Tag: seasonal drinks

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Summer to Fall

sangriaThe days are getting cooler and the leaves are just starting to turn.

Your hot boyfriend is fixing to leave town and your cool girlfriend, with the crisp laugh, is just coming in. Soon he’ll have moved all of his stuff out and she’ll be here to stay … for a few months anyway.

Man, he’s a good time! He’s addictive, really. So full of adventure, your greatest memories and favorite spots are usually found with him. In the colder months while he’s away, you ache for his warm embrace. He’s fun and he’s sexy. He’s lazy mornings in cool sheets, afternoon mai tai’s and hot sweaty nights that never seem to end. You want him to stay forever and as you watch his toned and oiled body make its cyclical retreat, you can’t help but shed a tear and beg him to turn around. He is wonderful … but he’s a distraction from what you know you can accomplish and at times he can be stiflingly bothersome.

As you wipe your tears, you realize, that now is the time that you appreciate his absence the most. The structure, routine and sense of purpose are a hard but welcome change. Your girlfriend knows your boundaries best. She starts your day with a crisp start, knowing that you work best when you’re forced to move quick … and then slowly warms as your day goes on, reminding you that it’s not all business … there’s still room for play. She’s a freshly pressed pencil skirt, sangria and cool evenings. She hands you a stack of work and then slides you a pumpkin latté to get you through. She’s your advisor for a new job and your date at the Halloween gala. And man … she’s a good cook!

 It’s that in-between stage when you’re living with half of your winter wardrobe and half of your summer threads. You find yourself wearing socks and sweatshirts more often but shorts still work best during the peak of the afternoon. Bags of new uniforms and supplies are tossed haphazardly on the back seat floor that you’ve yet to vacuum the sand off of. The falling temperatures are a welcome reprieve from the oppressive heat yet a daunting reminder of the frigid days to come. And pumpkin flavored everything is the greatest consolation to the end of summer-time ease.

 

To help you with this transition…. Here are some Fall Sangria Recipes. I’ve included one red and one white. Both are tried and true. And just like the days of fall … they can be served either cold or warm. But they are yummy whichever way you choose to take them. Whether you’re hosting a weekend harvest party or you just need something to ease the exhaustion that always comes with a change in season. Find something to celebrate and enjoy! Every season has its beginning and its end … find its beauty while it’s still in town.

Honey-Jack Sangria

  • 1 bottle Malbec
  • 1 cup Honey Jack
  • 1 cup Apple Juice
  • 1 orange cut into slices
  • 1 pear cut into slices
  • 1 plum cut into slices
  • 4 cinnamon sticks

Mix everything and soak overnight. Serve cold, topped with seltzer or slightly warm.

 

Apple Sangria

  • 1 bottle unoaked Chardonnay
  • 1/4 cup Everclear
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup peach Schnapps
  • 2 oranges sliced
  • 2 apples sliced
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 slices of fresh ginger root, peeled
  • 5 cloves

Mix and soak overnight. Top with seltzer if served cold. Or leave it alone and serve warm.

For an extra treat … eat the fruit that remains at the bottom.

 

 

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The Yellow School Bus

It’s that time of year again! The lazy days of summer are coming to a close and a new school year is about to begin. It’s another year of learning, another year of adventures and another year older. The pencils have been sharpened, the notebooks labeled and the new lunch boxes are ready to go! My days will once again be mine … but my evenings just got much busier.

As a mother of two ADD kids, I do my best to be positive about school and I try hard to keep learning exciting for them. I still love to learn. In my professional life, I take every opportunity I can to understand something better and every family vacation is sure to include some aspect of science and history. I want my children to have the same love of learning that I do.

But my confession is that I dread the start of school as much as my children do. I like to sleep-in. I hate rushing back from my afternoon activities at 3pm for pick-up (no bus service for us). The after-school sports and activities are cumbersome. And the 3-4 hours of assisted homework and assignments are the price we pay for our children’s learning challenges, as take-home work is a necessary part of knowledge retention, I’m sure. But it’s not fun … it’s painful actually. I much prefer learning in the form of snorkeling a reef, hiking a military fort and shouting out state capitals in the car. Don’t get me wrong, the peaceful and open day-times are wonderful …. but they don’t make-up for the non-stop run-around in the afternoons and the tear-filled evenings.

Many days I dream to say “We survived academia!” I long for the moment when their education has paid off and when my evenings are no longer filled with “I don’t want to”, “I don’t understand”, “That’s not how my teacher does it” and “I hate school”… I look forward to the days when their learning is an independent experience … and I’m not the evil cohort who is forcing them into this torturous practice.

But I know that along with that peace and independence will come an empty house, less hugs and a “letting go” that I’m not ready for.

Just like my children, I too, am on a journey and with each passing year I have something more to learn. I need more patience. They need more independence. Together, we need to continue fighting through and building our bond – because one day, they will call me with a challenge far greater than “Mom, my science project is due tomorrow.” And they will rely on my knowledge and experience to get them through … and I will wish that life was once again simpler for them. But I will thank the lucky stars that it was me that they called first.

So for every parent who is going to cry when they put their babes on the school bus … for every parent who at some point this school year will get a phone call from administration reporting that their child has done something that they as a parent never dreamed their kid would do …. for all the parents of children who don’t enjoy school …. for the homework no one understands and the science projects that you learn about the day before they are due … I give you the slightly sweet yet potent:

Yellow School Bus

  • 1/2 cup gin
  • 1/2 cup white rum
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1/2 cup triple sec
  • 1/4 cup amaretto
  • 1/4 cup 151 proof rum
  • 1/4 cup sweetened lime juice
  • 4 cups pineapple juice
  • 2 cups grapefruit juice

Mix all the liquors, then add the juices. Serve cold or over ice.

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May your tears be fewer, your stress be lowered and may school be just a little more palatable for ALL parties involved!

This recipe makes a carafe that will last you all week, saving you time later. And just like a school bus, it’s full of lots of different characters! There’s enough alcohol that its sure to be effective. And because there’s pineapple and grapefruit juice in it … you can start at 9 am and nobody’s gonna judge 😉 LOL

Happy First Day of School! Good luck!

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Watermelon Crush … get Greedy with Summer!

August is upon us!!! My beloved summer is more than half over…. No!!!! (Kicking and screaming) !!!! Why must the summers always go so fast! Well you know what they say about ‘all good things’…. I really need to see about moving somewhere more tropical!

While I can’t change my current state of residency (just yet) and I certainly can’t change the global calendar, I can make the best use of every last day of summer. I can soak in every last drop of warmth and sunshine that I can get myself outside for. I can appreciate the ease that comes with each passing day that I’m not assisting someone with their homework. I can count my blessings for the days that hold no piles of school uniforms to wash. And I can revel in each moment that my wardrobe is smaller and lighter than in any other season.

Soon flip-flops and tank tops will be exchanged for bulky coats and thick boots. And the fresh fruits and veggies we find a-plenty will begin to be replaced by frozen or canned varieties. Schools will resume and the busyness of fall and winter schedules will rob us of our leisurely afternoons on the porch when we can afford to just chit-chat and sip a refreshing beverage with our neighbors.

In the spirit of making the most of the time we have, I suggest you look-up your local county fair schedule, fire up the grill, hop in the pool and indulge yourself in all the yummy summer varietals you can. Before it’s all gone, I hope you get greedy with summer 🙂

And what says summer more than watermelon?!

I tried this cocktail first at an Out-of-the-Darkness charity event and I loved it! This super-easy and yummy cocktail has only 3 ingredients and is the perfect choice for a backyard BBQ or just a day at home with the fam. The kids and non-drinkers can easily make this a mocktail by leaving out the vodka and the whole crowd can enjoy eating the watermelon that’s left over, you’ll have plenty!

Watermelon Crushes

  • Sprite or lemon lime soda
  • Watermelon vodka
  • Watermelon

Fill glass about half way with chunks of watermelon. Muddle the pieces in the glass. Watermelon should now fill about 1/3 the glass.

Add 1/3 cup watermelon vodka.

Top with ice and Sprite.

Done! Easy peasy watermelon squeezy! Enjoy! And happy summer to you all!

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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!