Friday, August 30, 2013

Rainbow Banana




Labor Day weekend is here!  

How exciting.  

This weekend for us is baseball practice (surprising, I know) and a local Festival.  

We usually spend this weekend up at the lake with my folks, but I think those days may have passed for now.

Tonight I am going to do a short but sweet post.  

I need to do it quickly because our 9 year old's 4th grade teacher will be posted at 5:00 at the school and he needs to know who his teacher is soooo badly.  

Every 3-5 minutes he asks what time it is, so if we do not leave AT 5:00 I think I will be in lots and lots of trouble.

I wanted to make a blended cocktail today because it's incredibly hot out today.  

I initially made this cocktail out of 3 ingredients and it was more in the milkshake form.  Then I decided to add sprite to make it more liquidier.  

I personally liked the flavor of the milkshakier one best therefore you all get 2 recipes tonight!  My ratings are below for each cocktail.  

Above is an average of the two.



Here is a photo of the end result (thinner version):

rainbow banana cocktail, coconut rum, malibu rum, banana liqueur, rainbow sherbet, sprite, lemon-lime soda


Here is a photo of the ingredients (thinner version):

rainbow banana cocktail, coconut rum, malibu rum, banana liqueur, rainbow sherbet, sprite, lemon-lime soda


Here is my recipe for a Rainbow Banana (thicker version):
(This version gets 5 shots out of 5)

  • 2 ounces coconut rum
  • 1 ounce banana liqueur
  • 1 cup rainbow sherbet
Here is my recipe for a Rainbow Banana (thinner version):
(This version gets 3 shots out of 5)


  • 2 1/2 ounces coconut rum
  • 2 ounces banana liqueur
  • 1 cup rainbow sherbet
  • 1 1/2 ounces sprite
Either way you decide to make it you will use a blender.  Basically all you need to do is put all of the ingredients in the blender and blend them up until completely mixed.  It's just that easy!


Happy Labor Day weekend to all!

Cheers!!

The Cocktail Lady

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Pink Coconut



Thursday......actually this is technically the last "summer" Thursday for our second oldest son.  

Our oldest started High School over two weeks ago.  

Our second oldest is out on a movie play date with our neighbors and my girls......are actually.......SLEEPING!!  

I don't want to type that word to loud in case I jinx it.  

Summer.......it has been fun.  

It has been filled with our oldest's baseball games and practices, our second oldest's birthday, Tae Kwon Do as well as his advancing up a belt in Tae Kwon Do as well.  

We've gone to the park, we taken a trip to the lake, and thrown two family vacations into one as well.  I think we have done well this summer.  

Saying that, summer is not over yet and I felt the need to create a cocktail that proves that.  

For a few weeks now this little bottle of pink lemonade has been staring me down each and every time I open up that darn fridge.  

Today.......I decided to put it into use.  

I wanted to create a delicious, yet easy cocktail to make and enjoy on a warm summer day.  

Nailed It!!  

I am enjoying this one......a little too much.  The coconut and pink lemonade flavors together create magic in your glass!


Here is a photo of the end result:



Here is a photo of the ingredients:



Here is my recipe for a Pink Coconut:

  • 2 ounces coconut rum
  • 4 ounces pink lemonade

In a tall cocktail glass filled 3/4 with ice, pour in the two ingredients above.  Give you cocktail a good stir and enjoy!


Here's to beautiful August days.

Cheers!

The Cocktail Lady

Friday, August 23, 2013

Island Punch

Island Punch is a fun tropical flavored cocktail.



It's Friday!  Wow that sure was a long week.  

This was our oldest's first full week of high school.  I'm starting to get better at saying high school and not second guessing myself.  Yes Jen, you DO have a high school student....get used to it!  


Speaking of our oldest, tonight is his very first high school dance.......I think I am more excited about it then he is to be honest.  


He never wanted to go to his Jr. High dances until one of his friends insisted he go.  After that night he proclaimed "There should be dances every week!"  I think after he goes to tonight's dance he'll be thinking that same thing again.

We have our second oldest's birthday tomorrow.  He's turning 9 and we are having family over to celebrate.  

He is also testing for his advanced blue belt tomorrow in Tae Kwon Do, so he has been floating around here with a smile on his face for the past couple days.

With all of this going on......boy do I need a cocktail.  

I recently purchased a couple new flavors of vodka at my local BevMo and am excited to try them out.  


Tonight I made a cocktail from Pinnacles recipe book and am super glad I did!  This cocktail is pretty darn tasty.  


The tropical punch vodka smelled pretty good in the bottle and I just knew that adding the pineapple juice to it would be a good blend.  Now that I only have one sip left of this cocktail I'd better sip it and finish getting ready for tomorrow's party.


Here is a photo of the end result:


Here is a photo of the main ingredients:




Here is the recipe for an Island Punch:

  • 1 ounce tropical punch vodka
  • 1/2 ounce triple sec
  • 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice

In a shaker add ice and all of the ingredients above.  Shake and strain your cocktail into a chilled martini glass.


Here's to the end of a long week!

Cheers!!

The Cocktail Lady

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Holiday Mint Cocoa


Holiday Mint Cocoa, Christmas cocktail, milk, cocoa powder, chocolate powder, peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, coffee liqueur, Mint Cocoa picture, Mint Cocoa photo, Mint Cocoa image



Hello.  Hello.  

WOW we have been in High School crazy town.  

Our oldest just had his "final" freshman orientation and registration on Thursday.  He received his classes and school starts on Wednesday.  He is very excited to be starting high school and we are very excited for him.  

It's hard when one of your children starts getting to that age where you need to take a step (or three) back and just let them begin to handle things on their own.  

He is very smart (3.80 GPA), very athletic, funny (must be he has my sense of humor, ha ha), relaxed and handsome all at the same time.  

He is SO ready for this next chapter in his life and we are ready to cheer him on.

My girls have been asking for hot cocoa a LOT lately.....which makes me think of winter.  

That is what gave me the idea of creating a hot cocoa and adding some yummy liqueurs to it.  

When I think of winter and cocktails the flavor of peppermint comes to mind so I knew I had to include it in tonight's cocktail.  

This cocktail is really good.  

I usually just put a packet of hot chocolate (the one with mini marshmallows of course) inside a hot cup of water and call it a day.  

I knew for my blog that I had to step it up a notch and use warmed milk and cocoa powder instead.



Here is a photo of the end result:

Holiday Mint Cocoa, Christmas cocktail, milk, cocoa powder, chocolate powder, peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, coffee liqueur, Mint Cocoa picture, Mint Cocoa photo, Mint Cocoa image


Here is a photo of the ingredients:

Holiday Mint Cocoa, Christmas cocktail, milk, cocoa powder, chocolate powder, peppermint schnapps, Kahlua, coffee liqueur


Here is my recipe for a Holiday Mint Cocoa:


  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa/chocolate powder
  • 3/4 ounce peppermint schnapps
  • 1/2 ounce Kahlua (you can use coffee liqueur also)
  • marshmallows and/or whipped cream to put on top
Pour the milk into your coffee cup and heat it up in the microwave.  Heat it until it is warm enough to drink, but not too hot.....you don't want to burn your mouth.  Next pour in the cocoa/chocolate powder and stir it up until it all dissolves.  Pour in your peppermint schnapps and Kahlua.  Stir and top with marshmallows and/or whipped cream.  



Here's to my girls inspiring tonight's cocktail!

Cheers!!

The Cocktail Lady

Friday, August 2, 2013

ChocolatRouge

On Monday I was invited to a Chocolate Party in a near by city.  

I have never been to a chocolate party before.......probably because I am not a huge chocolate fan.  

Where most people like to have an occasional chocolate bar, chocolate candy, chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream, I opt out.  I am not really a dessert person either (I can hear your gasps from here).  

I DO enjoy ice cream.....although my body these days would not agree with me.  

Although I am not a big candy eater, you put a bag of Reese's Pieces in front of me and It's On!

Back to the Chocolate Party story.  

We are asked to bring a bottle of wine if we would like to.  

I do not want to come empty handed so I browse through the wine isles at Safeway, I am NOT a wine connoisseur, so I really have no idea what I am looking at or for.  

All I know is that I like red wine.  

As I am walking up and down the isles I think I see the work Chocolate?  

I look again and this is what I find:


My first thought was "Oh no......that's weird".  

Then I stood there for a moment (OK, maybe it was longer then a moment.....I was actually kid-free so this may have gone on for some time I am really not sure) and thought "Well I'm going to a "Chocolate Party" and they did say to bring "wine".....shoot what the heck.  

Worst case?  

A room full of strangers thinks I am the LAMEST Cocktail Lady ever who brings the WORST tasting wine imaginable to parties.  

I can hang with that.

We get to the party.  

Cork the wine.  

Take a sniff.......WOW that smells pretty darn good!  

OK here goes.  

Pour.  

Swish (only because I've seen people do this and it looks like the right thing to do when you have a glass of wine).  

Taste, HOLY MOLY this stuff is DE-licious!!  It's so delicious that some of the guests at the party come over to ask "Who brought THIS wine?" and "Where did you get it?"  It was an utter hit!

This wine tastes like a raspberry truffle.  

It's smooth and quite yummy.  

Your mouth goes through a few different flavors during the entire "sipping" process of each and every sip.  I went back and bought more yesterday as we had a couple friends and my Mother-in-law and nieces and nephew over for dinner.  

I wanted them all (the 21 and over's that is) to try it.  

Got my Mother-in-law hooked and promising that she was going to go buy some for herself. 

Here is what a glass of it looks like:


Oh yes it is dark, but don't let that scare you!  

I also saw another version of the chocolate wine right next to it by the same makers.  This one was also red wine and chocolate, but it looked like chocolate milk and it requires you to chill it before serving.  

I may get the courage to try that one as well and if I do, I will report back to you all on what I thought about it.

I hope you are all enjoying the last couple hours of the Friday workday.  

If you are in Safeway or another store that has this wine and you are curious about it, buy it!  

Try it and then let me know what you think about it.  I gave it 5 shots out of 5.


Cheers to the weekend!!

The Cocktail Lady