Cranberry Sparkler

If you are planning a holiday party this month, a simple yet delicious signature drink to serve is a cranberry sparkler. All you need is for ingredients are cranberry juice and champagne.
Directions: Pour equal parts into a chilled glass. Garnish with a cranberry and enjoy!

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Purple Martini

If one of your wedding colors is purple, a purple martini is the perfect signature drink for you. You will get the royal color that you want and your guests will love that it is a martini.

Ingredients:

2 oz of vodka

3/4 oz purple juice drink

1/2 oz triple sec

Ice

Directions:

Pour ingredients in shaker. Shake well and pour into a chilled glass. Enjoy!

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Valentine's Drink

Valentine's Day is almost here. It is one of my favorite holidays, because it is a time to show the ones you love that you care. So whether you plan to spend a nice quiet romantic night at home with the one you love or have a fun night out on the town, make it special.

If you are looking for a special drink for Valentines try a Love Potion! Here is what you need:

2 oz cranberry juice cocktail

1 oz raspberry vodka
splash of grenadine

splash of lime juice

ice

Directions:

Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add raspberries and chocolate to garnish. Enjoy!

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Candy Cane Martini

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Christmas time means corporate events, holiday parties, and family gatherings. If you are looking for a great drink this season, try a candy can martini.


Ingredients:
1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 oz Creme de CaCao
1/2 oz vodka
Ice


Directions:
Shake ingredients well and strain into a martini glass rimmed with crushed candy cane. Then garnish with a candy cane. Enjoy!



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Hot Drinks at Your Winter Wedding

It is that time of year again where we have to turn the heat on and bundle up to stay warm. If you are planning a winter wedding, you need to think about keeping your guests warm and toasty. Having a coffee station at your reception is one way to accomplish this task. Have your caterer provide regular and decaffeinated coffee in addition to a wide selection of flavored creamers, milk, sugar, and sugar substitutes. Everyone of your guests likes their coffee a little different, but you want them to each enjoy their cup just the way they like it down to the last drop!



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If You Like Pina Colada....

I was talking to one of my brides who just returned from her honeymoon. She said it was hard coming back to reality after drinking out of coconuts! In honor of that, this month signature drink is a Pina Colada. Serve it at your next party or at your wedding reception.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces of light rum
3 ounces pineapple juice
3 ounces coconut cream
crushed ice
fresh fruit to garnish


Directions:

Pour all ingredients in a blender, pour into a coconut, garnish with fruit, and enjoy!

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Bellini

A Bellini is an extremely popular drink in Italy. It is a delicious blend of champagne and peach. Although you can make this drink with only two ingredients, you have options. You can use champagne such as Veuve Clicquot or a sparkling wine such as Prosecco. For the peach side of the drink, you can use Peach Schnapps or pureed peach. Whatever version you select is up to you, but for the best results use: 1 part peach and 3 parts champagne in a chilled champagne flute.

Photo courtesy of Raphael Derkson

Wedding Cocktail

Every bride needs something old, something new, something burrowed, and something blue on her wedding day. So here is The Something Blue Wedding Cocktail. This beautiful drink is delicious and very easy to make. If one of your wedding colors is blue, you and your guests will love this as a signature drink at your cocktail and wedding reception.

Ingredients:
2 oz of Hpnotiq,
2 oz of white wine,
1 oz ginger ale


Directions: Pour ingredients in champagne flutes and enjoy!




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Mango Mojito

If you have ever had a Mojito, you probably loved it. Spring is a great time to try new things. So I have a fantastic drink for you. Try a Mango Mojito. If you love tropical fruit like mangoes, you will love this drink for your next event.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Mango Rum

3 oz club soda

1 lime wedge

4 mint leaves

ice

Directions:

Muddle the mint leaves and lime wedge together. Then add Cruzan Mango Rum and club soda. Add ice and serve in a highball glass. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Martini

They may as well change February to Chocolate Lover's Month. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I wanted to share with you a way to help you celebrate.

How about a delicious chocolate martini? Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

2 oz. of your favorite Vodka

1/2 oz. of chocolate liqueur

1/2 oz. of Creme de Cacao

Directions:

Coat chilled martini glass with chocolate syrup, add ingredients in shaker, strain into glass, and enjoy!

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Kiwi Sapphire

If one of your wedding colors is green or you just want to make everyone green with envy at your next celebration, I have a fantastic signature drink for you. Let me introduce you to the kiwi sapphire.

Ingredients:
1.25 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1.25 oz Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps
Splash of Sprite
1 kiwi
Ice



Directions: Peel and slice kiwi, then muddle with ice. Add gin and schnapps. Shake and pour into a glass. Then add a splash of Sprite. Garnish with a kiwi slice. Enjoy!

Photo by concierge.com

Champagne 101

During this time of year many families and companies celebrate by having holiday gatherings. Many people love to celebrate with Champagne. So I decided to do a little Champagne 101.
Champagne is the most famous sparkling wine in the world. It gets it great taste from a combination of France’s soil, weather, and strict regulations on the production process. Many sparkling wine makers use the name Champagne, but true Champagne is only produced in the Champagne region of France.
Most Champagne is made from three kinds of grapes. The white grape is Chardonnay. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are black grapes. The amount of sugar added after the second fermentation determines the sweetness of the Champagne. Brut is the most popular type and it is considered dry or not sweet. It pairs well with desserts and is used a lot for wedding toasts. Sec is sweet Champagne that pairs well with acidy fruit, mildly seasoned dishes, and caviar.
The majority of Champagne is non-vintage. Which means it is less expensive than that produced in vintage years. Non-vintage Champagne is a mixture of grapes produced from different harvests and years. It must20be aged one year. Vintage Champagne must have grapes harvested from a single year and must be aged a minimum of three years.Champagne is more sensitive to temperature and light than most wines. It should be stored between forty and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Champagne is best served chilled. You can do this by placing the bottle in the refrigerator a couple of hours, putting it in the freezer for 15 minutes or putting the bottle in a bucket of ice for 20 minutes.

Bloody Mary (Merry) (Marry)

Blood Mary is a classic. It has been around since the roaring 1920's. So yes we love our new drinks, but there is nothing like a drink that has stood the test of time.

I love the color, because red is one of my favorite colors. Not to mention the flavor. This drink has some kick to it! So why not have it a your signature drink for your holiday party or your wedding?




Here is what you need:
2 oz. of vodka

4 oz. of tomato juice

1/2 oz. of lemon juice

pinch of salt & pepper

3 dashes of Worcestershire

3 drops of Tabasco sauce

crushed ice


Directions:

Shake all of the ingredients in a shaker and strain into a tall glass over crushed ice. Then garnish with a lemon wedge or celery stalk or both. Enjoy!


Photo courtesy of cocktailtimes.com

Caramel Apple Pie-tini

Here is a drink recipe for your Halloween party or any other occasion to have a delicious drink. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 oz. Baileys with a Hint of Caramel

1/3 oz. Smirnoff Twist Green Apple Vodka

1/3oz. Applesauce
Dash of Caramel Syrup

Ice

Directions:

Pour applesauce into glass and add a dash of caramel syrup. Shake Apple Vodka, Baileys, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain and float on top of applesauce and caramel. Garnish drink with a sliced caramel apple.

Photo courtesy of: drinkoftheweek.com

50/50 recipe

Marriage is the joining of two people legally, emotionally, and financially . It should be a union of people who are equally yoked. Who are willing to have a 50/50 relationship. In honor of this union, here is a 50/50 martini drink recipe for you.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces gin

1 1/2 ounces dry vermouth

Green olive

Combine gin and dry vermouth over ice in a mixing glass. Stir well to chill. Pour mixture into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a green olive. Enjoy!

Photo by: hubpages.com

Lemon Drops

The saying goes, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, if life gives you lemons, make......... lemon drops! Is one of your wedding colors yellow? Do you like lemons? Then why not add a little kick to your wedding reception or other celebration by having lemon drops as your signature drink?
Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 teaspoon of superfine sugar
3/4 ounce lemon juice

Mix vodka, Triple Sec, and lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice and shake until cold. Pour into a martini glass rimmed with the superfine sugar. Makes 1 drink. Enjoy!

Photo by: Allrecipes.com