GRAPEFRUIT ELDERFLOWER SPARKLER and TANGERINE LIME SPARKLER

I can't think of the last time I went to the theatre to see a movie - it's awful and seems un-American, I know! But when I have a sitter for the kids, I am more interested in dinner, drinks and uninterrupted conversation, and my husband always volunteers to take the kids to see the kid movies.
Consequently, I'm clueless about the Oscar nominations, so if I watch the show tonight, it will be with a classic, red carpet worthy champagne style of cocktail, as opposed to a fun movie themed drink.

GRAPEFRUIT ELDERFLOWER SPARKLER

1 ounce elderflower liqueur
1 ounce chilled pink grapefruit juice
3 ounces chilled sparkling wine

Combine the elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice, top with the sparkling wine.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cosmopolitan, February 2013
www.cosmopolitan.com › Index › Food/Cocktails‎

TANGERINE LIME SPARKLER

Drop a sugar cube into a champagne flute. Add 1 ounce of fresh tangerine juice and 1/4 ounce of fresh lime juice, top with sparkling wine.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray, January/February 2013
www.rachaelray.com/‎

SUPER CITRUS MARGARITA

Happy National Margarita Day

SUPER CITRUS MARGARITA

salt
juice of 1/2 a ruby red grapefruit
juice of 1/2 orange
juice of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce cointreau

Salt the rim of a cocktail glass.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the grapefruit juice, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, tequila and cointreau. Shake vigorously, then strain into the glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, May 2012
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

GINGER BOURBON COCKTAIL and MAINBRACE COCKTAIL

 Perfect to warm up a chilly evening!!

GINGER BOURBON COCKTAIL

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon rainbow peppercorns
2 slices fresh ginger
ice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 ounces bourbon

In a pan, simmer the sugar with 1/2 cup water, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Off the heat, steep the peppercorns and ginger until cool, strain.
Fill a glass with ice, and 1 tablespoon of syrup, lemon juice and bourbon.
Enjoy!

MAINBRACE COCKTAIL

1 ounce of gin

1/2 an ounce of Cointreau

1/2 an ounce of grapefruit juice

In a cocktail shaker, shake with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Dwell Magazine, September 2012

www.dwell.com/articles/recipes‎

BOULEVARDIER and RUM SWIZZLE and ADONIS and THE DOGWOOD and GRAPEFRUIT VESPER

I was deeply disappointed to miss cocktails at a friends house, due to a combination of my car not being drivable in the ice and snow, and having a sick child.
In an attempt to stop feeling sorry for myself, I mixed up my own cocktail, a poor substitute for the delicious sounding lavender cocktails she had prepared, but still delicious. I searched a long time to find a cocktail recipe, and almost gave up hope, until I unearthed The Boulevardier. It was interesting to note, while looking through magazines and my pile of recipes, that the older the magazine, the fewer, if any, cocktails were featured.

BOULEVARDIER

Combine 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of Campari and 1 ounce of sweet vermouth in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir until shaker is very cold, about 1 minute. Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon slice.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2013
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

RUM SWIZZLE

ice cubes
2 ounces rum
juice of half a lime
juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon agave nectar
generous dash of angostura bitters

In a rocks glass filled with ice cubes, combine ingredients. Use a swizzle stick to blend.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray
www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

ADONIS

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 1/2 ounces sherry, 1 ounce sweet vermouth and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Add ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, October 2010
www.foodandwine.com/recipes‎

THE DOGWOOD

Combine 1/4 cup white grapefruit juice, 3 tablespoons vodka and 1 tablespoon elderflower liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
Cover with lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds.
Strain into a glass filled with ice cubes.
Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, March 2013
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

GRAPEFRUIT VESPER


GRAPEFRUIT VESPER

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce each of vodka, gin, grapefruit juice and sauvignon blanc. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey and 1 cup of ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, November 2011

www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

CRANBERRY AND ORANGE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL and GRAPEFRUIT WITH ALMOND HONEY YOGURT and PEAR, PROSCIUTTO AND WALNUT SALAD and BACON EGG AND TOMATO TART

The scheduled time for the ladies from Local Flavor NWA to visit, interview and photograph was such an incredibly fun afternoon!! I decided to make a full brunch, starting with a lively cocktail, and ending with a sample of Patron Cafe XOXO.
Both Rhonda and Maliah have incredible talent, which is evident in the cookbook they produced, and in all they do.
I hope you enjoy the stories and pictures as much as I enjoyed my time among such brilliance.
To order your copy, go to Local Flavor NWA http://localflavornwa.com

CRANBERRY AND ORANGE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

1 cup cranberry juice
1/3 cup Grand Marnier
1 bottle of champagne
15 ounces of ginger ale

Combine cranberry juice and Grand Marnier. Divide equally among glasses, fill 2/3 full with champagne and top off with ginger ale.
Enjoy!

GRAPEFRUIT WITH ALMOND HONEY YOGURT

1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
1/2 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit rind
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Mix grapefruit with honey, spoon into serving dishes. Blend together the yogurt, almond extract, and grapefruit rind. Garnish with sliced almonds.
Enjoy!

PEAR PROSCIUTTO AND WALNUT SALAD

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 ounces of prosciutto, finely chopped
1/2  head of butter lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
1 pear, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, shallot and coriander. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and sauté until crisp, about 5 minutes, let cool. Place lettuce on plates, or in serving bowl, top with pear slices, walnuts and prosciutto.
Enjoy!

BACON EGG AND TOMATO TART

2 sheets of puff pastry
1 potato, peeled, and cut into cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
8 bacon slices, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 eggs
1 cup of cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, sliced
fresh basil leaves, shredded

Fit pastry sheets into 10 inch tart pan. Chill in refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.
Cook potatoes until just tender, drain and refresh under cold water.
Heat oil in skillet and sauté onion, bacon and garlic until just beginning to lightly brown.
Heat oven to 350F.
Whisk together eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Stir in the potato mixture and pour into prepared crust. Arrange tomato slices on top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 320F, and cook a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until set.
Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from tart pan. Cut into wedges and serve with the basil leaves.
Enjoy!

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA and SIESTA MARGARITA and GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA and MANGO MARGARITA

I recently read a wonderful, well written book called "Are You Really Going To Eat That?"
I loved the food based stories inside, and the Authors adventures and perspectives.
One story was about Prickly Pears, followed by a recipe for a Prickly Pear Margarita, which sounded so good, I absolutely had to make it.
I learned that Cactus Pears are called Indian Figs in Italy and Tunas in Mexico, which came in very useful when I ventured to our local Mexican market in search of the fruit. I asked for Prickly Pears, but was met with confusion until I pulled up a picture on my phone, and the lovely man helping me said "aahhhh, Tunas!", and walked me to the produce section to point them out, but if I didn't know better I would have argued I was looking for a fruit not a fish.
After infusing the Prickly Pears/Tunas in tequila, I invited a couple of friends over to share the bounty. I have also included a few other Margarita recipes I have made for friends over the summer.

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA



10 purple prickly pear fruits
1 bottle (750 ml) white tequila
crushed ice
Limes
Triple Sec

Peel each prickly pear fruit and discard the skin. Put the peeled fruit in a large glass jar and then pour in the tequila so that the fruits are completely submerged. Seal tightly and allow to sit for 3 to 4 days. For each margarita, remove one tuna. Cut in half and remove the seeds. Put the fruit in a blender.
For each drink, add 1/2 cup crushed ice, 2 jiggers (3 ounces) of the cactus flavored tequila, 1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) of triple sec and the juice of 1 lime.
Blend and serve.
Enjoy! please share recipe doodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Are You Really Going to Eat That?, Robb Walsh, 2003
robbwalsh.com/books/book4/‎

SIESTA MARGARITA

1 1/2 ounces of tequila
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce campari

Shake liquid ingredients with ice and strain into a glass.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, April 2012
online.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html‎

GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA

2 cups ruby red grapefruit juice
2/3 cup Blanco tequila
1/4 cup lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups of ginger ale
2 cups ice

Stir together grapefruit juice, tequila and lime juice in a large pitcher. Stir in ginger ale and ice.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living
www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/‎

MANGO MARGARITA

1 small mango, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 ounces of grapefruit soda
1 1/2 ounces of fresh lime juice
2 ounces orange liqueur
1 1/2 ounces agave nectar
3 ounces silver tequila
1 cup ice

In a blender, puree the mango. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, August 2010
www.foodandwine.com/‎