Tie One On Tuesday

Halloween parties are so much fun! Dressing up and getting your scare on is such the best! Serving a good punch can make your spooky soiree the talk of the graveyard.

You can never go wrong with caramel apples. Never ever. Add some booze into the mix and you have a recipe for heaven.

Caramel Apple Punch

1 gallon apple cider (just pour in the whole jug)

2cups spiced rum

Caramel Italian soda syrup (Torani's) to taste

Ice

Mix all the ingredients in a punch bowl, add syrup to taste-you don't want it too sweet and serve

Need a punch that will dig up your friends and bring them to the party, why not make Cemetery Slime Punch?  This can be made without the vodka for the little ghouls.

Cemetery Slime Punch

2 liters Root beer

1-2 cups root beer vodka

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 pint chocolate ice cream

gummy worms

Before making the punch, in an ice tray, make gummy worm ice cubes by filling up an ice tray and adding the gummy worms, hang them off the sides. Half in and half out. In a punch bowl, scoop ice cream into the bottom of the bowl. Pour in root beer and vodka. Add the iced gummy worms. The punch will begin to bubble and look like a slimy rotting cemetery. GROSS!

I usually save this punch for Christmas but since everyone in my family hates it and thinks it is evil, I will include it here. The Evil Green Punch.

Evil Green Punch

2 liters ginger ale

1 container frozen lemonade

1 large can pineapple juice

1 quart lime sherbet

Mix all ingredients together in a punch bowl but save a bit of sherbet to add to the top of the punch as a float. For extra spooky, make an ice hand by filling a latex glove with ice and freezing. Set the iced hand on top.

Yahoo! Three punches to get your party started. Invite your favorite guys and ghouls over to dance the night away, It will be a thriller.

Tie One On Tuesday

UGH! Mama's got a cold. My throat feels like I gargled with sandpaper. Doesn't my body realize that I do not have time for this mess. I think I need to quarantine myself, watch some bad movies and nurse myself back to health with a cocktail or two. 

There is nothing tea and rum won't fix. Combine the two and you have perfection. Bran's Dram is a perfect combination of warmth, both from the rum and the hot tea, honey to sooth your throat and a little bit of lemon for taste. 

Bran's Dram (recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit.com)

1 bag of berry herbal tea 

1 1/2 ounce of white rum

1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon of honey

Steep tea bag in a mug with 6 oz. hot water, 2–3 minutes; discard tea bag and stir in rum, lemon juice, and honey

When I was growing up, a Hot Toddy was a cure-all. Got a stitch in your back, make a Hot Toddy, stomach bothering ya-Hot Toddy....I think the real reason this drink is so fab for cold and other illnesses is that you have a cup or two and you are out. You will sleep the sickness away.

Hot Toddy

1 1/2 ounce whiskey

1 tablespoon honey

1 lemon wedge

1 cup hot water

Add whiskey and honey to the hot water. Squeeze in the lemon and sip away the sore throat. 

What do you do when the only thing you have in your house are the fixings for margaritas but you want something warm for your throat? Well, you make a warm margarita, of course!

Warm Margarita

1 ounce tequila 

1 ounce orange flavored liqueur

1 cup apple juice

cinnamon to taste

Warm the apple juice and pour into a mug. Add booze and cinnamon to taste. Relax and feel better!

Just thinking of these warm cozy drinks on my sore throat are making me feel better. I am going to take a nice hot bath, put on my jammies and crawl up on the dog pile. 

Tie One On Tuesday

One of my favorite Fall smells is cinnamon. The cooler weather mixes with cinnamon so well. When you have cinnamon in your drink, it warms up not only your body, but also your senses. 

The first thing that most people pair cinnamon with are apples. Apple Pie martinis and cocktails are everywhere, not that there is anything wrong with that. I love me some apple pie. 

Warm Apple Pie

1 1/2 ounces of Vanilla Liqueur

1/2 ounce cinnamon liqueur 

2-4 ounces of hot apple cider (depending on how strong you want your drink. Start with 2 and work your way up)

Whipped Cream

Combine the vanilla liqueur with the apple cider and top off with whipped cream. It it taste like a liquid Apple Pie ala Mode. 

While the rain and cool weather has hit my area, my home state is still very hot and humid. OMP can not believe that it is still in the 80's during October. For my southern friends who are still sweating it out, here's my refreshing yet spicy drink to honor you. 

Hot Southern Nights

1 1/2 ounce cinnamon schnapps

1 ounce peach liqueur

4 ounces clear soda (7Up or Sprite)

Mix and serve over ice. Some people use Coke or Pepsi instead of a clear soda. I'm not a fan of that, so I switched it up with 7Up.

Apples and cinnamon go together like pears and cinnamon, with a hint of mint. 

Spiced Pear Mojito

2 ounces Pear Liqueur

2 ounces apple juice

1 ounce cinnamon liqueur

lime juice to taste

mint leaves, crushed into the shaker 

Mix all ingredients in shaker and pour over ice.

Mmmm....I'm already feeling toasty and heated up from these yummy cinnamon concoctions. The rain has started and it's time for me to get cozy and enjoy the Fall weather. 

Tie One On Tuesday

Sometimes having a nice glass of wine is just what the doctor ordered after a long day of dealing with the world. You want something with a nice taste but you don't want to blow all of your mad dollars bills. Don't worry, I've got you covered with a few tasty and cheap bottles of wine. 

House Wine Chardonnay

I am a fan of local spirits and this House Wine is made in the Pacific Northwest. It has nice hints of citrus (grapefruit, hint of lemon) with small undertones of vanilla. It is a very crisp wine and goes great with summer foods and seafood.  This wine is a great price at 10.00

Paringa Shiraz

I am a huge fan of a Shiraz. I absolutely love the subtle sweet candy taste to it. Paringa's Shiraz has a cherry, oak chocolate taste to it. It is perfect for the cold rainy nights, reading or stitching by the fire. This wine is another nice cheapy surprise at 10.00 a bottle. 

Wilson Creek Almond Champagne

You guys KNOW I need to get my champagne on. I LOVE it! It really is good for the soul, but mama does not want to break the bank while drinking it. I discovered the most intoxicating champagne that is also from the west coast, Wilson Creek Almond Champagne. I am not going to lie to you-a glass of this with a little slice of peach and you will be in HEAVEN! While the taste is heavenly, the price will keep your feet on the ground at around 12.00. 

 These are just a few inexpensive choices for you. You can still have flavor without breaking the bank. Pick one up today and enjoy a glass!

Tie One On Tuesday

Today is National Teddy Bear day, which is a little frightening to me. I love teddy bears, but I can think of all sorts of things that can go wrong with National Teddy Bear Day...like real bears could pose as teddy bears and attack. Dude, it could happen. I saw it in a cartoon once. Anyhoo, before I go off on a wild tangent about bears attacking us, let's have a few cocktails to celebrate. 

It seems like nowadays the martini has been taken everywhere. You name it, there is a martini for and the teddy bear is no exception. This recipe is adapted from Difford's Guide. 

The Teddy Bear Tini

1 1/2 ounces of pear liqueur

3/4 ounce of apple schnapps

1 1/2 apple juice

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Blend in a shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass. 

I've been searching everywhere for some teddy bear cocktails and they all seem so random to me. I keep thinking that the people who made them up were either thinking that after you drink the cocktail, your mouth will be furry like a bear or maybe bears taste like beer. Either way, a Teddy Bear Cocktail is very simple and quick to make. 

Teddy Bear Cocktail (this isn't really a cocktail, it's a shot)

1/2 ounce of root beer schnapps

1/2 ounce vodka 

Layer the root beer and the vodka then slam that baby down your gullet. 

Last on the list is something that, after drinking a few, you will feel like you could take on a grizzly bear with your bare hands! ARRRRGGGGHHH! Okay, maybe it will just feel like a grizzly bear stepped on your head. 

The Grizzly Bear 

1 ounce almond liqueur

1 ounce jagermeister

1 ounce kahula 

 2 1/2 ounces milk 

Mix and serve over ice. 

Oh my goodness! I didn't realize there were so many bear related drinks out there. I guess our love for the teddy bear reaches further than just the tiny little guy who kept us safe from the monsters under the bed. Celebrate your favorite bear today with these yummy cocktails. Enjoy! 

Tie One On Tuesday

Labor day ushers in the unofficial end to summer, but it also means it's the unofficial beginning of fall. I love fall. The weather is slightly cooler, the air smells different and I get to snuggle up with my favorite OMP and pups. When there is a slight crispness in the air, these cocktails will warm you up.

Add pumpkin to just about anything and you have a fall drink. The Old Fashion is no exception.

Pumpkin Old Fashion

3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

1 ½ oz. bourbon

1 oz. maple coffee flavoring

½ oz. Grand Marnier

2 dashes bitters

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and strain out the liquid. Pour into an old fashion glass and drink up!  

The weather getting cooler always makes me a bit sleepy but I even have those nights were getting to sleep is a little rough. A hot coconut milk beverage is just what the kittykill ordered.

Hot Coconut Milk

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 oz. bourbon

vanilla extract to taste ( I like about 1-2 teaspoons)

Heat sugar, milk and vanilla over high heat, stirring with a whisk until you begin to see bubbles or froth, take off heat and add bourbon.  Pour into a mug, garnish with cinnamon and enjoy. 

The other great taste of fall is cranberry. The tartness against the spice is like a party in your mouth. 

Cranberry Party

2 oz. cranberry juice

2 oz. spiced rum 

Ice

pour cranberry juice and rum over ice and serve. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! This one is super easy and just perfect after a long day. 

Fall is a perfect time to try new things and give old recipes a little kick in the pants. Time to sit back, watch the leaves change and sip a toasty beverage. 

Tie One On Tuesday: Every Dog Has Its Day

It is National Dog Day and you KNOW I have to celebrate it! My pups refuse to let this day go to waste. They are probably at home right now having a huge pool party with all their friends. Why am I having images of Pete in a smoking jacket and pipe with a million ladies around him?

There is no reason why dogs should have all the fun today, let's honor our poochies with a few delicious cocktails.

Probably the easiest drink you will ever make, besides twisting the top off your beer is the Greyhound. I love both the dog and drink. It is on par with a screwdriver but you use grapefruit juice instead of orange.

The Greyhound
2 ounces vodka
5 ounces grapefruit juice
Mix together in a glass with ice and enjoy!

I have to give a shout out to the newest member of the Pedersen pups, Iggy. This little boy has stolen my heart, even though he has to work on his behavior around the ladies. I'm sure it is because he is still a puppy and thinks that girls are smelly. He really needs to take some tips from his brother. You have heard of the salty dog, but let's take it up a notch with the Salty Chihuahua.

Salty Chihuahua 
 1 1/2 ounce tequila
5 ounces limeaide
coarse salt
ice
With the coarse salt, line the rim of a glass, fill glass with ice and then pour in tequila and limeaide. Stir and Howl like a chi chi! HOOOWWWWLLLL!

If you had too much howling and are feeling like little Pomeranians are tap dancing on your head, why not try the Hair of the Dog to get rid of the bite.

Hair of the Dog
6 ounces gin
1/ ounce fresh lemon juice
couple dashes of hot sauce
ice
In a shaker, mix the gin, ice and lemon juice. Strain into a martini glass and finish with a few dashes of hot sauce.

There ya go, a few dog themed cocktails to celebrate your best friend. Enjoy your scrappy pup today and let them know you love them and if you do overindulge, don't worry, they will keep all your secrets safe.

Tie One On Tuesday

Did you know today is Aviation Day? Yeah, me neither...but it is and I am here to give you some yummy cocktail recipes that will send you sky high!

Let's kick off Aviation Day with a an Aviation Cocktail! This cocktail is an oldie but a goodie. Its first appearance was in 1916 and variations of this yummy gin drink have been flying around ever since. If you like gin, with a little bit of sweet, this is the cocktail for you. I can attest that this is a very good drink! If you do not like gin, try this cocktail and I will guarantee that you will fall in love.

The Aviation

2 ounces gin

1/4 ounce maraschino cherry liqueur

1/2 ounce lemon juice

A small shake of Creme de Violette (the original had this, the updated version does not)

Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon or orange rind.

Even if you can't enjoy an actual flight, you can still celebrate Aviation Day with the Paper Airplane. Drink a few of these and you will have enough courage to fly your digits over to the cutie at table two.

The Paper Airplane

3/4 ounce bourbon

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

3/4 ounce Nonino Amaro (this is an Italian liqueur, usually consumed after dinner)

3/4 ounce Aperol (this is comparable, but less alcohol than Compari)

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass

I will never ever ever consume this next cocktail ever again thanks to my college years and the fact they were a dollar a shot at Four Corners in Chapel Hill. I felt like a Kamikaze was in my stomach, shooting his way out. That shouldn't stop you from having one. Go for it, but you have been warned. 

Kamikaze Shot

1  ounce vodka

1 ounce Triple Sec

1 ounce lime juice (please, for the love of all things holy, use fresh limes)

Add all the ingredients together in a shaker and pour into a shot glass. 

Today we pay tribute to those trailblazers who took the skies and made traveling a bit faster. Look up, raise your glass and thank those birdmen and women! PS-don't drink and fly, unless you are doing some sort of fly dance, then by all means, do it and put it on YouTube! 

Tie One On Tuesday: Movie Night

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to have a "drive in" movie night. We attach a sheet to the garage door, thrown down some pillows and blankets and watch movies outside. It is so much fun to invite friends and neighbors over to watch your favorite movie with you, under the stars. 

The good folks at Craftster feel the same way. In this crafty video I whipped up some yummy popcorn and refreshing flavored water for my movie night. Sweet and savory popcorn, movie sized candy is washed down with blueberry and raspberry water. What a perfect combination for a warm starry night. 

You can have your own movie night with an outdoor movie projector, a sheet, yummy snacks and beverages. You could even add a little bit of alcoholic flavoring to the water...not that I encourage that kind of thing. 

Check out the video below for recipes and directions to this movie night snack table. 

Tie One On Tuesday!

One thing that I am so passionate about is the history of the cocktail. If you look at  what people were drinking at certain times, you can tell the climate of the world. 1900 brought the death of Queen Victoria, the Wright Brothers flew their plane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and San Francisco had a horrible earthquake followed by a 3 day fire. So many amazing changes came during the first ten years of century. So many wonderful cocktails chronicled the times.

The Original Negroni was named after an Italian gentleman who ordered the same drink every day. Nowadays the cocktail is considered a Aperitif  to stimulate the the appetite for dinner. Although the drink originated in Europe, it rose to popularity in the US during the early 1900's.

The Original Negroni
1 oz. Campari (in the family of bitters)
1 oz Gin
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
Combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker. Shake until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Old Fashioned is considered the very first cocktail. Although the drink was around  before 1900 it hit it's height of popularity during 1900-1910.The drink was served at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky and to some it is the perfect concoction of what a cocktail should be. A little hooch, a sweet and a bitter.

Old Fashioned
1 sugar cube
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 orange slices
3 oz bourbon
Cherry for garnish
Place the sugar cube at the bottom of an old fashioned glass
Saturate the cube with bitters
Add one orange slice and muddle
Fill the glass with ice 
Add the Bourbon
Garnish with a cherry and the other orange slice. 


Another drink that came about a few years before 1900 but rose up through the ranks is a Tom Collins. First off, there was never a man named Tom Collins. There was a Jerry Thomas( he is considered the father of American mixology). So, the Tom part comes from the type of gin used and the Collins was named after the type of glass used. The lore around Tom Collins continues, but I will tell you that regardless of who or what Tom Collins is-I love this drink. 

Tom Collins
2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
1 tsp superfine sugar 
3oz club soda
1 cherry for garnish
1 orange slice
In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the club soda. Stir and garnish with the cherry and the orange slice.

So, what do our cocktails tell us about our history during the early 1900's? Like our world history our cocktails are full of flavor, have a dash of mystery and  wet our appetite for bigger and better things. Until next week! Bottoms up!

Tie One On Tuesday

Oh boy! Do I have some good stuff for you today! A few cocktails to put in your  Easter basket. These drinks will have you hopping down the bunnie trail in no time.

I do not recommend hiding these Easter eggs in the backyard-unless you want drunk animals and angry adults screaming for their cocktail.

The Easter Egg
Ingredients:
1 oz Blue Curacao
1 oz white creme de cacao
Half and Half
Pour the Blue Curacao and Creme de Cacao over ice cubes
Float the Half and Half on top to taste
The Blue Curacao makes is a wonderful bright blue egg.

I love chocolate Easter bunnies. I love to eat the ears off of them and then I'm done-I've eaten the good part. . If you are sensitive to the plight of the chocolate Easter bunny then mix this cocktail instead.

The Chocolate Easter Bunny
Ingredients:
1.0 tsp Cherry Liqueur
1.5 oz Brown Creme de Cacao
0.5 oz Vodka
1.0 tsp Chocolate Syrup
Shake vodka and creme de cacao with ice. Strain over ice in a cocktail glass. Float chocolate syrup and cherry liqueur.

I love Jelly Beans-except for the black ones. I always pick those out and give them to OMP. YUCK! They make me shiver just thinking about their grossness but because some of you out there like the taste of satan-I give you the Jelly Bean Cockail.

Jelly Bean Shooter
Ingredients:
1/2 oz blackberry brandy or grenadine
1/2 oz anisette or sambuca
1/2 oz Southern Comfort
Pour the brandy or grenadine into a shot glass
Float the anisette or sambuca on top of the first layer
Float the Southern Comfort on the next layer

These Easter concoctions will not only have you seeing little pink bunnies but I'm betting there might be a few pink elephants dancing around your head.   Bottoms up~

Tie One On Tuesday!

You guys bring out the animal in me! ROAR! Okay, that sounded better in my head then it does typing it out on my keyboard. Now I just feel creepy and weird-like a 40 year old man standing on the corner in a boy scout outfit. This week's Tie One On Tuesday is all about animal cocktails. Now, I'm not talking about drinks with animals in them or even animals mixing cocktails (I haven't perfected the dogs mixing my drinks yet, the no thumbs kind of get in the way). I'm talking about cocktails with animal names.

First up in our cocktail zoo is The Pink Squirrel
1 oz creme de noyaux
1 tbsp white creme de cacao
1 tbsp light cream
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Next on our zoo cruise is the Funky Monkey-a few of these you will be dancing on tables and throwing things at people who are staring at you.
1 oz gold rum
1 oz creme de bananes
5/8 oz dark creme de cacao
3 oz coconut milk
1 banana
coconut flakes
Blend with ice until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with coconut flakes.

Ouch! What just bit me? Oh, that's just the Barking Spider! This drink packs a punch!
1 1/2 oz Tequila
1 1/2 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
3/4 oz 151 rum
1 dash triple sec
1 dash sweet and sour mix
1 splash orange juice
Serve over ice in a collins glass, or blend for a frozen version of this drink.

These animal cocktails are like nothing Noah encountered. If you drink a pair of these babies, you will definitely be seeing pink elephants!

Tie One On Tuesday

Now is the time when I normally give you awesome recipes for your drinking pleasure but tonight I have a different idea up my sleeve. Let's say you're out with your friends, wanting to have a little drinky drink and you ask the bartender for three dots and a dash. He looks at you like you've just grown another head. Well, today is for you! Here are a few drinks that you can order that are tasty, don't take a lot of effort and make you look like you know what you are talking about (even when you don't)

First up is a favorite of OMP's, it's the Sidecar and it is delicious! This is the original recipe from Harry's in Paris.

1 1⁄2 oz.  cognac
3⁄4 oz. Cointreau
3⁄4 oz. fresh lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a sugared rim.
Garnish with an orange peel.

Next up on the drink menu is a Manhattan. Interesting island, but a better drink.

1 1/2 oz. Bourbon - Maker's Mark will do
1/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
dash Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a Cocktail glass. Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry

This last beverage is a favorite of mine, that I always seem forget when I have been drinking. It is SOOO tasty! Plus, the name is really fun to say - Singapore Sling

1 1/2oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Cherry Liqueur or Cherry Brandy
1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
Club Soda
Sugar

Combine gin, lemon juice, and sugar in a shaker with ice.
Shake well until sugar is disolved. Strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with ice.
Fill with soda and float the cherry liqueur/brandy on top.

So TOOT fans, there are a few drinky drinks to impress your friends on your next outing. They are classic cocktails that  will make you look suave and sophisticated-even when you're wearing your flipflops, tank top and cut offs! Bottoms UP!