Now that you’ve survived all of the holiday hustle and bustle, and created and captured tons of photo opportunities, I wanted to share some of our favorite cocktails for kicking back and relaxing – or even entertaining a few guests if you feel like it. We love quiet evenings relaxing after work over drinks and the grill. We’ve served all of these with friends and always hear great things. They’re great to offer together, since they require similar ingredients that are mixed and matched differently. I had every intention of getting this posted before the New Year holiday, but we love these all year round, so, here goes!
Frosty copper mug mule: one of my all time favorites. This is my favorite drink when I’m in the mood to indulge a bit. I admit, my go to cocktail is a vodka soda, because I can’t afford to splurge the calories every day, but when I can, this is a favorite. The copper mug chilled in the freezer adds a great touch for serving, and when I want to dress it up, I add a lime wedge with candied ginger and rim the edges of the cup with sugar.
All of my drink recipes will be listed in “parts”, so you can use whatever size shot glass or measure you’d like, as long as you’re using the same container for measuring each time.
Frosty copper mug mule recipe:
16 oz. copper mug chilled and filled with ice
1-1/2 parts vodka (we love Tito’s or Grey Goose)
1/4 part lime juice
Stir the above ingredients, then fill the rest of the mug with ginger beer.
Winter White Cranberry Cosmopolitan: sweet, and just a tiny bit tart, this cocktail is the perfect balance without pushing either side. The lime, triple sec, and orange bitters balance out the sweeter white cranberry juice. Lime wedges and fresh cranberry along with the sugared rim make for a festive touch this time of year.
Winter White Cranberry Cosmopolitan Recipe:
1-1/2 parts vodka (our favorite is Tito’s or Grey Goose)
1/2 part triple sec
1/2 part limeade
2/3 parts white cranberry juice
splash of orange bitters
Shake or stir together and pour into the glass of your choice. It’s great over ice in a tall glass, too!
Dark and Stormy: Tart and tangy, the sweetness of the dark rum (made from sugar cane), balances out the ginger and lemon.
Dark and Stormy Recipe
tall glass full of ice
1-1/2 parts dark rum (our favorite is Kraken)
1/4 lemon, squeezed and added to the glass
Top off to fill with ginger beer.
I hope you enjoy these for entertaining or just chilling at home as we start the new year!