A coule of weeks ago my friend Tracy found a recipe for Jelly Bean Martini's and instantly thought of me (hummm....).  She read the recipe to me (thinking I would retain what she had read out loud - ha!) and she even went out and bought some of the ingredients.  Tonight she brought over the ingredients had she bought - at this point I ask for the recipe to which she replied, "Oh, I left it somewhere, but no worries, we can look it up online." HA! That was a flop, so we decided to make up our own version of a recipe she found in some magazine that I can't remember the name of  - (it was either Women's World or Women's Day or maybe even Maximum - who knows!). So, she had Citrus Vodka, Ginger Ale & marshmallow bunny Peeps. I had colored sugars & Jelly Beans. We remember something else was in the recipe, but for the life of us we couldn't remember exactly what it was, but we think it was Grand Marnier and since I had that in my liquor cabinet that is what we used.

I must say our concoction was pretty freaking FABULOUS!

2 oz Citrus Vodka
1 oz Grand Marnier
1-2 oz Ginger Ale
8 Jelly Beans
Colorful Sugar Rim
Peeps Bunny

~Sugar the rim as pictured
~Put Jelly Beans in the bottom of your martini glass
~Shake Vodka & Grand Marnier in a Martini shaker till nice and cold. Pour into prepared Martini Glass, add a splash of cold Ginger Ale, add a Peeps Bunny to the glass and serve! 

Happy Easter! 
 
Picture
Isn't she beautiful?
Hello FRIDAY!!  Only 12 more Fridays (give or take a few) without the love of my life (I hope I'm not breaking OPSEC here.  :o).  I can't WAIT to see him and share a martini with him....errr....scratch that.  I'll have a martini & he'll have a beer.  Can you believe he doesn't like martinis?  Oh well, more for me. 

Happy Friday!

Zest from 1  lemon
1¼ cup freshly  squeezed lemon juice (about 6-8 lemons)
1 750ML bottle of  **GOOD VODKA**
2 cups  water
1 ½ cup  sugar

Make simple syrup  by simmering sugar and water together in a saucepan until all sugar has  dissolved and syrup get a tad thick.Turn heat off, throw in all lemon zest.Let cool.Once cooled, pour lemon  simple syrup through a strainer to remove all the zest.Using a funnel, pour the lemon simple syrup  into the storage container, (I use a Simply Orange Juice container....works PERFECTLY!)  add lemon juice and vodka. Put the lid on and shake. If you want one  right away, just add ice to a cocktail shaker add a martini and shake, pour into  a prepared martini glass with a sugar rim. If you are making these in advance for a party, they will last a very long time in the freezer – when you pull them out of the freezer just shake and  pour.  Ahhhh……
Picture
My new FAVORITE Vodka. Give it a try, cheaper than Grey Goose and a little smoother!
 
Basil + lime juice + vodka = divine combination  (and sometimes a headache the next day if you are not careful!)
Picture
If you are my friend and you partake in adult beverages then you have most likely sampled one of these heavenly drinks.  If you are not my friend and you just hang out here peering into my crazy life, you should run to the store, buy all the ingredients and make your own BLM's now!  (Make sure to invite some friends over, because these are deliciously smooth and you don't want to drink them all yourself.)  And always remember the rule my friend Lara (the person I got this recipe from) reminds us of:  Martinis are like boobs, one is not enough but three is too many.

Basil-Lime Martini

 15 – 20 large basil leaves
1 ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8-10 limes)
1 750ML bottle of GOOD vodka – I like Grey Goose  (The Grey Goose got your girl feelin' loose...")
2 cups water
1 cup sugar 

Make simple syrup by simmering sugar and water together in a saucepan until all sugar has dissolved and syrup get a tad thick.  Turn heat off, throw in all basil, and muddle (smash) together until leaves are well bruised.  (This is much easier if you have ‘real’ muddler, but you can also use a wooden spoon or potato masher, etc.)  Let cool.  Once cooled, pour basil simple syrup through a strainer to remove all basil leaves.  Using a funnel, pour the basil simple syrup into the storage container, add lime and vodka.  Put the lid on and shake. If you want one right away, just add ice to a cocktail shaker add a martini and shake.  If you are making these in advance for a party, they will last a very long time in the freezer (unless they are in my freezer) – when you pull them out of the freezer just shake and pour.  Ahhhh……

I use the "Simply Orange" containers.  A full batch fits perfectly in one of these.
Picture
 
5 oz vodka (Grey Goose)
2 oz Creme de Menthe (Dekuyper)
1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps (RumpleMinze)

Frozen martini glass
Crushed peppermint on the rim
Serve while wearing a Santa hat

Hello Christmas!!!

Picture
Merry Christmas!