)
-soft cheeses, fish, poultry

sweet white wine– (ie.Riesling, Moscato)
– soft and hard cheeses, cured meat, sweets or spicy foods

rose’-can be sweet or not and depending on that would pair accordingly

light red-(ie.Pinot Noir)
poultry, cured meat, shellfish, roasted veggies, mushrooms

medium red– (ie. Zinfandel, Merlot)
roasted veggies, hard cheese, poultry and red meat

full-bodied red-(ie.Cabernet, Malbec, Shiraz)
-cured meat, red meat and hard cheese

dessert wine-(ie.Port)
-sweets, cured meats, soft cheese

 

A go-to pairing tip:

Wine should be sweeter than the food it is paired with. If the wine is less sweet than the food it is paired with it will taste bitter and tart.

Wine Characteristics: What do these words mean?

“Aroma”: the smell of a wine

“Body”: the apparent weight of a wine in your mouth

“Finish”: the impression a wine leaves as you swallow it

“Dry”: not sweet

“Fruity”: a wine whose aromas and flavors suggest fruit; often sweet but not necessarily so

“Acidity”: a wine’s “pucker” or tartness

“Crisp”: a refreshing acidity

“Oaky”: a wine that has a smooth rather than crisp mouth feel and carries the flavors of oak or vanilla or coffee; usually more oak yields more yellow color in white wines

“Tannins”: comes from the grape seeds, skins and stems and causes a dry  feeling in the mouth. A wine with high tannins would be described as “tannic”.

 

Salud!

 

Lots of this great info came from these great websites:

https://vinepair.com/wine-101/

https://winefolly.com/reviews/5-tips-to-perfect-food-and-wine-pairing/

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/drinks/wine/wine-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/