I finally settled on a Beija cocktail with black raspberry and lime, two of my favorite things. First, we put the fruit in the bottom of a glass and muddled it (with a special Beija-branded muddler), then filled the glass with ice and added 2 oz. of Beija and a little bit of sugar. We put the shaker over the glass so it fit tightly and shook like crazy until everything was nicely mixed. We took the shaker off the glass (this was another challenge for me… you need to put some muscle in!) and added just a little bit of soda water. And voila!

(Black raspberry and lime)

(Strawberry)

(Cucumber and Honey)

Can I just say this was one of the best, most refreshing cocktails I’ve ever had. And I am not a big rum drinker! Though we were simply in Sara’s courtyard, you could have fooled me and told me I was on an island somewhere sitting on the beach (well, almost). Later that afternoon, I tried a Beija cocktail with cucumbers and honey and, oh my goodness, who would have thought that combination could be so amazing?

Later that evening we decided to take the party to Alibi, one of our favorite bars in Boston. We obviously ordered our drinks with Beija and observed how the bartenders made them… cause you know… we’re experts now

To read more about Beija and it’s founders, check out this article which was featured in the March 8th, 2008 Boston Globe.

[Sues and Chels]

I warned you in my last post that the recipes included here could induce a full-on sugar attack. I mean, it’s not like I was under some kind of assumption that marshmallows were good for me. I knew they were basically sugar, but holy moly, this was a lot of sugar (3 kinds to be exact!). And the hot chocolate? More sugar and lots o’ fat. And rum, too. But it’s cold and snowy outside and you need something to warm your bones, right? Just say yes. Don’t worry, I promise my next recipe won’t be just throwing a pound of sugar in a bowl and telling you to eat it. I mean, I’d at least make a syrup out of it first.

I’ve never really considered making my own marshmallows until I saw Martha Stewart’s recipe. And then I decided it could be fun, especially in alcoholic hot chocolate. And honestly, if you like marshmallows, you HAVE to make these. They’re so much better than what you get in a bag. Very similar (I couldn’t believe how authentic they were!), but less airy and more full-flavored. And the process was pretty easy; they came out near perfect on my first try.

Of course, you can make either of these hot chocolates without alcohol, but you should probably include it. At least a touch. I’m not trying to peer pressure you or anything, but it’s so nice to just relax and sip on this hot drink. The weather outside may be frightful, but we’re in the middle of a major sugar high and absolutely loving life! Just hurry up and get out there to shovel before you crash

Homemade Marshmallows (makes 24):

• Vegetable oil
• 4 envelopes unflavored Gelatin (3 T, plus 1.5 t)
• 3 C granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 C light corn syrup
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 t pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar

First, grease a 9-by-13 glass baking dish with vegetable oil. Line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Brush parchment with more oil and set aside. This is important since you don’t want your marshmallows getting stuck to the paper!

Now, put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 C of water into a medium saucepan. Here’s where Chris walked in the kitchen and thought I made a mistake. He just assumed there was no recipe in the world that would require putting that much sugar in a pan. I will now spend my life in various attempts to prove him wrong.

Bring mixture to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve all the sugar.

Continue to cook (without stirring) until mixture reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t be impatient- Martha says this could take 9 minutes. And it probably will (It could take a lot longer if you start by accidentally reading the Celsius side… not that I would do that).

Put 3/4 C cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle the water with the gelatin and let sit for about 5 minutes to soften.

Using the whisk attachment, set the mixer on low and beat the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture.

Now, gradually raise the speed of the mixer to high and beat for about 12 minutes, until the mixture is stiff. It will start to look like fluff! OMG now I know how to make my own fluff. SO exciting.

Beat in the vanilla.

And then pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. But make sure you work quickly here. I was being a bit of a slow poke and the mixture started to harden, making it tougher to get it out of the bowl and to smooth it out.

I have to take a break here to quote Smitten Kitchen in her first attempt at making marshmallows:

“The paddle was gunked to the bowl and the scraper was glued to the paddle and then — and it is my duty to implore you not to do this at home — you think, ‘well, I’ll just wipe off the paddle with my index finger’ and then your index finger gets knit to the scraper and then you think ‘well, let me use my other finger to wipe this one off’ and all of a sudden, you’ve got strands of marshmallow strung from each finger to the bowl, the mixer, the paddle, the scraper, each corner of the pan, your shirt, the floor.”

It’s true. Don’t let it happen to you. I was basically covered in marshmallow by the time it was all in the dish.

Anyway, let the marshmallows sit uncovered for about 3 hours (up to overnight), until it firms up.

Now you’re ready to form your marshmallows. Sift 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar onto a work surface and tip the dish upside down, so the marshmallow “sheet” falls onto the sugar, parchment side up. Remove the parchment paper.

Brush a knife or pizza cutter with oil (this is important or your knife will get stuck) and cut marshmallows into 2-inch squares. Or whatever size you want. Really, I wanted to make little heart shapes, but I couldn’t find a mini heart-shaped cookie cutter anywhere.

You’ll probably have to keep dipping your knife into the oil to make cutting these easier.

Put the remaining 1/2 C of powdered sugar in a bowl and roll each of the marshmallows into the sugar to coat. It may sound excessive, but it’s totally necessary. After all, it gives them the marshmallow “finish” and stops them from being so sticky. And assists in heightening your sugar high.

You can store these marshmallows in an airtight container for about 3 days. If they last that long. Which they should. Especially if you live alone. Eeek. I won’t tell, though.

Now, on to the hot chocolate! I made two different kinds and both were pretty awesome. The first, banana hot chocolate was SUPER rich and creamy. You can totally change this recipe around to make it suit you. I thought I knew exactly what I was doing until my hot chocolate turned out to be like chocolate syrup, so I kept adding more milk to thin it out a bit. You can always follow my recipe and then add whatever you feel is needed. Really, you can probably omit the half and half all together if you want!

Banana Hot Chocolate (serves 2-3)

• 2 C skim milk
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1 small banana
• 4 oz. milk chocolate
• 2 oz. rum

Put the banana, milk, and half and half in a blender and blend on high until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it.

Then, strain mixture into a saucepan, over medium heat.

Cook the milk mixture for about 3-4 minutes, until it starts simmering.

In the meantime, make sure your chocolate is chopped.

Now, add the chocolate to the milk and mix it until it’s melted and well-incorporated.

Pour into a glass or mug, add in rum, and top with some marshmallows!

Talk about perfection! The hot chocolate was so rich, with just a subtle banana taste. I love the way the marshmallows started melting a bit as they sat in the hot drink.

This is totally my new snow-watching necessity.

I also made a coconut white hot chocolate (not on the same day, I swear!). If you like white chocolate (and coconut), this is a must-make! It was creamy and delicious- almost a little tropical, which was really nice for a cold winter evening.

Coconut White Hot Chocolate (serves 2-3):

• 2 C skim milk
• 1 C light coconut milk
• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 50 ml coconut flavored rum
• coconut for topping

(you can ignore the giant bottle of Bacardi in this photo. I thought I’d need to add more rum… But I was wrong. Surprisingly).

This one is super easy. Just put the milk and coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Then, put the heat on low and stir in the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour into a glass or mug and stir in coconut rum. Top with marshmallows and some shredded coconut.

This one actually tasted super buttery, kind of like what I would expect Harry Potter’s Butterbeer to taste like! Next time I kind of want to drizzle some chocolate syrup over the top.

So, I just supplied you with everything you need for the most wonderful snow day ever. Or snow evening. And since I’ve been hearing it’s going to be snowing even more this weekend (at least in Boston), these recipes could totally come in handy.

Homemade marshmallow and alcoholic hot chocolate (doesn’t calling it that make it seem like the alcohol has a problem?) could also be the perfect way to end your Super Bowl party. You can make the marshmallows the day before and have the hot chocolate ingredients ready to go.

And I successfully proved to Chris that yes, a recipe that calls for putting 3 cups of sugar in a saucepan is a real recipe. And a wonderful one at that.

I can honestly tell you I never want to buy another bag of marshmallows again. If only these could stay fresh for more than 3 days, I’d always have some on hand. But then, I guess that would get dangerous. I can’t even tell you how tough it’s been to have this pan of marshmallows sitting in the kitchen. Every time I walk by… one more won’t hurt, right?

What’s your favorite kind of hot chocolate or winter warm-up drink?

[Sues]

Well friends, we made it to Friday. Congratulations! You deserve a drink It was almost a year ago that I moved into my new apartment (well, 9 months, but who’s counting) and declared that I needed to make more cocktails. I’ve been pretty good keeping up with my promise and now that the warmer weather is hitting us once again (pool!!!), I’m trying my hand at some new concoctions. This one is a drink that I think would be especially delightful poolside. When it comes to goals like “make more cocktails,” I guess I’m pretty good at keeping them

I swear I thought I had a bottle of rum in my liquor cabinet. But when I went to make these strawberry mojitos, I realized we only had a bottle of Bacardi 151. Oops. It was the weekend, so I figured it wouldn’t be a problem.

Strawberry Mojitos (makes 1):
Adapted from My Adventures in Food

• 3 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar to water)
• 4-5 medium fresh strawberries
• Small handful fresh mint leaves
• 2 oz. rum
• 2 t fresh lime juice
• Splash of club soda
• Lime slices

Make your simple syrup first because it’s going to need to cool. I knew I was planning on making 2 mojitos, so I used 3/4 C sugar and 3/4 C of water. Just make sure you use equal parts sugar and water.

Bring water and sugar to a boil and then turn down the heat and stir until the sugar melts. Remove from the stove and cool to room temperature.

I muddled my ingredients in a shaker, but you could do it in a drink glass, too. Whatever you use, put together the strawberries, mint, and crushed ice (you could use cubes, it will jut be a little tougher).

Muddle everything together with the back of a spoon or a muddler. Or a reamer, like I did.

Add in the simple syrup, rum, and lime juice.

Pour into your glass and top off with club soda.

Add in some fresh limes and garnish with a strawberry.

Sip away! But be careful if you used 151. It’s kinda strong

I’ve always been a pretty big fan of mojitos and love this strawberry variation. One of my favorite Boston-area restaurants, The Fireplace, has fabulous mojitos, including a blackberry one. I may have to try making that one, too!

I know, I know. If you live in the New England area, it’s back to being pretty freezing again. And it probably seems like I’m teasing you with this super summery drink. But you could always crank up the heat, put on some Kenny Chesney, and sit on the couch in the bathing suit. OK, that might be kind of weird. But here’s to hoping the sun comes out and the heat returns soon.

Keep your eye out because I’m planning on having plenty more drink recipes this summer. Let me know if you have any special drink ideas or requests

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! My fabulous Aunt Judy is in town from Buffalo, so I’ll be spending some time with her and my family. And getting some major cleaning and organizing done around the apartment. I have a) wedding magazines, venue information, and wedding mailings, b) tax documents, and c) food magazines and recipes pages absolutely everywhere. I have a great filing cabinet, but… I’m really bad at using it. Order needs to enter into my life ASAP! Organization? Well, that calls for another cocktail.

Do you drink summer cocktails even when it’s not warm outside?

[Sues]

Most of my memories in life can be equated with music or food. Sometimes both. Oftentimes, music reminds me of certain foods and foods remind me of music. So, whenever I drink Cherry Coke, I think about when I was a kid dancing around the living room with my sister and dad singing “Cherry Coke.” I kind of figured everyone knew the song (my sister and I still sing it to this day), but upon googling the lyrics, I realized it’s not a very popular song. At all. Somewhere in the depths of my memory, I remembered that a group called “Bob’s Diner” sang it and when I googled that, I got more results (though not many). Anyway, it goes a little something like this, “Sitting in Bob’s Diner/Give me some Cherry Coke and you’re mine/Cherry Coke baby/You’re sweeter than wine. Cherry Coke baby…”

My point is, the entire time I was making this drink for Cocktail Friday, I was singing “Cherry Coke” to myself. And I’m pretty sure I will for the rest of my life. Though I also admit I hummed a little Rascal Flatts to myself as I carried this drink out to the deck, “I miss Mayberry/Sitting on the porch drinking ice-cold cherry Coke…” Cherry Coke is just one of those evocative drinks, I guess.

This Cherry Coke and Rum isn’t a complicated drink. In fact, it’s one of the simplest ever. We never have soda in our fridge but we bought some Diet Coke when Chris’s mom was visiting and the idea of Cherry Coke quickly popped into my head. I went with rum because doesn’t rum and Coke just make sense? Though I’m pretty sure I haven’t had a rum and Coke since college. The rum definitely does help this Cherry Coke become “sweeter than wine.”

Cherry Rum and Coke (makes 2 drinks):
Print this recipe!

• 6 oz. silver rum
• 1.5 C cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 can Coke (diet, if you please)

Can I tell you how excited I am that it’s finally cherry season again? I can’t resist buying cherries whenever I spot them at the grocery store. And even though they always seem to be on sale, they’re still ridiculously expensive. Especially when it’s only at the register that you realize you’re purchasing 2.5 pounds. Oops. Worse things have happened.

Put the pitted and halved cherries in a blender. Add in the rum.

Blend away until the cherries are nice and pureed.

Pour in a glass and top off with as much Coke as needed.

It’s not the most beautiful drink in the world, but what did you expect cherry coke to look like?

And it was delicious. Not overly sweet (though you could easily add a simple sugar if you want it sweeter… or use regular Coke), but very flavorful. The flavors of summer. And childhood. Minus the rum. Really, I promise. I was a goody-two-shoes growing up and definitely didn’t drink.

I’m really treasuring my Cocktail Fridays when I can have them. And I won’t lie, sometimes cocktail Friday happens in the middle of the week and sometimes it’s just with wine or beer or water. It gives Chris and I a time to just sit outside and chat without the distraction of the computer, television, or kitchen (what? the kitchen distracts me ALL the time).

Happy Cocktail Friday, to everyone!! I’m really looking forward to a low-key weekend that involves a BBQ my dad is throwing (which means lots of good food and drinks) and hanging out with my mom. I wish the weather was going to be a bit more fantastic, but I won’t complain. It’s the weekend, after all!

Oh, and I’m also kind of celebrating the fact that it’s only 364 days until I marry my best friend I can’t believe it’s less than a year until my wedding with Chris. I have a feeling it’s going to fly!

Do you have any foods you often find yourself breaking into song around?

[Sues]

It’s officially the holidays!!! Thanksgiving has been celebrated and I finally allowed myself to listen to Michael Buble and light my peppermint Yankee Candle, while Chris and I assembled our Christmas tree. We also did quite a bit of Black Friday shopping online. Er, one for you and one for me was my basic philosophy. Oops? Maybe that’s what happens when you’re sipping on a glass of zinfandel while you shop. Or a cranberry mojito…

One of my favorite things about the holidays is, duh, holiday cocktails. So, I’m pretty excited for the first official Cocktail Friday of the holiday season! Oh, happy day! I started with one of my favorite seasonal ingredients, cranberries, and transformed them into one of the best drinks, a mojito. Now, mojitos are typically a summer drink, but I do love mint in the winter, so I thought the addition of cranberry flavor would work well. Plus… the colors!

Cranberry Mojitos (makes 2):
Print this recipe!

• 8 oz. fresh cranberries
• 1 C sugar
• 1 C water
• 20 mint leaves
• 2 T lime juice
• Ice
• 4 oz. rum
• 4-6 oz. soda water

I didn’t want to use fake cranberry juice in my drink and really wanted to incorporate the real deal in. So, I made a simple cranberry simple syrup. Really, it’s so easy! Which is probably why it’s called a “simple” syrup in the first place.

Just put cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Then lower the heat a bit to medium-low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, before your berries start bursting. Remove from heat.

Once the berry mixture has cooled, you can strain them. I ended up letting my mixture cool overnight in the fridge. I wanted to make sure the berries had seeped as much as possible and left lots of flavor behind. But I don’t think it was totally necessary. You can strain the berries right away if you prefer.

Now you’re ready to get your drink mixing on! Put about 10 leaves of mint and a T of lime juice in each glass. With the back of a wooden spoon or a muddler mash the mint up.

Now put ice in each glass and pour 2 oz. of the cranberry syrup and 2 oz. rum into each glass.

Top off each glass with soda water. And sprinkle some fresh cranberries in for garnish.

These drinks were so refreshing and awesome! I love the sweetness of the cranberry syrup and freshness of the mint.

Plus, these colors are the absolute best for the holiday season. Yup, this is definitely the perfect holiday party drink.

The next month is already shaping up to be a super busy time for me, but I’m really hoping to try out a few more holiday drinks. I’d love to do a little something something with eggnog and perhaps some gingerbread and peppermint, too.

I surprisingly didn’t document our entire Thanksgiving dinner since I really wanted to just relax and enjoy the evening (I’ve definitely been leaving my camera behind more often than not lately and feeling MUCH more relaxed and in the moment in the process). But I did take a photo of our Thanksgiving table, with my dad sitting at the head. The Butterball turkey he made this year was definitely the BEST yet!

Oh, and as always, I’m obsessed with my mom’s Thanksgiving plates. She sets a mean table.

And we also took some lovely family photos while at my parents’ house.

Thanksgiving memories forever!

Our last Thanksgiving as a non-married couple

And now the countdown to Christmas is on! In the meantime, I’ll be overindulging on all things Christmas movies, decorations, foods (and drinks!!), candles, music, etc. etc. Oh, and maybe some shopping, too. Just a little bit. Promise. But pour me another cranberry mojito while you’re at it

Do you have a favorite drink for the holiday season?

[Sues]

Welcome to winter. Considering it’s December 9 and I’ve only worn my winter coat 2 times AND I live in the wonderful city of Boston, I’m considering this a successful winter thus far. Wait? It’s not winter yet? Nope. Not until December 22. And considering I live in the wonderful city of Boston, I’m estimating that this winter will last at least 4.5 months. Which, if you’re good at math like me, you’ll know is over 1/3 of a year. Joy!

Though I’m perpetually cold, I’m actually not a huge winter-hater for several reasons. a) I LOVE the change in the seasons and am not sure I’d be happy without them, b) I LOVE being cozy and, for me, that requires freezing cold outside and me on the couch inside snuggled with a blanket and a cup of tea… Or coffee… Or liquor. Also, call me crazy, but there’s something about a pure white blanket of snow covering the city, forcing you to take time out and just be. Until it turns brown and slushy… But that’s a story for another post. Also? Boots, scarves, earmuffs, hats, and gloves sometimes make me happy. Oh, and Peppermint White Chocolate Lattes. Definitely those, too.

Peppermint White Chocolate Latte (serves about 2):
Print this recipe!

• 2.5 C strong coffee or espresso
• 1 C 1% milk
• 1/4 C heavy cream, plus 1 C for topping
• 1/2 C white chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 t peppermint extract
• 4 oz. dark rum
• Mini candy canes for garnish

In true holiday spirit, this is another super easy and quick drink that you’ll be warming up with in no time at all. As I always say, you certainly don’t have to add the rum… But why wouldn’t you want to? No seriously, it’s fine because this drink is super flavorful and awesome whether you add it or not.

Of course, make sure you have your strong coffee or espresso brewed. I obviously chose a Starbucks blend because, in my mind, they make a perfect strong and smooth coffee.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the coffee, milk, and 1/4 C cream. If you’re totally anti-cream, you can just use all milk. I chose a low-fat milk, but wanted to add a little creaminess to it.

Once the mixture is heated, stir in the white chocolate chips.

When the white chocolate chips are melted, turn the heat off and add in the peppermint extract.

Pour your rum into your glasses.

And use the remaining cup of cream to whip up for a topping.

Pour coffee mixture into glasses. Top with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.

Now, no amount of snow or muddy slush will be able to get you down.

There’s just something so awesome about alcohol in coffee drinks, don’t you think? And the added peppermint flavor in this latte gave it the perfect festive touch, without being too heavy or sweet.

And if you’re living in a part of the world that doesn’t know what it’s like to experience frigid temperatures, well, this latte will help you get in the holiday spirit. I don’t know what it’s like to try to get in the holiday spirit without a huge winter coat and a layer of long underwear, but I guess if you grew up with it, you’re probably used to it.

I did spend Christmas in 10th grade in Florida and remember thinking it was so weird that I could sit by the pool in my bathing suit, listening to Guster on my Discman and eating shrimp cocktail. But I’m sure I could get used to it if I had to.

Especially if I had this drink in hand.

Do you enjoy wintry weather or would you prefer to live somewhere with warm temperatures all year?

[Sues]

What, you might ask, is a poptail? Well, duh. It’s actually just what it sounds like: half popsicle, half cocktail. Hello. Could you be any more up my alley? I mean, maybe if you could somehow add a cupcake to that, but let’s be real here (fine, if we’re being real, you could probably actually buy cupcake vodka and make some absolutely incredible popsicles. And frost them, too?) But seriously, happy Cocktail Friday!

It’s a funny story, actually. Because when the publisher reached out to see if I wanted to review Poptails: 60 Boozy Treats Served on a Stick, I immediately said yes and jumped for joy. And then, upon further inspection, I realized I know the author. It’s Erin! Of Erin Cooks. Who used to live in Boston. Now I was even more excited and if you know how excited I already was about the popsicle/cocktail combination, then you know being even more excited probably meant I was pretty much dancing around my apartment and singing Whitney Houston at the top of my lungs (I sing “I Wanna Dance With Someboday” when I get really excited… Trust me, you don’t want to hear). I couldn’t wait to get my popsicle-making on. But I forced myself to wait until I moved. And thus, mojito poptails are one of the first treats I whipped up in my new kitchen.

Mojito Poptails (makes 10):
Recipe from Poptails: 60 Boozy Treats Served on a Stick

• 1 C prepared white or light rum
• 1/2 C simiple syrup
• 3/4 C flattened club soda
• 10-20 fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice

I was definitely wondering how on Earth you could successfully freeze alcohol. Now I know and my life has been changed forever. I mean that. Erin lets you know how much alcohol you need to actually obtain the necessary amount. I wanted to end up with 1 C, so I boiled 1 1/4 C. Once I brought the solution up to a boil, I let it go for 2 minutes and then immediately removed from the heat.

I also made a nice simple syrup, which is easy and something you should always keep in your fridge because you honestly never know when you’re going to need it. I need it a lot and it’s so handy to always have it waiting for me.

Mix the rum, simple syrup, flattened club soda (you’ll have to let your club soda open up and flatten for at least a few hours), 10 mint, leaves, and lime juice in a bowl. You’ll want to muddle it together quite a bit. I’m pretty psyched I now own a muddler. A pretty snazzy one, too.

I’ve been meaning to buy a popsicle maker pretty much for forever. But once I knew I would be reading this book, I immediately bought one. I chose the Progressive International PLP-1 Freezer Pop Maker mostly because it had good reviews on Amazon and wasn’t expensive. OK, and the rainbow colored popsicles on the cover drew me in, too.

My only real pet peeve with Poptails is that a lot of the photos looked awesome but then the directions didn’t really tell you how to recreate them exactly. The mojito recipe basically just wanted you to pour the liquid in and freeze, leaving you with plain white looking popsicles. I decided to add a mint leaf to each popsicle mold to give them a bit of a different look.

And then I froze the boozy popsicles for just a couple hours.

And hello, popsicle heaven.

These were to die for. Like, legit tasted exactly like a mojito. But way more refreshing, of course. And a whole lot more fun to eat. As they started to melt, they started to remind me of a mojito slushy.

Also note, popsicles may be one of the most difficult things to photograph. I want to know how the book editors did it because it’s a toughie!

Going along with my tropical quinoa salad from the other day, bring these to a BBQ or pool party and be the most popular person there.

Guests will absolutely love getting their cocktail on in popsicle form. It’s a novelty. It’s unique. It’s something you don’t experience every day. Unless you do and then, well, good for you. I’m jealous.

Poptails has 59 other fabulous recipes, too. Seriously something for everyone. I’m pretty excited to make the Cape Codder, the Dirty Martini, and and Festive Spiked Eggnog. My only problem is that I don’t have enough places to bring these popsicles and I feel a little bit strange sitting on my couch eating alcohol in popsicle form weekend after weekend.

But why not? I need to get over those shame feelings and just enjoy. Does it really matter what form your cocktail comes in as long as it comes? I think not. And that’s why Poptails make what I consider to be one of the best Cocktail Fridays ever.

What kind of cocktail would you like in popsicle form?

[Sues]

When someone declares it National Rum Day, you celebrate. Right? OK, so National Rum Day was actually yesterday. And I just happened to have this drink planned before I had any idea it was National Rum Day. Coincidences like this keep happening to me… I made s’mores cookie bars for our work potluck last Friday on National S’mores Day before I had a clue it was National S’mores Day (not sure how I missed advance notice of this very important holiday). It’s uncanny really. Maybe I have the psychic ability to determine what national food day it is? I definitely just Googled to see if today was a national holiday for any of the meals I have planned… But it’s actually National Vanilla Custard Day. And, alas, I do not have a vanilla custard recipe planned, so I guess my psychic theory is wrong. But I also learned that Sunday is Hot and Spicy Food Day (which you know I’ll be celebrating!) and next weekend is Whiskey Sour Day, which is also cause for celebration. Consider this a public service announcement.

But back to Cocktail Friday. I spotted this swoon-worthy cocktail in Bon Appetit and found it instantly appealing from the image alone. It screamed summer and made me realize I haven’t made nearly enough cocktails this summer. In fact, I haven’t even made a single cocktail in a mason jar. Who am I?? I still have a few weeks left and will most definitely be taking full advantage of them. Starting with this deliciousness.

Rosemary-Tangerine Cooler (serves 6):
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Print this recipe!

• 4 tangerines or clementines
• 1 bunch rosemary (about 12-16 sprigs)
• 4 T raw sugar
• 2 C white rum
• Crushed ice

Start by slicing all your tangerines in half. Fill a bowl with 2 T of raw sugar.

Dip cut side of tangerines into sugar. Yum. I wanted to eat the tangerines just like this.

Put tangerines, cut-size down in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Put about 6 sprigs of rosemary in pan, too.

Let cook for about 2 minutes, until sugar caramelizes, and then remove from heat.

Discard rosemary. Even though you’ll feel bad doing so. Let tangerines cool a bit and then cut them into quarters (I wasn’t sure if the recipe meant to cut the halves in half to make quarters of the whole… Or to cut the half into quarters. I went with the latter because I figured the smaller pieces would be easier to muddle).

Put tangerines and 2 T sugar into a pitcher.

Muddle them to release lots of juices. Then pour rum into pitcher, along with lots of crushed ice. I crushed my ice in my food processor since I’m not lucky enough to have an ice crusher (is that really what they’re called?). You could use a blender, too.

Pour cocktail into glasses and garnish each with a sprig of rosemary.

I was a little concerned because my drink ended up a lot darker than Bon Appetit’s. But I mean, if you’re caramelizing something, aren’t you browning it? Isn’t that like the definition of caramelizing? So, I have no idea how their drink was so lightly-colored and clear. Though I admit, I probably caramelized my tangerines a tad too much.

But it was super tasty! The cooler definitely tasted strongly of citrus (and rum!) and I thought the light caramel flavor was wonderful.

I do, however, wish the rosemary flavor was a bit stronger. Next time I would probably muddle the rosemary I had in my skillet along with the tangerines. Because, while I understand, those tangerines got the “essence” of rosemary, I wanted more!

Not that muddled caramelized rosemary would make this drink look any prettier. But still. Also, I sort of wish the rosemary could function as a straw. How fun would that be? That’s my next invention: herb straws.

I kind of want to try this very same drink, but with grapefruit, thyme, and tequila. Which would make it not the same drink at all, but you know what I mean. Once you get the “method” of caramelizing, muddling, and pouring, you can switch out whatever you want and your drink options are endless.

The way drink options should be. I hope you have a very happy Cocktail Friday, no matter what your drink of choice might be!

I popped the leftover of this in the fridge (yes, there were leftovers. There were only 2 of us. And it was Thursday evening. And in my mind, there’s nothing more miserable than a day at work when you’re not feeling so hot from the night before. THE WORST), so I’m interested to see how the flavors melded overnight when I get home this evening. Yes, very interested.  You know, just doing my due diligence for you all You’re welcome.

Did you celebrate National Rum Day? Will you this weekend??

[Sues]

Friday is, without a doubt, my favorite night of the week. It’s the night where I don’t feel any guilt about sitting on the couch and doing nothing. Or sipping a cocktail or two. Or actually falling asleep on the couch because I’m sooo tired, but Dateline is sooo good and I don’t want to turn it off. It happens all the time. It’s not fun to wake up on the couch in a heap at 2 a.m. with your teeth unbrushed and your neck at an unhuman-like angle (which hurts because you’re now old), except for the fact that you can stumble into bed (after brushing your teeth, of course) without an alarm set for the morning. When I was 20, I probably would have died on the spot if I knew my life would be like this in 10 years. But man, there really is nowhere I’d rather be than on this couch right now.

Tonight I watched ABC’s What Would You Do and actually shed a tear or two because I’ve been crying at the weirdest things lately. I actually got emotional over the new Facebook commercial last week. When they say maybe Facebook is here to remind us we’re not alone, I got all emotional. And then I realized, no, Facebook is here to remind us that our “friends” either have a) very busy days packed with going to the grocery store, doctor appointments, working, errandszzzzzzz b) lots of babies, and/or c) very strong political opinions. Plus, I do believe there have been studies showing that Facebook actually makes people feel lonelier. So, stop crying.

And in regard to What Would You Do, I shouldn’t cry because somebody stands up for somebody else in a grocery store. But I guess that speaks to the sorry state of our world that I cry over things like that. Or maybe it’s the sorry state of me. Hmmm. (P.S. But it’s totally OK to absolutely bawl during Parenthood. That’s justified).

Let’s stop crying and have a cocktail. Of course, too many cocktails have been known to make people cry even more. So, be careful.

Habanero Ginger Apple Cider Cocktail (makes 2 drinks):
Print this recipe!

• 1 C sugar
• 2 C water
• 2 habanero peppers, sliced
• 2 oz. sliced ginger
• 6 oz. apple cider
• 3 oz. rum
• Crushed ice
• Cinnamon for garnish
• Apple for garnish

I’ve been simple syrup obsessed lately and don’t plan on stopping any time soon, so I hope you’re OK with that. Because I wanted to tie in a bunch of fall flavors, I decided to make a habanero ginger syrup for this apple cider cocktail. If you’re not into spicy (my apologies because I’ve probably been driving you nuts on this blog lately), you can leave the habaneros out and simply use a ginger simple syrup.

In a saucepan, bring 1 C sugar, 2 C water, slice habaneros, and ginger to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Then strain the habaneros and ginger out of the syrup into a container and pop in the fridge to cool.

Brush a little apple cider around the rims of your cocktail glasses and dip glasses into cinnamon. Fill glasses with crushed ice.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz. simple syrup, apple cider, and rum.

Shake to combine and pour into prepared glasses.

Garnish with an apple slice if you’d like.

I was pleased with the ratio of cider to rum to simple syrup in this drink and felt like the ingredients combined perfectly. Autumn in a glass. With some spice to boot.

This would be delightful served with my pumpkin crust pizza. Or simply sitting on the couch vegging out and letting all the emotions of the week out.

Oh my gosh, speaking of, I totally just got emotional about the Honda Accord commercial where they claim they know me. They know I “have to rise early and work late… with not enough sleep in between” YES. They seriously know just where to hit me.

With the habaneros in this cocktail, I’m just going to pretend I got a little in my eye. And that’s where my tears are coming from.

Ahem. Back to the situation at hand. This cocktail. I’m really happy apple cider is back in my life. This was my first time sipping it this season and it certainly won’t be the last. The only good thing about the fact that we’re supposed to have a frost tonight (eek!) is that I can make hot apple cider with mulled spices. I’ll take a frost for that.

But I love cider chilled, too. Isn’t crushed ice prettier than cubed sometimes? I can’t wait until the day I have a refrigerator that crushes ice for me. Living the life of luxury.

Now, let’s just hope Dateline doesn’t make me cry. Keith Morrison wouldn’t do that to me, would he??

Do you ever cry over silly things?

[Sues]

I used to think egg nog was one of those things you either love or hate. But then I realized I was not a lover or a hater, but an in-betweener. Do I get cravings to chug a huge cold glass of egg nog? Not usually. Do I enjoy the flavor and thinks it’s one of the most fabulous things about getting into the holiday spirit? Yes. And there’s so much more you can do with it than drink it if you’re just not a huge fan of the thick, creamy consistency. Like make doughnuts. I realize it’s still early November and some think it’s a crime to be posting holiday recipes. I swear, it’s Pinterest’s fault I’m in the spirit already. These days, most of my issues can be blamed on Pinterest.

But I’m also blaming Polar Seltzer and the fact that their winter flavors are out already. And one is Egg Nog.

And it’s heavenly. Like, it’s hard to put my feelings about this into words, but basically, it’s egg nog without any of the thickness or calories. All amazing refreshing flavor. Now I just want to know what would happen if I mixed it with rum. See? My mind is always working.

I’d also like to place some of the blame for my early holiday cheer on Bigelow’s Eggnogg’n tea.

Again, all the flavor of egg nog without the thickness and calories. Plus you drink it hot, so it warms you up on cold winter nights. Or Fall nights. Whatever. My point is, it’s not too early.

But if you’re mad I’m posting holiday recipes already, please feel free to blame Pinterest, Polar Seltzer, and Bigelow. Thank you very much.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. Egg nog. While I’m very much an egg nog in-betweener, Chris is most definitely an egg nog lover. Like I’ve never known someone who can drink so much of the stuff. So, I’ve been experimenting with some recipes to see what I can come up with involving egg nog all in the name of making the husband happy. But really just because I wanted to try putting egg nog in doughnuts. Fair enough, right?

I’d also like if you could all give a warm welcome back to my trusty old doughnut pan. You know, I kind of abandoned it for a while because, when I craved doughnuts, I craved real fried doughnuts. But then I decided if a doughnut involved egg nog, it could probably be A-OK baked. And I was right.

This recipe also has all the flavor of egg nog without all the thickness and… well, it does have the calories. But that’s OK because they’re totally worth it. I promise.

It also has rum. In both the doughnut and the icing. Because I would never let you down like that.

Spiked Egg Nod Doughnuts (makes 12):
Print this recipe!

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C sugar
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C egg nog
• 1 t rum
• 2 T butter, melted
• Spiked egg nog icing (see recipe below)

pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk eggs. Then add in and whisk together egg nog, rum, and melted butter, until combined.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being very careful not to over-mix (that’s what causes the dense cakey doughnuts).

Spray your doughnut pan with some cooking spray. Then fill the doughnut pan about 3/4 of the way with batter.

And bake for about 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees. Doughnuts should be nice and springy to the touch.

Let cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove. Re-spray the pan and pop the next batch in the oven (if your doughnut pan only holds 6 doughnuts like mine!).

While doughnuts are baking and cooling, you can make the icing! It’s easy.

Spiked Egg Nog Icing:
Print this recipe!

• 2 C confectioner sugar
• 1 1/2 T butter, very soft
• 2 T light rum
• 1/4 t salt
• 4-5 T egg nog

Simply whisk all the ingredients together. If you find your icing is too thin, you can add more confectioner sugar; if it’s too thick, you can add more egg nog… OR rum. Whatever floats your boat. I used light rum for this part because I didn’t want my icing to turn a weird color.

Once the doughnuts are totally cool, top with frosting. And some pretty sprinkles if you so desire.

So, welcome to the holiday season. The weather in Boston has certainly been preparing us the last couple days. Brrrr. A glass of egg nog straight from the fridge might not warm you up, but I’m pretty sure a spiked egg nog doughnut would.

This was definitely the BEST baked doughnut I’ve ever made. Of course, it still didn’t taste like a traditional fried doughnut, but I feel like fried AND egg nog would have been a little too much. Even for me. So, I liked that this was more of a cake doughnut. But it certainly wasn’t as dense and cakey as some doughnuts I’ve made in the past. Phew.

There’s really nothing about these doughnuts that won’t make you happy. Or launch you into the holiday mood. And let’s face it; egg nog is pretty harmless in November when you consider I could be decking the halls with candy canes and Christmas trees. Don’t worry; that’s coming. You ain’t seen nothing yet!

Oh, but we can’t forget about the icing. Oh my God, the icing. It was sweet for sure, but also tasted distinctly like egg nog. And it had just an itty bitty teeny weeny touch of rum. Because if that doesn’t get you into the holiday spirit, I don’t know what will.

I’m pretty excited for holiday drinks this year. And I’m sure I’ll be spiking up some egg nog and whipping up some creamy cocktails to welcome the holiday decorations, snow, and Christmas carols.

But first, we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving in just a few weeks (!!!). It’s my all-time favorite holiday and I plan on enjoying it to the fullest extent. But still, all egg nog concoctions are fully welcome at my Thanksgiving celebration.

Happy November 5

Are you an egg nog lover, hater, or in-betweener?

[Sues]

So, it’s November 15 and I’m onto my second egg nog recipe. I can’t be held responsible. I 100% blame my husband and my love for him and his love for egg nog. The thing is, I love him so much that I want to cook and bake all the things that make him happy. Nothing to do with me at all. I mean, what do I want to do with an Egg Nog Ice Cream Pie in the freezer? Absolutely nothing. However, it is a little rude to force him to eat dessert alone, so to be nice, I sat down and had a slice with him. Or two. Maybe more… I can’t remember. Just because I’m a kind, loving person. I should get extra points or something for that, right? That’s what I thought.

The magical thing about this recipe is that you’re not using egg nog to make it. You’re essentially making your own egg nog and, let me tell you, this ice cream tastes exactly like egg nog. Consider my mind blown. For the ice cream, I adapted a recipe from Simply Recipes because I wanted to be certain my egg nog ice cream would taste pretty darn close to the real thing. I was quite pleased. I mean, Chris was. Yup, that’s exactly what I meant.

Egg Nog Ice Cream (makes 2 pints)
Print this recipe!

• 1 C milk
• 2 C heavy cream
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/8 t salt
• 2/3 C granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 3 T rum

Start by putting your 1 C milk and 1 C of the cream into a heavy saucepan and turning the heat onto medium. Sprinkle in your cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

Heat the mixture until it’s just about to come to a boil (but don’t let it reach that point… It should be nice and steamy). Then put the heat on low, cover, and let the mixture sit for about half an hour, so the spices can seep.

I know. The last thing you want when you’re making ice cream is to wait even longer for it to be ready. But this part is essential for the full egg nog flavor.

Pick out the cloves and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.

Whisk your egg yolks in a medium heat-proof bowl.

Pour about half the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, very slowly, whisking the entire time. This slow method will help temper the egg yolks so they don’t start cooking.

Then pour the egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan with remaining milk. Turn the heat back up to medium and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens up enough that it coats the back of the spoon.

While you’re waiting for your mixture to thicken (should take about 10-15 minutes), place a heat-proof bowl with the remaining 1 C cream over a larger bowl filled with an ice bath.

And once your mixture coats the back of the spoon, strain the heated mixture into the cold cream, stirring constantly.

Put the mixture in the fridge to continue chilling for at least 4 hours. I like to chill mine overnight, so I’ll often start the ice cream-making process the night before and finish it in the morning, so my ice cream is ready later that day.

Once chilled, stir in vanilla and rum and process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instruction.

Mine took about 20 minutes to thicken up in my ice cream maker.

Then put it in a airtight container and freeze again, for 4 hours or more, so the ice cream hardens up.

At one of the many waiting periods in your ice cream making process, you can get started on your gingersnap crust. Of course, if you wanted to just make the ice cream and eat it with a spoon out of the container, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! But a pie is fun if you’re serving guests. And this gingersnap crust is basically the easiest thing ever.

Gingersnap Crust:
Print this recipe!

• 1 1/2 C gingersnap crumbs (about 25 cookies)
• 5 T butter, melted
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 t ground ginger

Start by putting gingersnap cookies in a blender or food processor.

And process until you have fine crumbs.

Then, in a medium bowl, combine crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and ginger. Mix together

Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until crust is firm. Cool completely.

And when you’re almost ready to serve your pie “whip up” your whipped cream. With rum. Obvi.

Rum Whipped Cream:
Print this recipe!

• 1 C heavy cream
• 1/2 T granulated sugar
• 1 T rum
• 1 t vanilla

This one’s easy. Just combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and beat using a hand mixer until you have the consistency you like for whipped cream.

Now you’re ready to compose your pie. Spread about a pint of the ice cream into your cooled gingersnap crust.

And then slice and serve with whipped cream on top. And a little bit more nutmeg. Alternately, you could cover all of the ice cream with whipped cream, but I prefer just a dollop on top.

And thus, another delicious egg nog dessert is born.

Now, I have a weird obsession with making my own ice cream, but I totally understand if you don’t or if you don’t own an ice cream machine or if you just think this pie just looks like too much work. You can certainly buy egg nog flavored ice cream (or whatever flavor you choose!) and just make the crust and whipped cream. I mean, I guess you could potentially buy the crust and the whipped cream from the store, too. You could even lie to your guests and pretend you made the entire thing from scratch and you might be able to fool them all…

But I promise you that this ice cream pie will be exponentially times better if you make it from scratch. You’ll probably feel pretty good about yourself, too. And since you were on your feet in the kitchen for a couple hours, you likely burned off a good amount of calories. Which means you can eat an extra slice. I’m all about the justifications.

But really, the best justification is simply making this for a loved one and not forcing that loved one to eat alone.

Nobody likes to eat alone while you sit and stare at them. Be kind to your loved ones and don’t let it happen.

The worst thing that happens is you have to sit through eating a little egg nog ice cream pie. And trust me, there are worse things in life.

OK, fine. I admit it. I loved this egg nog ice cream pie. And to be honest, I’m not generally a fan of whipped cream. But homemade and with rum? And nutmeg sprinkled on top? That I can deal with.

It was definitely the nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger spices that made this really come together and feel like the holidays for me. So worth every second it took to make that ice cream!

In other egg nog news, my Spiked Egg Nog Doughnuts won BostInno.com’s food blogger holiday recipe contest! Yay!

While it’s not quite the weekend yet, I’m counting down the hours until Friday afternoon when I’m heading to Portland, Maine with Chris to celebrate his big 3-0. We haven’t had a getaway in quite a while, and to be honest, between freelance work, regular work, blogging, and more; we’ve both spent almost every weekend working non-stop for the past several month. I cannot wait to put away ALL of the work and just relax, visit some breweries, and have some good meals.

Oh and then NEXT WEEK is Thanksgiving! Another day I am out-of-control excited for! And one of our lovely readers has won a gift check to get a Butterball turkey just in time! The winner of our giveaway is Laura Clark! Laura, I’ll be emailing you ASAP so I can send off your prize!

Do you often make desserts from scratch though you could buy all the components from the grocery store?

[Sues]

Happy Thursday after Christmas, which I am now officially deeming Cocktail Thursday! Mostly because I’ve skipped about a million Cocktail Fridays in a row due to important holiday posts and I have some major cocktail catching up to do. And also because it’s the holiday season and cocktails should be consumed every night. And also because it’s back to work for me today (though I am lucky enough to be able to work from home, which means I can easily transition back into work life… in my pajamas… out of this gross Boston rain). And because I am most definitely not done holiday-celebrating as I’m still celebrating with Chris tonight and with my family this weekend.

Admittedly, putting butter into a cocktail is kind of freaky. I mean, ew? But no. It’s chilly and wet and gross here in Boston today and a hot cocktail is just what the doctor ordered (pshh I wish my doctor would order things like that) and a little butter just makes it even more perfect. I’ve always wanted to make a buttered rum, but just never got around to it, so I’m thrilled I finally did. I kind of think this cocktail is going to be making an appearance in my life quite a bit moving forward. In fact, hot cocktails are definitely going to become my new “thing.” They make the winter season much more bearable and bright.

Spiced Buttered Rum (serves 4):
From Martha Stewart
Print this recipe!

• 1/2 C (1 stick butter)
• 1/2 C dark-brown sugar, packed
• 1 t grated orange zest
• 3/4 t ground cinnamon
• 3/4 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 6 oz. dark rum
• 3 C boiling water
• About 1/2 C fresh orange juice (you can use from orange you zest)

In a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I didn’t grate my orange zest as much as Martha recommended, but I kind of liked it.

It will turn into a deliciously sweetly spiced butter. If you think you don’t like butter, you’re wrong. You’ll love this.

Divide rum into 4 heat-proof glasses (1 1/2 ounces or 3 T in each glass) and add in 2 T of the spiced butter. If you have extra butter, you can store it in the fridge for about a week.

Pour 2/3 C water into the glasses and stir well. Top off with fresh-squeezed orange juice.

I added a little more grated orange and sprinkled nutmeg over the top.

And snuggled into the couch with my hands wrapped around my mug. Seriously nothing cozier.

It was definitely an interesting drink. I wasn’t used to a cocktail that actually really is buttery. But I really, really loved how it all came together– super smooth; the rum and butter just went together so well and seemed made for each other.

The spices were perfect and just make you feel instantly cozy.

I’m pretty sure this is also one of those drinks you need to sip on if you feel as though you’ve come down with a bit of a cold. It will help you feel human again.

I know it’s already not the healthiest to be sipping cocktails at home in the middle of the week. And to add butter to them makes them that much unhealthy. But I promise this cocktail takes the place of any other dessert you’d need. And? It’s worth it from time to time.

Happy Cocktail Thursday! I hope you all had a glorious Christmas if you celebrate! In fact, I hope you’re still celebrating. There really is nothing better than the fact that the New Year comes so soon after Christmas. Helps us ease out of holiday mode a bit more slowly. Enjoy the season!

What did you sip on this Christmas?

[Sues]

Staples Easy Canvas winner!

The winner of my EasyCanvas giveaway is Mary Beth! Congrats! I’ll be emailing you ASAP to get your contact info.

Don’t daiquiris make you just want to jump on a boat and go on a cruise somewhere? Except maybe not a cruise because, well, do people actually want to go on cruises anymore? I think that ship has sailed. Pun intended, obviously. So, how about jumping on a plane and heading to a beach where there’s a cabana boy who mostly stays out of your way until he sees that a) you need your umbrella raised and b) your glass is empty. That’s more like it. Siiiiigh. Let’s go now. OK fine, a daiquiri will definitely take second place. And I speak from experience when I say it’s tough to find a good strawberry banana daiquiri. Sure, you can get a plain old strawberry one. You can also get a Pina Colada. And even often a “Miami Vice” (alright, yes, those are pretty tasty). But I’ve been told no to my order of a strawberry banana daiquiri on more than one occasion. It all stops here, friends. I’m living on my own terms.

Bacardi sent me a bottle of their Bacardi Classic Cocktails Light Strawberry Daiquiri and I wasted no time popping the top. They make it pretty easy for you and the instructions basically tell you to pour it over ice. For only 95 calories, which is a super sweet deal. And basically what I want to do every night when I get home for the evening.

But you do know me and must have known I wasn’t going to just pour this over ice. I wanted a more true daiquiri. A frozen one. So I can pretend I’m on a tropical island and this drink was made for me by a cabana boy.

Don’t worry. My way of “complicating” things still makes this one super simple drink to whip up. And all my strawberry banana dreams can now come true in my very own kitchen. Cabana boys need not apply. I got my own blender, yo!

Strawberry Banana Daiquiri with Bacardi Classic Cocktails Light (serves 2):
Print this recipe!

• 3 C ice
• 4 oz. Bacardi Classic Cocktails Light Strawberry Daiquiri
• 1 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 1 C strawberries (stems removed)
• 1//2 banana

Step one: Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend.

Step 2: DRINK!

Well, you may want to pour in a glass first. But if you live alone and nobody will find out, you don’t have to. I’d probably do the same.

A little strawberry and banana garnish may help contribute to giving you that island feel.

You have no idea how happy I was to sip on a strawberry banana daiquiri. Especially knowing it didn’t contain a bajillion calories and wasn’t all syrupy sweet.

But I’d totally pour this Bacardi over rocks and sip on that, too. Isn’t summertime the absolute best?

Bacardi also has a Light Mojito and Light Pina Colada, so these really could cater to my evening needs all summer long. YES, I’m beyond excited that summer Cocktail Friday season has begun. Or Wednesday. Whatever. Every day can be a cocktail day this summer.

Of course, remember to always drink responsibly! And enjoy!

When it comes to at-home entertaining, we want to have our cocktail and drink it too. With BACARDI Classic Cocktails Light, you don’t need to choose between serving great cocktails or socializing with friends. Enjoy the best of everything – the convenience of ready-to-serve cocktails and the confidence of natural ingredients mixed with the world’s most awarded spirit. BACARDI Classic Cocktails Light allow you to serve the best, naturally!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of BACARDI. The opinions and text are all mine. Sweepstakes Rules.

It’s likely that I’m currently on a boat on Lake Chautauqua or sitting by the pool catching some much-needed sun. And maybe, just maybe I’m also sipping on this cocktail. Because when I made it, I also whipped up some extra lavender simple syrup to bring with me on vacation. It’s a part of my whole vacation cocktail strategy, which is almost as important as making sure you’ve packed enough underwear and the proper footwear. Maybe even more important because if you have a vacation cocktail strategy, you might not even care about not having enough underwear or the proper footwear with you. Pack a couple simple syrups in a cooler, have a few good cocktail recipes in mind, and you’re basically vacation ready.

I’ve been wanting to cook, bake, and cocktail with lavender for a long time now. Mainly because it’s purple. But also because it’s deliciously tasty. I finally “splurged” on a 1/2 pound of dried lavender from Amazon.com. It was only $11. And was A LOT of lavender.

So, I mean, you should probably expect to see a lot of lavender recipes here in the coming days. I think macarons may be up very very soon. In case you’re interested, lavender actually has many health benefits… It helps you relax, it can beat bloating, and it can reduce itchiness. So, basically, this cocktail could make you feel like a million dollars. Worth a shot, right?

I’ve seen lavender cocktails all over the internet, which is partly why I couldn’t help myself from purchasing some lavender for my own use. The herb goes naturally with lemon, but I decided to add some rum and mint and make a mojito out of it. Because when life gives you lavender, make a mojito. Always make a mojito.

Lavender Lemonade Mojtos (makes about 4):
Print this recipe!

• 1 C freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4-7 lemons)
• 1 small bunch mint
• 2 C water
• 1 C light rum
• 3/4 C lavender simple syrup (see recipe below)

Lavender Simple Syrup:

• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1 C water
• 1/4 C dried lavender

Pretty, right? If you’re buying lavender, make sure it’s for culinary use. You could also use it for scented sachets or simply to make your home smell nice. I want to put a little bit by my bedside to help relax me at night.

You’ll want to start by making the simple syrup. Put the sugar, water, and dried lavender in a medium saucepan, stir, and bring to a boil.

Once mixture comes to a boil, lower to a simmer and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until it thickens.

Then turn off the heat, cover the saucepan, and let steep for about an hour.

Push syrup through a mesh sieve to strain out lavender buds and into an airtight container. Place in fridge to cool.

In a medium bowl, juice all of your lemons.

In a pitcher, muddle mint leaves with lemon juice until well combined. Add water, rum, and 3/4 C chilled lavender simple syrup.

Pour into ice-filled glasses.

And sip away. I’m pretty sure this is the ideal vacation sipper. But I also kind of think it would be perfect to sip on before bed. The combination of the lavender and rum will most definitely help you feel all nice and relaxed until you fall asleep. Not to mention, you’ll be getting your fair share of vitamin C.

Is there anything quite like freshly squeezed lemonade? Well, yes. Freshly squeezed lemonade with lavender simple syrup and lots of mint.

This is way better than any mojito I’ve ever made. Also, did you know that yesterday was National Mojito Day? Well, it was. And it’s not too late to celebrate.

Of course, feel free to add more rum here if you want to. Some like a little and some like a lot… take your pick. If you must, you could also enjoy this cocktail in a mocktail version.

I’ll be honest; I’m not even a big herbal/floral type person, but I’m in LOVE with this drink and with all of my beautiful lavender. Maybe I am becoming more of a floral fan. Though I’ll still always choose fruity and dessert-like candles and perfumes over flowery ones.

The color of the drink certainly wasn’t as vibrant as some of the lavender cocktails I’ve seen, but I also have learned that some cocktails still use food coloring, even with the all-natural lavender. I think the longer you steep the lavender buds, the deeper the purple gets.

Lavender, welcome to my life. A refreshing drink that’s packed with all sorts of goodness. And rum, too. Can’t forget the rum. Happy Friday!

Are you a fan of lavender?

[Sues]

I know coconut water is, like, majorly old news by now. I mean, most of you are probably so over it and remember it like you do a bad fad from the early 90s, like troll dolls or No Fear t-shirts. You wore them with your Umbro shorts and Sambas and thought you were soooo cool. Kind of like you did when you were drinking coconut water after yoga while wearing your Lululemon getup last year. Oh, and then there’s the rest of you who probably never liked coconut water because, let’s face it, it’s a little weird-tasting. Well, guess what? I love it and I’m still hooked on it. And I’m drinking it more than ever.

I still think of it as a kind of magical liquid. Whenever I’m feeling down or just a little blah, I start chugging the stuff and immediately feel better. Silly? Perhaps. But it even relieves my headaches and I’m not going to argue with that. So, for hangovers? This stuff is a godsend. And consider I’m now at an age that I can’t have two drinks without waking up feeling like I went on a drinking binge, it’s welcome in my life. So um, I guess it’s a little ironic that I’m not drinking it in cocktail form. Huh.

Think of it as both the problem and the solution. In one. You can’t beat that. And you CAN have your fun and drink it, too. If that makes sense? If I have to explain it, probably not. Oh well. It’s Friday. Let’s have a drink!

Oh wait, have you had Coco Cafe yet? It’s coconut water, but with espresso and milk. Mix in a little liquor and I don’t even know what to say right now. This might have to be involved in my next cocktail:

Anyway, without further ado… ahem.

Watermelon Coconut Cocktail (serves 4):
Print this recipe!

• 1 C ice
• 3 C seeded cubed watermelon
• 1 1/2 C coconut water
• 1/3 C light rum
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice

I didn’t even take photos of the drink-making process here. Probably because I was too anxious to just get it in the glass and drink it. And because there’s not really much of a process, unless you want to see photos of me lugging my blender out of my pantry, which I’m guessing is a big nope! Though my pantry is such a mess right now, you might actually find a little bit of humor in it.

So really, all you do is put all of the ingredients in the blender. My Vitamix is the best! Blend everything together and serve in a glass.

Garnish with a watermelon wedge and lime slice. And a wedge of coconut if you have one. Which you probably don’t. Which is why you purchase coconut water in a little carton from the grocery store. Amiright?

Easy. And the color totally blew my mind. Bright and vibrant and totally summer in my glass. With a bit of froth for good measure. If you haven’t tried coconut water yet, I’ll tell you you’ll likely either love it or hate it. I wasn’t a fan the first time I tried it, but then I tried it again and got hooked. It’s super mild and just tastes like water with a touch of coconut. There’s a little bit of saltiness, too. What is not to love?

I think this would be the perfect drink to sip on at a daytime party. By the pitcher. It will go fast. So, make extra.

The watermelon combined with the coconut water make this drink amazingly refreshing. Which means you won’t get dehydrated and even with the kick of rum, you can enjoy a couple. Because remember… watermelon and coconut water are both fairly low calorie. Woot. These days it seems that we have to think way too much about how something will make us feel in the morning and how many calories are involved. Oh, isn’t growing up a joy!

Speaking of feeling like the oldest person in the world… and sharing the oldest news ever, have you seen this Taylor Swift parody yet? I discovered it a couple months ago and still go back to watch it all the time because it’s SO true. Especially the part where she calls the cheese bad news. Instead of the guy. And when she falls asleep at the bar. Because that is so me. I only wish she were sipping on coconut water.

Oy. Happy Friday!

Are you a fan of coconut water?

[Sues]

If you can have hot chocolate, you can have hot coconut, too. Right? OK. I had a tough time naming this drink because I really just wanted to a call it “ridiculously delicious awesomeness with a splash of alcohol in a glass and topped with toasted marshmallows.” But I figured that wouldn’t be great for SEO, so I decided to name it Pumpkin Hot Coconut instead. It’s still not quite descriptive enough, but I suppose that’s what the rest of this blog post is for. To help you understand. I didn’t want to call it a cocktail because you don’t haveeee to add the rum. But I think you should. Especially today. It is Cocktail Friday, after all (p.s. woo hoo!!)

Sometimes I wonder how it’s possible for us New Englanders to get through the long dark winters here. Then I make a drink like this and realize I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Weekends cuddled up in yoga pants and blankets on the couch with a steaming hot drink like this one and a good book or Bon Appetit magazine. Snow? Bring. It. On. The combination of coconut milk, pumpkin, and a splash of rum is one I want to be sipping on all fall and winter long. And this one is way, way less caloric than its hot chocolate cousin. Which means you can totally drink 3 or 4 without feeling guilty, obviously.

Pumpkin Hot Coconut (serves 2):
Print this recipe!

• 3 C coconut milk (I use Silk PureCoconut)
• 1/2 C pumpkin puree
• 1/4 t pumpkin pie spice
• 3 oz. light rum (optional)
• 1/2 C mini marshmallows
• Shredded coconut for garnish

This is also an easy peasy recipe. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the coconut milk, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together and heat until sufficiently warm.

With your oven set to broil, lay mini marshmallows in a single layer on a foil-covered pan.

Broil for a couple minutes until the marshmallows are nicely toasted. Keep a very close eye on them as they’ll get brown fast!

Rim your glasses with coconut. I typically like to use a sugar water mixture, but sometimes find that a little powdered sugar and milk/cream make an even nicer glue.

Pour coconut milk pumpkin mixture into the glass and stir in 1.5 ounces of rum into each glass. If you choose. I choose yes. Top with a few toasted marshmallows. (I should note that each serving is not a full mason jar… I made a little extra so I could completely fill two)

Hellooo. If you want some extra sweetness, you can stir in some more of the coconut, too. Or you can add a little agave syrup. I loved that this drink wasn’t overly sweet, but if you’re in the mood for even more of a treat, you can add some extra.

I tend to be a bit of a homebody in the colder weather… And this drink is totally not going to help my case. When I have this at home, I really don’t think I’ll feel the need to ever leave my couch again. This could be bad news.

I know some people are sick of pumpkin. But even if you’re sick of the trend, I urge you to still enjoy it. I have a strict September-December pumpkin policy and don’t eat it the rest of the year. This ensures that I really, really enjoy it during these months. And pumpkin and coconut is a super fabulously delicious combination.

And marshmallows make everything more delicious. There’s something about a toasted marshmallow that is absolutely perfect in both the dead heat of summer and the dead cold of winter. I just love that about them.

Oh, one warning. This drink WILL end up leaving your face covered in coconut. Which is even more reason not to leave your house. Sorry, guys. I was just trying to help.

Now go forth and celebrate the fact that it’s Friday! What are your plans for this weekend? Going to a big party? Or staying in on the couch and drinking this? That’s what I thought. Make me proud, friends.

What’s your favorite cold weather drink?

[Sues]

Let’s get this weekend kicked off with a cocktail, shall we? I think it’s safe to say we all need one and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s experiencing major busy season in all areas of life. I actually meant to post this last night, but according to my husband he found me passed out with my computer on my lap at 3:00 a.m. And half the things I wanted to do before going to sleep not done. So, that’s how things are going right now. Can you say I’m very much looking forward to Thanksgiving break? And a cocktail?

But I’m also taking a bit of a mini vacation this weekend. I can’t spill the details, though, because it’s a surprise birthday trip for Chris. I’m hoping it will be a fabulous and fun getaway and a kickoff to what should be a fantastic holiday season. So, let’s start celebrating with a cocktail. I admit this one sounds a little weird. But when I found it on the Food Network website, I knew I had to try it. And it’s one of my new favorite drinks… both with alcohol and without. This Mexican Pumpkin Punch is perfectly seasonal and should be made and enjoyed ASAP before pumpkin season is over (SOB!).

Mexican Pumpkin Punch (serves 6):
Adapted from Food Network
Print this recipe!

• 6 C water
• 1 C packed brown sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 3/4 C pumpkin puree
• 1 lime
• 1 C rum
• Pineapple chunks, for serving (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine 6 cups of water with the brown sugar and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Then stir in the pumpkin and return the mixture to a simmer. Peel the limes in wide strips (with a vegetable peeler) and add them to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Let the mixture cool a bit before moving to the fridge to cool completely (2-3 hours).

Now, place a fine mesh sieve over a pitcher or bowl and work in batches ladling the mixture through the strainer and keeping all of the pumpkin pulp behind. Discard the pulp and the lemon zest, keeping cinnamon sticks in mixture.

Fill glasses with ice and divide rum among them. Then pour the pumpkin punch into the glass and stir in chopped pineapple and a cinnamon stick garnish.

I had no idea what to expect with this drink, but I’m seriously in love. It’s so perfectly pumpkin flavor packed and absolutely addicting. I can’t even believe I’ve never made anything like this before.

Even the non-pumpkin-obsessed Chris drank it right up.

The addition of the pineapple is a little odd, but I do think it makes a pretty little garnish. The original recipe also recommended pecans for garnish, but I wanted to keep it a bit more simple.

Not an alcohol drinker? Well, I obviously am, but not every day of the week But I had a bunch of leftover punch and I continued to drink it throughout the week, mixed with a little soda water. Best drink ever.

If you’re looking for an ideal Thanksgiving cocktail, I highly recommend whipping this up. You can make the pumpkin punch at home, pack it in a travel pitcher or tupperware and then mix the drinks when you get to your place of celebrating.

You could probably sprinkle a little cinnamon over the top, too, but I think the cinnamon stick adds a nice subtle spice without overpowering.

OK, I am off to take Chris on his mystery trip! I’m sure I’ll have some fun details to share when we get back… Or you can follow me on Twitter (WANM and personal) where I’m sure I’ll be tweeting about it once we arrive! I hope you all have wonderful weekends

What will you be sipping on this weekend?

[Sues]

Guys, we need to have a Cocktail Monday. Seriously though. For lots of reasons. One is because I have all these cocktail recipes piling up and Fridays kind of keep whizzing by. Well really, it goes a little something like this: Monday I’m totally on top of my blogging game, mostly because I spent some time Saturday or Sunday pulling things together. Wednesday I manage to get a post out too, probably because I had Monday night to edit photos, Tuesday night to start writing, and Wednesday night to finalize things and hit publish before midnight. But then the next day is Thursday. And I’m so wiped out from my week that when I get home from work, I can’t even open Photoshop. And then it’s Friday morning and I realize Cocktail Friday will have to wait until evening. But somehow I end up staying at work until 7 p.m. and then I come home and crash on the couch, cocktail photos unedited and blog post unwritten. Repeat. My poor, poor cocktails.

So, that is what happened to Cocktail Friday. But I think I’m desperately going to need a cocktail this Monday anyway. I mean, I fell asleep on the couch both Friday and Saturday night by 9:30. And if you know me at all, you know how absolutely crazy this is for me. I guess I’m just plain tired. So, basically, if I drink this cocktail now, I’ll be asleep within about five minutes. Head to the desk.

Luckily, you could pass this cocktail off as half juice. In fact, I’d be totally content sipping on it without the rum. Well, maybe not quite as content as I am with the rum… But it’s not usually acceptable to fall asleep at your desk at 9:00 a.m. Even on Mondays.

Pineapple Kiwi Mojito (makes 1 cocktail):
Print this recipe!

• 1/2 C diced pineapple
• 1/4 C diced kiwi
• 1 T fresh mint leaves
• 2 t lime juice
• 2 oz. light rum
• 3/4 C soda water

As with most of my cocktail recipes, this one is ridiculously easy to put together. It mainly just requires a little bit of chopping, namely a whole lotta’ pineapple and kiwi.

In fact, all you’re going to do is muddle the chopped pineapple and kiwi with the mint in your glass. Add in some ice. Then squeeze in the lime juice and rum. And top it all off with soda water.

Hey, I can clearly barely keep my eyes open after work… I obviously need to keep things simple around here if I want to be drinking fancy cocktails.

I did, however, manage a pineapple garnish… Which consists of three cubes of pineapple on a toothpick. I know, I know. I totally went overboard.

Usually when I make a mojito drink like this, I’d add in some sugar or simple syrup, but my pineapple was so naturally sweet, I didn’t feel like I needed it. I also considered adding in actual pineapple juice, but then decided against it.

So, I kind of loved that all of the sweetness in this cocktail came from the juices of the fruit.

And it was so, so minty.

Is it safe to say we can officially stick with summer drinks now? The last couple days in Boston have been marvelously perfect. But it was only a few days ago that I was shivering to the bone. It could most definitely turn on a dime… But for now, I’m sipping mojitos and enjoying the mini heatwave.

And here we go… Off to start another crazy packed week. I’m glad we talked about cocktails today because who knows the state I’ll be in by Friday.

 What state are you generally in by Friday evening?

[Sues]

Happy Monday, friends! I just wanted to shoot you a note to let you know that I’m guest blogging over at The Economical Eater today. Head over to Michelle’s blog to see my recipe for Watermelon Jalapeño Mojitos (and stick around because Michelle’s blog is awesome).

Also? A little FYI that WANM will likely be down starting tonight and possibly for a couple days. But for happy reasons… It’s time for the big redesign! It’s been a long time coming and I’m crazy excited for larger, cleaner photos, recipe organization that’s a billion times better, and more. I’m hoping (fingers crossed) to get on a more regular blogging schedule, with lots of fabulous recipes and other fun stuff that I’ve been slacking on a bit. Seriously excited.

Also, also? Just for fun, I had to share these. And ask if anyone has tried them. And would you? They’re pricey, but I’m SO SO intrigued.

Image via Dr. Oetker

Yes, edible cupcake wrappers. They’re from Dr. Oetker, who frankly I had no idea made anything but frozen pizzas. Consider my mind blown (though  I can’t find where these are sold in the U.S., FoodBeast reports that they’re $4 for a 6-pack). Speaking of edible cake decorations, though, Wilton’s Gold Shimmer Sheets are a bit more reasonably-priced (and can be fashioned into a seriously fab chevron design).

Anyway, I hope you all had fabulous weekends. Mine was gone in what felt like the blink of an eye and I can’t even believe it’s Monday already. Here’s to another productive, perfect summer week for everyone (hey, I’m trying to have some Monday morning optimism here!)

[Sues]

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I’d do a lot of things for a vacation on a beach right now. An 80 degree beach vacation. Spending hours reading a book in the sand, only to fall asleep for another couple hours and then to wake up and think, “gee I’m feeling kind of hot right not; maybe I’ll take a dip in the water.” I miss feeling hot. Though today is going to be 27 degrees, which is basically a heat wave. I probably should stop complaining otherwise another blizzard is suddenly going to pop up in the forecast.

I’m continuing my winter tradition of pointing out the few remaining positives of this never-ending season of doom. My latest “this is what’s getting me through”? Meyer lemons. We don’t often find Meyer lemons on our tropical beach vacations, so I’ll count that as one point against tropical beach vacations. Maybe the only point against them… In any event, I couldn’t help myself and incorporated them into a traditionally summer drink. Because… summer. I miss you.

Making this cocktail gave me the opportunity to get crazy with my new Crisp Zester. Which isn’t just any zester. It’s a 4-in-1 zester. And, in case you can’t tell in the photos of my drink, I went totally zest wild.

I couldn’t help it… This zester has a scoring blade, a channel knife, and two zesting blades – a traditional head for larger zests and a fold out blade for finer zest.

Can we talk about the fact that zesting is actually really therapeutic? Especially when you’re stuck inside for the 4902th day in a row due to horrific weather. I’d rather do it on a beach, though.

I also find simple syrup making to be incredibly therapeutic. I’m still planning to start my own simple syrup business some day. Then I can make simple syrup all day long. Would still be preferable to do so on a beach.

Same with drinking it. I wonder how much simple syrup I’d drink if I spent all day making it. Probably way too much. Especially of this Meyer lemon one.

I used the beautiful zest of one Meyer lemon for the syrup.

And combined it in a saucepan with 1 C sugar, the juice of the Meyer lemon (about 2 ounces), and 3/4 C water.

Brought it to a boil and then lowered it to a simmer for about 10 minutes, until it thickened a bit.

I poured it into a jar and added it to the simple syrup collection in my fridge.

I got a jump on my lavender ice cubes, too. Seeing that they’re ice cubes and all, they’re going to need a bit of time to, you know, freeze.

First, I seeped 3 C warm water and 1 1/2 T lavender in a large container.

Then I put the mixture through a fine sieve to strain out the lavender and poured the lavender-infused water into ice cube trays. I used my giant ice cube tray. And sprinkled some more lavender on top before freezing.

OK, finally we’re ready to whip up the cocktail. I brushed a little simple syrup on the rim of my glass and then dipped it in more Meyer lemon zest. Which was probably kind of overkill, but I am obsessed.

I used the handy dandy little pull-out zester for all the fine zest.

Then, I put 1 1/2 oz. Meyer lemon simple syrup and a small bunch of mint leaves in the glass and muddled them all together.

I put a giant lavender ice cube into the glass. You can use multiple ice cubes if yours are smaller.

And then stirred in the rum and topped it with soda water.

But wait… There’s more zest! I wanted to get fancy so I zested another Meyer lemon and then twirled it around a toothpick to make it all curly. These are my favorite zests!

And you can never have too much zest, right?? Right?? OK, admittedly, this cocktail has a little bit going on. But it’s all 100% awesome.

If you prefer for your cocktails not to have so much going on, just strain the simple syrup before pouring. But that sugar-coated Meyer lemon zest? omg. That is all.

I’ve made a lemonade mojito with lavender simple syrup a couple years ago and that was fabulous, but for some, the lavender flavor was a bit too strong. The lavender ice cubes are a bit more subtle and it’s definitely the Meyer lemon that’s the star of this show.

And the current star of my winter season. Besides my couch and fireplace and piles of blankets. And sweatpants. Definitely sweatpants.

I hereby swear that I will not complain about the heat of summer this year. I will simply bask in it. And sip on cocktails. And be thankful. I will miss Meyer lemons though… But not enough to bring winter back. There’s always next year. But please, let’s not talk about that right now.

Do you need to participate in some therapeutic zesting, too? Now you have the chance to win the 4-in-1 Crisp Cooking Zester I used in this recipe! To enter to win, simply comment on this post telling me: What cocktail would you create with this zester?  Comment by Saturday, February 28, by 11:59 p.m. EST for a chance to win!

While we’re at it, I’m going to announce the winner of my last Crisp giveaway… Congratulations to Andrea who said, “I love to add apples and/or nuts to my salads, something crunchy!” I will email you ASAP!

4.5 from 4 reviews

Meyer Lemon Lavender Mojito

 

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A wintry citrus fruit is incorporated into a traditionally summer cocktail to help you happily get through the rest of the chilly days.

Author: We are not Martha

Recipe type: Drink

Makes: 1

Ingredients

• 1½ oz. Meyer lemon simple syrup (recipe below)
• 1 small bunch mint
• Lavender ice cube (recipe below)
• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. soda water

Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup (makes enough for multiple drinks):

• 1 C sugar
• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• Juice of 1 Meyer lemon (about 2 oz)
• ¾ C water

Lavender Ice Cubes (makes enough for multiple drinks):

• 3 C warm water
• 1½ T lavender (food grade)

Instructions

1. Muddle together Meyer lemon simple syrup and mint in the bottom of a glass.
2. Add one large lavender ice cube (or multiple small cubes).
3. Stir in rum.
4. Top with soda water

Meyer Lemon Simple Syrup:

1. Put sugar, Meyer lemon juice, Meyer lemon zest, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Lower heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until syrup thickens.
3. Remove to jar or bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Lavender Ice Cubes

1. Put warm water and lavender in a bowl or large glass.
2. Let seep for 20 minutes.
3. Pour lavender water through sieve.
4. Pour water in ice cube trays. Add additional to water lavender if desired.
5. Freeze.

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