Cinco de Mayo Margarita: Non Traditional Margaritas is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Two non-traditional margaritas to help non Tequila fans enjoy Cinco de Mayo:

Van Gogh ‘rita:

Created by local Chicago mixologist, Mary Breclaw

• 2 oz Van Gogh BLUE Vodka
• .5 oz triple sec
• 1 oz Sour mix
• 2 oz Soda
• Lime wedge

Pour the Van Gogh BLUE Vodka and triple sec in a glass over ice.  Top with the sour mix and soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

Abuelorita

• 2 oz Ron Abuelo Añejo
• 1 oz triple sec
• 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

In a shaker filled with ice add all ingredients and shake vigorously.  Strain into an ice filled rocks glass.  Garnish with lime wedge.

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Pucker Vodka Blood Sucking Chiller and Dark Magic Martini Cocktails is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Pucker Vodka has crafted unique cocktails to pair up with this year’s hottest Halloween costume trends.

With the upcoming release of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” who doesn’t want to dress up as love-struck Bella Swan, handsome Edward Cullen and the oh-so-fit Jacob?

Better yet, “Truebies” can take a stab at the characters of HBO’s “True Blood.” Both of these trends go perfectly with the Blood-Sucking Chiller cocktail.

If magic is more your style, J.K. Rowling fans decked out in Harry Potter, Hermione Granger or Lord Voldemort duds can complement costumes with the Dark Magic Martini.

Blood-Sucking Chiller
2 parts Pucker™ Cherry Tease Vodka
2 parts Cranberry Juice
Dash of Lemon Lime Soda
Build over ice and garnish with an apple wedge.

Dark Magic Martini
1 ½ parts Pucker™ Grape Gone Wild Vodka
½ part Triple Sec
¼ part Fresh Lime Juice (2 wedges)
¼ part Simple Syrup
1 part Cranberry Juice
Combine ingredients in 3 piece shaker and shake vigorously to chill. Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

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Halloween Cocktails: Bloody Geisha, TY Tootsie Roll, Caramel Appletini is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Girly Halloween Drinks

Recipes:

Bloody Geisha:

3oz Tomato Juice

1.5 oz TY KU Sake

Pinch of Wasabi

Dash of Soy Sauce

Squeeze of Lime

TY Tootsie Roll

TY KU Soju

Coffee Liqueur

Splash of Orange Juice

Raspberry Liqueur

Sweet Tart Cocktail

TY KU Liqueur

TY KU Soju

Pineapple Juice

Pumpkin Martini

TY KU Sake

Vanilla Rum

Sugar Free Pumpkin Syrup

Whipped Cream

Caramel Appletini

TY KU Liqueur

Butterscotch Schnapps

Caramel Candy Garnish

Garnish Green Apple Slice

Green Goblin

TY KU Liqueur

Coconut Rum

Splash of Diet Sierra Mist

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Margarita Francesa: French Margarita is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

French Margarita

Marking the 25th anniversary Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, Grand Marnier and Rosa Mexicano explore the Hispanic influence on food and drink with a delightful toast: the Grand Marnier Margarita Francesa.

The traditional margarita, mixing together the spirit of Mexico (tequila), orange liqueur and fresh lime juice, is the #1 selling cocktail in the US however, over the years its popularity has sparked unique twists on the classic recipe. In the 1990’s Grand Marnier introduced the Cadillac Margarita that was a huge success. Now, to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, Grand Marnier and Rosa Mexicano have teamed up to develop an internationally innovative recipe, Margarita Francesa.

The Margarita Francesa (available at all Rosa Mexicano restaurants nationally), simply reverses the amount of spirit ingredients from a traditional margarita for a more vibrant taste. The result: a profile that is smoother and more balanced with the enticement of the citrus notes and the complexity of cognac found within Grand Marnier. For those who may shy away from the “bite” of tequila, this is the ideal cocktail that will fast become consumers’ drink of choice.

Margarita Francesa
Served at Rosa Mexicano in honor of the 25th anniversary for National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)

• 1.5 oz Grand Marnier
• 1 oz Alma Tequila
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Orange Juice
• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Combine Grand Marnier, tequila, lime juice, orange juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a tall glass with ice and garnish with an orange wheel and lime wedge.

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5 Festive Cocktails From The Today Show is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

From The Today Show and Jeanne Benedict comes these five festive cocktails with unique garnishes that will have the guests at your party raving about what a great host you are (video and recipes below):

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Santa hat cocktail with a candy cane

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon water
• 3 tablespoons sweetened coconut flakes
• 3 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 oz. coconut-flavored rum
• 1/2 oz. grenadine (1 tablespoon)
• Candy cane

Mix together powdered sugar and water on a small saucer until smooth. Spread coconut in a shallow layer on another saucer. Dip the rim of a Martini glass in the sugar mixture until the rim is coated. Then, dip the sugared rim into the coconut. Use a spoon to pack the coconut on to the sugar coating so it stays on the rim.

Add the cranberry juice, coconut rum, and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a prepared Martini glass and serve. Garnish with a candy cane.

Frozen cranberry-mint ice wreath in a wine cocktail

• Silicone shot glass mold
• Fresh cranberries
• Fresh mint
• Water
• 3 oz. Pinot Grigio or light-bodied white wine
• 3 oz. Sprite or lemon-lime soda

Add cranberries into the bottom of shot glass mold cups. Cut tips off cranberries if necessary to fit into the mold. Add fresh mint leaves into the mold, pushing them down so they keep the cranberries in place when water is added. Pour water into the mold cups and place on a flat surface in the freezer until solid. When ready to serve, unmold frozen shot glasses and place them each into a white wine glass. Add Pinot Grigio and soda into each glass and serve.

spiked hot chocolate

Peppermint white hot chocolate with a chocolate-dipped Christmas-sprinkled marshmallow garnish

• 6 cups milk
• 6 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup white chocolate melting chips or wafers
• 2/3 cup peppermint schnapps
• 1 cup milk chocolate melting chips or wafer
• Decorated wooden skewers
• Marshmallows
• Christmas sprinkles

Bring milk and cream to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in schnapps.

Transfer to a round chafing dish with a ladle for guests to serve themselves into individual mugs. Serve with chocolate dipped marshmallows on the side.

Homemade eggnog with a Bourbon-chocolate glazed cookie ornament garnish

• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar (divided)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 6 egg whites
• Fresh ground nutmeg
• Bourbon-Chocolate Glazed Cookie Ornament (recipe follows)

Beat egg yolks until thick. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar until mixture is pale yellow. Stir in milk, bourbon, and vanilla until combined. Cover and chill.

Just before serving: Beat cream in a cold bowl until whipped; set aside. In another clean bowl, add egg whites and 1 tablespoon sugar. Using clean beaters, whip egg whites on high speed gradually adding remaining sugar until soft peaks form.

Fold egg yolk mixture and whipped cream into egg whites and transfer into a punch bowl for guests to serve themselves or ladle eggnog into individual mugs prepped with a Bourbon-Chocolate Glazed Cookie Ornament ribbon tied around the mug?s handle. Sprinkle a bit of fresh ground nutmeg on top of eggnog in punch bowl or mugs.

Makes about 5 cups

Bourbon-chocolate glazed cookie ornament

• 6 Keebler Fudge Stripes Cookies
• 1/2 cup chopped, good quality dark chocolate
• Splash of bourbon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Thin ribbon

To make Bourbon-Chocolate Glaze: melt milk chocolate and bourbon in top of a double boiler. Stir until smooth and glaze on top of cookies. Allow chocolate to set. Thread a ribbon through the hole in each cookie to use as a hanger for the cookie ornament.

To make chocolate-dipped marshmallows: Melt milk chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-second increments; stir until smooth. Insert a toothpick into a marshmallow and swirl the bottom half in the chocolate. Immediately shake sprinkles over the chocolate. Place on wax paper until chocolate sets.

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Holiday Jello Shot Recipes is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Like jello shots? Better Recipes, the recipe site from Better Homes and Gardens, has come up with 10 unique jello shot recipes, ranging from Fruitcake Jello Shots and Eggnog Jello Shots to Pumpkin Pie Jello Shots.

Two of the holiday jello shot recipes that stood out to me were the Candy Cane Jello Shot and the Sugar Cookie Jello Shots. You can view the entire list of Holiday Jello Shots by visiting Better Recipes.

Sugar Cookie Jello Shot

sugar cookie jello shot

• 2 cups water
• 4 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatin
• 8 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream, chilled
• 4 ounces Butterscotch Liqueur, chilled
• 2 ounces Cointreau Liqueur, chilled
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Whipped cream
• Sugar decorations or colored sugar

Boil the 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir the Irish Cream, Butterscotch, Cointreau and cold water into the hot gelatin. Pour contents into shot glasses with enough room to add whipped cream later. Refrigerate until firm. Spoon or pipe whipped cream on top and decorate with sugar decorations or colored sugar. Makes approximately 10 jello shots.

*Image and recipes posted with permission from Better Recipes

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Purity Vodka and Holiday Water is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

Vodka, Lime, Simple Syrup, Cucumber, and Mint Leaves

Sweden’s Southside

• 2oz Purity
• 1 oz lime juice
• .75 simple syrup
• 3 slices cucumber
• 4-5 mint leaves

Muddle cucumber (or infuse it in the vodka with the mint) add remaining ingredients and shake.

Garnish with cucumber slice skewered with mint sprigs.

Vodka, kumquats, maple syrup, and bitters

Hanukah Miracle

• 2 oz Purity
• 5 muddled kumquats
• 1/2 oz Maple Syrup
• 4 dashes Angostura Bitters

Add all the ingredients to a shaker except for the bitters.

Add ice, shake, and double strain over fresh ice.

Top with bitters.

Garnish with half of a kumquat, hollowed out and filled with overproof rum and skewered on top of a swizzle.

Vodka and Holiday Water

Purity Holiday H20

• 2oz Purity

• 2oz Holiday water*

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass (for cold drink) or a glass mug (if hot.)

Garnish with clove and allspice-laden cinnamon stick with holly-shaped lime zest.

*Holiday Water: Open one large bottle of distilled water and drop into it a handful of cracked cranberries, the zest from one lime, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 2 rolls of cinnamon bark, a ½ a nut of nutmeg, a pinch of all-spice, and 3-4 stars of anise.  Agitate regularly over the course of twelve hours prior to serving.  Strain out solids and use to make ice cubes, as well as to mix with Purity.  Alternatively, make a tea out of all ingredients (save the Purity) and sweeten to taste with honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, and any other sugar syrup you desire (date sugar, demerara, molasses, etc.)

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Christmas Cocktails: Cookie Cocktails for the Holidays! is a post from: Girly Drinks. Check out more ice wine and martini recipes.

christmas cocktails

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