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Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes

By: comment

Can you believe Thanksgiving is only a little over a week away already? I love this time of year, getting together with family and friends. Holiday entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful at all. You can serve up a couple of these Thanksgiving cocktail recipes featuring Shellback Spiced Rum, Camarena Tequila and Blue Ice Vodka  to your family and friends to help celebrate the season.


Shellback Spice

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Shellback Spiced Rum
  • 1/2 ounce Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 ounce Mint Syrup (See below)
  • Dash of Bitters
  • Top with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
  • Mint Sprig for Garnish

Directions:

Pour all ingredients, except ginger beer, into a mixing glass. Shake with ice, then strain into a copper mug over ice (or rocks glass if copper mug isn’t available). Top with ginger beer and garnish with a mint sprig.

Mint Syrup: Place 12 fresh mint leaves, 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let cool, then sit for a few hours. Strain out mint leaves and store mint syrup in a bottle for up to 2 weeks.

Port of Mexico

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Camarena Reposado Tequila
  • 1/4 ounce Grenadine
  • 1/4 ounce Lime Juice
  • 1/2 ounce Tawny Port

Directions:

Place grenadine in bottom of glass. Set aside. Place remaining liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend. Strain into glass over grenadine and fresh ice.

Shellback Hot Buttered Cider

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce Shellback Spiced Rum
  • 1 ounce Butterscotch Schnapps
  • 1 package Spiced Cider Mix
  • 6 ounces Hot Water
  • Cinnamon Stick for Garnish

Directions:

Place hot cider mix in heat proof mug. Top with heated water. Stir to dissolve. Add rum and schnapps. Stir. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Apple Ginger Bee

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Camarena Reposado Tequila
  • 1 ounce Ginger Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 ounce Honey
  • 2 ounces Fever-Tree Ginger Ale
  • 1/4 of a Red Apple, Sliced

Directions:

Muddle apple with honey and lemon juice. Add ginger liqueur and Camarena Reposado Tequila. Shake vigorously with ice, then double strain into a Collins glass. Add ice and top with ginger ale, to taste. Garnish with apple slice fan.

All-American Chilled Apple Pie

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces Blue Ice Vodka
  • 3/4 ounce Tuaca Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce Sweet & Sour
  • 4 ounces Chilled Apple Cider

Directions:

Build in order over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a lemon slice, a long cinnamon stick and a straw.

As always, please drink responsibly, and never drink and drive!

Fall or Holiday Party Idea: Apple Tasting Party

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Today I have a fun twist on a holiday wine or cheese tasting party from, home entertaining expert Domenica Marchetti. Domenica suggests a fun (and healthy) twist on the wine and cheese pairing party. The author of Big Night In says, “Embrace the season’s bounty and involve the whole family: host an apple tasting!”

I think it sounds like a wonderful idea! There are so many wonderful apple varieties and flavors, and so many ways you can present them to your guests.

More than 2,500 apple varieties are grown in the United States, and about 20 are widely available nationwide, according to the U.S. Apple Association. “Yet, many consumers gravitate to the same two or three varieties,” she says. “An apple tasting can be a fun experience for your guests as they sample the range of flavors, textures and colors along the apple spectrum.”

Marchetti offers some great tips to help you host your apple tasting party:

  • Select three to six varieties, including sweet and tart. One suggested lineup: Golden Delicious, Gala, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith.
  • Line up each variety and identify them with a simple place card, then place sliced apples for sampling in front (provide utensils for safe handling). TIP: to prevent browning, dunk apple slices in vitamin C-fortified 100% apple juice.
  • Provide toasted walnuts as a palate-cleanser and tools for note-taking.
  • Have guests sample varieties individually. Challenge them to note unique characteristics, such as size and shape. Also discuss skin color, flesh firmness, and the apple’s aromas and juices. Finally, have them describe the flavor — sweet, tart, spicy, floral, etc. Perhaps one emerges as a favorite. TIP: For adults, refrain from drinking alcohol during the tasting as it will dull the taste buds.

Once all the apples have been sampled, showcase their versatility through creative pairings, from artisanal cheeses to sweet and savory spreads, Marchetti suggests.

“You may also choose to incorporate an assortment of delicious apple products,” she says. “Include apple butter as a bread dipper, or serve dried apples. And don’t forget to toast to your guests with a steaming cup of apple cider or an apple cocktail!”

See Marchetti’s suggested “Pairings and Simple Recipes,” or visit www.usapple.org for inspiration.

SOURCE U.S. Apple Association

Light Thanksgiving Recipes~ Turkey Cranberry Wraps

By: comment

If you’re looking for something lighter for your Thanksgiving meal this year, or maybe you’re serving lunch, and you don’t want everyone to leave feeling stuffed. Today I have the perfect recipe for a quick Thanksgiving luncheon, or light dinner meeting with friends. These Turkey, Tart Cherry, and Cranberry Chutney Wraps would also be perfect “finger food” for a baby or bridal shower. They’re a great alternative to sandwiches.

Many of your guests will appreciate the fresher flavors, and lighter feel of this delicious wrap recipe from Mission Menus.

The best part is this is such a simple recipe! Just layer everything in and wrap. I love easy fun recipes like this!

Turkey, Tart Cherry, and Cranberry Chutney Wraps
Ingredients:

  • 4 Mission Life Balance tortillas
  • 8 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons cranberry chutney
  • 4 tablespoons dried tart cherries
  • 8 slices or ounces turkey breast
  • 8 thin slices red onion
  • 1 cup chopped lettuce

Directions:

Lay each tortilla flat and coat each with 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 tablespoon chutney, 1 tablespoon dried tart cherries, 2 slices turkey, 2 slices onion, and 1/4 cup lettuce. Roll into a tight wrap and serve. Makes 4 wraps.

You could easily double or even triple this recipe, depending on how many guests will be there.

Image and recipe courtesy of Mission Menus

Thanksgiving Cocktail Recipes

By: comment

When you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, don’t forget to include a dinner cocktail or two. Today I have a couple more yummy Thanksgiving cocktail recipes, courtesy of Blue Ice Vodka, the flavors combinations in these cocktails are all very fall, and holiday.

Maybe one of these can work as the signature cocktail at your Thanksgiving dinner bash.

This can be a great way to help out the party hostess, you can offer to pitch in with the cocktails for your contribution to the party. Just bring all the ingredients to mix up these Thanksgiving cocktails at your party destination.

These recipes can be great conversation starters, and your friends will be impressed that you came up with recipes so perfect for the fall season.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

  • 4 parts Blue Ice Vodka
  • 1 part DaVinci Pumpkin Pie Syrup
  • Cinnamon Sugar

Add Blue Ice and Pumpkin Pie Syrup to a cocktail shaker, shake well and strain. Garnish with an orange slice and pour into a cocktail glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar

Chilled Pumpkin Latte

  • 1 ounce Blue Ice Vodka
  • ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
  • ¾ ounce DaVinci Pumpkin Pie Syrup

Build over cubed ice in a 12- to 14-ounce Collins-style glass

All-American Chilled Apple Pie

  • 1 1/4 oz Blue Ice Vodka
  • 3/4 oz Tuaca Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Sweet & Sour
  • Fill with Chilled Apple Cider

Build in order over ice in a 12 oz glass, garnish with a lemon slice, a long cinnamon stick, and a straw.

Don’t forget to remind your guests to always drink responsibly!

More fall inspired cocktail recipes for your Thanksgiving party:

Pumpkin Pie-tini

Caramel Apple Pie Cocktail

Images and recipes courtesy of  Blue Ice Vodka

Healthy Fall Party Recipes~ Roasted Acorn Squash

By: comment

The weather’s turning cooler, and that definitely puts me in the mood for fall flavors and entertaining.

I enjoy fall parties, because they’re usually cozier and slower paced than summer parties, I can also serve some of my favorite comfort foods to guests. If you’re looking for a recipe that for a cozy fall dinner party check out this recipe for roasted acorn squash. I love winter squash this time of year, it’s a comforting flavor.

This recipe is courtesy of Season 52 Restaurant. Their entire menu is created around a positive lifestyle, with natural cooking techniques, including open fire grilling. Yum!


Roasted Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

  • 1 ea Acorn squash
  • 12 spritz Extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • Pinch Black pepper, fresh ground

Procedure:

  1. Wash acorn squash in cold water.
  2. Cut squash in half.
  3. Scrape out all seeds with large kitchen spoon.
  4. Cut acorn squash into 4 wedges.
  5. Place wedges on a sheet tray.
  6. Spritz squash with extra virgin olive oil.
  7. Season squash with salt and pepper; stand squash cut-side up on tray.
  8. Roast in 425º oven for 40 – 45 minutes total.
  9. Spritz twice with olive oil during roasting and turn tray in oven.
  10. Remove from oven and brush squash with spiced cider glaze.

Serves: 4