cocktail hour {thanksgiving}

Before I disappear for the holiday weekend I wanted to share a quick and easy cocktail for Thanksgiving. I'm definitely going to be trying these!

ginger, apple & bourbon cocktail

Fresh apple cider, ginger ale and kentucky bourbon in a 2:2:1 ratio via the tampopo post. Couldn't be any easier!

cocktail hour {bailey's martini}

Mix 1 oz vanilla vodka, 2 oz Bailey's irish cream and 1 oz amaretto in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into chilled martini glasses. A perfect dessert drink via.

PS - Wouldn't this buffet (image: Lonny) make the most beautiful bar?

cocktail hour {tropical martini}

The Cheesecake Factory's Tropical Martini

- 2 oz vodka

- 2 oz passion fruit juice

- 1 oz mango juice

- 1 oz pineapple juice

- splash of grenadine

- 1/2 oz simple syrup (optional)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass (with sugared rim). YUM!

recipe via.

cocktail hour {the blizzard}

As someone who loves coffee I'm always game to try a cocktail with a little java in it. Espresso martini's are one of my favorites, but I had a "white chocolate truffle" recently at Nebo and it was pretty darn good. This recipe via Martha isn't spot on, but it's similar. SO perfect on a frigid day like today.

the blizzard cocktail

- 1 1/2 ounces irish whiskey or rum

- 1/2 ounce hazelnut liqueur

- 1/2 ounce Bailey's

- hot coffee

- Grand Marnier whipped cream for garnish

In a glass mug stir together whiskey, hazelnut liqueur and Bailey's - top with hot coffee.

cocktail hour {pumpkin martini}

My fabulous boss, Erin, has been hard at work designing a tablescape for a benefit at Shreve, Crump & Low, and tonight I'm attending the preview with her. Her design is gorgeous - very feminine and modern (hint: orange zebra and pearls!) and has me dreaming about Thanksgiving dinner and all things pumpkin and delicious.

pumpkin martini

- 1 oz pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin syrup, plus extra for dipping

- 2 oz vanilla vodka

- 1 oz Sylk cream liqueur

- cinnamon for rimming the glass

Dip a chilled martini glass in the pumpkin liqueur (or syrup) then place the glass rim down into the cinnamon to coat. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the vanilla vodka, cream liqueur and pumpkin liqueur (or syrup) and shake 15-20 seconds. Strain into rimmed glass and serve.

recipe via Real Simple

cocktail hour {caramel apple}

One of my favorite things about fall is all the delicious flavors associated with it - apples, pumpkins, cinnamon... YUM. Here's a funky recipe for a caramel apple inspired bevy.

caramel apple cocktail

- 1 tbsp cinnamon sugar

- 1 lemon wedge

- 1 1/2 cups apple cider

- 6 tbsp butterscotch schnapps

- 1 bottle sparkling wine, chilled

- maraschino cherries for garnish

Moisten the rims of 6 champagne glasses with the lemon wedge, then dip the rims in the cinnamon sugar. Combine apple cider and schnapps in a large cup then divide evenly among the glasses. Top with the sparkling wine.

image: Lonny, recipe via.

cocktail hour {peach julep}

I know I said I'm ready for fall, but I totally lied. It's 80 degrees outside today so I'm celebrating the nice weather with one more summer inspired cocktail.

peach julep

- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

- 2 tsp sugar

- 1 1/2 cups store bought peach juice/nectar

- 12 oz club soda (or peach fresca????)

- 1/2 cup bourbon

- crushed ice

In a medium bowl or pitcher combine sugar and mint leaves. With a spoon, mash mint leaves until bruised. Stir in peach juice, club soda and bourbon. Serve over crushed ice.

image and recipe :: Martha Stewart

cocktail hour {michelada}

The plan for this weekend's Labor Day party is Mex-Fest (grilled quesadillas, fajitas, homemade salsas and ridiculously good margaritas - YUM) so in that spirit, here is a Mexican inspired bevy. Adding hot sauce to beer is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I'll try anything at least once!

michelada

- 1 Mexican beer (ie; a 12 ounce Corona)

- 1 lime, cut into wedges

- 2 dashes bottled hot sauce

- 1 dash worcestershire sauce

- fresh ground black pepper

Fill a tall beer glass with ice cubes. Squeeze the lime wedges into the glass and stir in the worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and a pinch of black pepper. Pour in the beer, stir and serve.

via. {thanks again CF!}

cocktail hour {spiked sweet tea}

I've been watching the Food Network a lot again lately and have been thinking about making homemade iced tea since watching Giada make a peach version the other day. With summer winding down this seems like the perfect end of season treat.

lemony spiked sweet tea

- 7 cups water

- 6 tea bags

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 1 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

- 1 cup gold rum

- mint leaves for garnish

Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the tea bags then remove from the heat and allow the tea bags to steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags. Add the sugar to the saucepan and stir until dissolved. Add remaining water and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large pitcher and add lemon juice and rum. Chill well. Pour over ice and garnish with mint leaves.

recipe and image via Martha Stewart

cocktail hour {mojitonico}

My good friend C.F. was traveling in Chicago last week and was gracious enough to pass on this drink idea from the Chicago Tribune for this week's cocktail hour. I know that not everyone is a fan of mojitos, but fresh mint is on of my absolute favorite things so I love them. I don't have the exact recipe (just a little blurb below) but it's pretty self explanatory and sounds about perfect. C.F. - I think these should be your "plan A" for labor day weekend.

mojitonico

"The Mojitonico is 'a menage a trois of a great G&T, a mojito and an herb salad,' Seger says. It combines dry gin, mint, lime and tonic water, along with cucumber, my favorite garnish for a G&T. The mint and lime are muddled, mojito-style, but the drink is finished with tonic water — arguably more refreshing than soda. The finishing touch is a sugar cane swizzle stick to stir the cucumber and mint with the rest." - Laura Viera, Chicago Tribune

image :: labor of love

cocktail hour {real simple's white sangria}

I'm so sad that I haven't made any sangria yet this summer. I've posted about white sangria before, but there are so many different recipes to try and I'll never tire of it. This one, from Real Simple, is light and super quick.

white sangria

- 6 cups Sauvignon Blanc

- 1/4 cup superfine sugar (I'd probably use a little less..)

- 1 cup white grape juice

- 1 ripe nectarine, pitted and cut into wedges

- 1 tangerine, thinly sliced

- 1 cup seedless white grapes, halved

- 1 cup club soda

In a large pitcher combine the wine and sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add all other ingredients (except for the club soda) and stir well. Refrigerate 1-4 hours. When ready to serve, stir in club soda and ice cubes.

*I'd probably fill glasses with ice, add sangria mixture 3/4 of the way, then top off with club soda. Less chance of your soda going flat!

cocktail hour {sauvignon blanc}

Today I'm celebrating white wine, which I especially love during the summer. We had Wild Rock's sauvignon blanc at the beach over the weekend and it was delicious. It's a New Zealand wine and at $16 a bottle it's a great pick if you're hosting a light summer lunch or dinner with friends.

A little review: "Bright and jazzy, a peppermint note riding over the peach and guava flavors, a distinctive style that calls for another sip. Drink now. 15,000 cases imported." —Harvey Steiman

cocktail hour {g + t's}

My boyfriend is a big fan of gin and tonics (or g and t's as he likes to call them). I'm more of a vodka-soda girl, but there is something so refreshing about a g and t with fresh lime in the summertime. I love this simple recipe from the food network made with tonic ice cubes.

the perfect gin + tonic

- 4 to 5 tonic water ice cubes

- 3 oz gin

- 4 oz tonic water

- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

- lime wedge for garnish

Place ice cubes* in a tall, narrow glass. Add the gin, tonic water and lime juice, stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.

*To make the tonic ice cubes: fill an empty ice cube tray with tonic water and let cubes freeze for several hours. Covered well, the cubes will stay fresh in the freezer for a few weeks. Sidenote: I think limeade ice cubes would be perfect in this as well.

image :: Kate Spade's fabulous NYC apartment (Domino)

cocktail hour {martha's mimosas}

C and I have a breakfast club with two of our good friends and this weekend I'm hosting at my apartment. I absolutely love mimosas with breakfast/brunch and this recipe looks amazing. We may just have to officially test it out on Sunday...

martha's mimosas

- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

- Prosecco, chilled

- fresh mint leaf

In a Champagne flute, mix together orange juice, lemon juice, and liqueur. Fill with Prosecco. Garnish with mint leaf and serve immediately.

Recipe and image from Martha's Stewart via Eat Drink Pretty

cocktail hour {watermelon sake popsicles}

This Boston heat wave is getting SO old. I've probably consumed 25 popsicles over the last 10 days and the idea of one that is booze-infused sounds amazing. Click here for the full recipe (sorry - it's even too hot to type!).

photo by Stephen Jackson via Imbibe

cocktail hour {blood orange champagne cocktail}

These 90 degree days have me reaching for things cold and fruity (especially citrus) so a champagne cocktail sounds perfect right about now. I think it would be delicious with grapefruit too.

blood orange champagne cocktail

- 1/4 cup creme de cassis (black currant liqueur)

- 1 1/2 cups fresh, strained blood orange juice (about 6 oranges)

- 1 750 ml bottle of chilled dry Champagne or sparkling wine

- blood orange slices (optional)

Spoon 1 1/2 tsp of creme de cassis into each of 8 flutes. Add 3 tablespoons juice to each glass. Top with Champagne and stir gently. Garnish with blood orange slices.

recipe and image via Bon Appetit

cocktail hour {hawaiian inspired}

I know I did tropical drinks last week, but we went to the UMass Club tonight for an open house and the theme was Hawaii. It reminded me of the booze cruise we used to go on when I lived in Oahu so I had to share a drink similar to what they served (and a picture too - Waikiki beach and Diamondhead in the background). The U Club called it the "Tiki Tiki Cocktail" and since I love bubbles I had them top mine off to create a "sparkling" version.

sparkling tiki tiki cocktail

- 1 oz coconut rum

- 1 oz vodka

- 1 oz pineapple juice

- 1/2 oz cranberry juice

- soda water and ice

Combine all in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a large glass over ice and top with soda water. Serve with a pretty little umbrella and pineapple slice.

Oh how I miss Hawaii...

cocktail hour {the tropics}

cucumber and chili margarita

red sangria

pina colada

mojito

yes, please.

all via Real Simple

cocktail hour {pear cider}

Random? Yes. Fun summer drink? You bet.

***

cocktail hour {satc 2)

I'm going to see Sex and the City 2 tonight with my college roommates and although I've heard mixed reviews, I'm excited to spend some time with my girls. I love all the interiors images that have been popping up on the internet and can't wait to see them up on the big screen. In honor of SATC 2, here's a classic Carrie Bradshaw cocktail: the cosmo.

Carrie and Big's NYC apartment via La Dolce Vita

cosmopolitan cocktail

- 1 oz vodka

- 1/2 oz triple sec

- 1/2 oz Rose's lime juice

- 1/2 oz cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a thin lime wedge.

Recipe via.