Happy Cocktail Friday y’all!! Sometimes, okay, a lot of times, the weekend just can’t get here fast enough. This was definitely one of those weeks, the beginning of the week was pretty much poo, due to some weird semi-flu sickness I had going on, but I’m back to 100% now and ready to get the weekend going.
Due to the fact that a Gin & Tonic is pretty ‘my drink’ for the last several years, I felt it was time to add a little something extra to it. As the temperatures start to rise here, I crave cold citrus-ey fruit all the time and I thought that some of that goodness would be a delightful addition to my favorite drink.
I chose oranges and blood oranges solely due to the fact that they looked and smelled amazing when I walked past them at the store, and y’all these were the perfect addition to my favorite drink.
The fresh juice only added a touch of sweetness, but made the drink so fresh tasting, I really have to say that this drink is a must make for sure. I hope you have a wonderful weekend & thank you so much for stopping by!
Mmm fresh fruit…
look at all that fresh juice…
half into each glass…
your gin…
and your tonic water…
and enjoy!!!
- 2 Large Blood Oranges.
- 2 Large Oranges.
- 1-2 Shots of Gin.
- Diet (or Regular) Tonic Water, Chilled.
- Zest of Oranges for Garnish (Optional).
- Juice all of your oranges into a bowl (I find it easier & less messy), until you have about a cup or more of fresh juice.
- Pour equal amounts of juice into both of your glasses (should be about 1/2 Cup).
- Now add 1-2 shots of gin into each glass, and fill the rest of your glasses up with your tonic water.
- Zest both or either of your oranges over your glasses.
- Feel free to experiment with other kinds of citrus fruits that you personally love.
Since I did a hummus with avocado post on Wednesday-which could definitely sub for guacamole-I have Cinco de Mayo covered, but that leaves today, tomorrow and Sunday open. Soo, I decided to pick a drink that I think definitely can be used for The Derby or for Mother’s Day. 
The basis of this drink is a Mint Julep, the official drink of The Kentucky Derby, but made a million times more delicious and feminine with the addition of fresh blackberries and lemon lime soda, perfect for Mother’s Day! I definitely lucked out by buying the most deliciously sweet and gigantic blackberries ever for this drink, but if they’re not in season and you want to make this, just get some frozen ones and add sugar if needed. 
Y’all I can’t emphasize enough how ding dang delicious this drink is, lots of blackberry flavor, fizzy from the soda, a wonderful pop of mint and fun because of the bourbon-which I promise you won’t taste. Have a wonderful weekend and a wonderful Derby Day & Mother’s Day, and again thank you so much for stopping by. 
add your Bourbon & blackberries…
squish again (sorry for the murder scene look here)…
then fill the rest with Sprite (I don’t know why I didn’t take a pic with it full, oops)…
and enjoy!!! 
Yes, this drink is that good, no, it’s not hard to make, and yes you’ll want more than one. I really wish I had made up the title for this drink but I totally didn’t and honestly that’s what caught my attention to begin with, then I saw all the deliciousness in this drink and I was sold. 
This drink is fruity, tropical and all things wonderful-so poetic hehe-really the perfect thing to sip on while hanging out at the pool or beach. 
In my version of this drink I substituted the cranberry juice with sparkling cranberry juice, and y’all I think that’s what put this drink over the edge, that sparkle just really added something. Anyways, I hope y’all have a wonderful Friyaaay (yes it has to be called that) and as always thanks so much for stopping by! 
Orange juice…
Sparkling Cranberry Juice…
and Ruby Red Grapefruit…
and enjoy!!!
I was diligently looking for another recipe that included banana rum because A.) it’s delicious and B.) because I basically have a gallon of it at home and came across this recipe on the Cruzan website. The title obviously caught my attention but also all the good stuff in it. 
I figure any cocktail with cream & Bailey’s Irish Cream in it will be wonderfully smooth & delicious, and OMG this cocktail is straight up dessert, it is sooo freaking good y’all. Just go ahead and make this to enjoy this weekend…and you’re welcome hehe. Have a wonderful Friday & weekend y’all & thank you so much for stopping by! 
Bailey’s Irish Cream…
and some cream…
and enjoy!!!
I believe I will be enjoying this particular libation this coming cheat day (again) because this is so bubbly & with just enough sweetness, and about 2 minutes worth of prep to put it together. What’s also awesome about this drink (and let’s be honest, most drinks) if you want even more sweetness feel free to add more pineapple juice & if you want more bubbly then (obviously) more champagne. 
I hope everyone has a wonderful & hopefully relaxing & sleep filled weekend, because I know I plan on it. Hmm, maybe some Netflix binge watching is in order too hehe. Thanks so much for stopping by! 
vanilla cake vodka…
and champagne…
then enjoy!!!
Anyways, aside from the fact that this drink has kind of a weird name, it is most certainly accurate. This drink is so tasty and 
into your drink in anything but 100% liquid form otherwise it will ball up in your drink which totally happened to me, so if you need to zap it in the microwave, feel free to (run on sentences for days y’all). Anyways, it’s so Friday and so time to start the weekend this afternoon, I hope everyone has a wonderful & safe weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!
and enjoy!!!
I think at this point an IV of espresso (fyi when people say EXXpresso, my head almost explodes) would be the only thing to help, and for reals y’all it’s totally my fault. I have stayed up late almost every night this week to finish binge watching the first 3 seasons (specifically 2.5 because the 3rd season is broken up into 2 parts, whatevs) of The Blacklist–seriously, it’s that good, go watch it ASAP, and if you do, you have to watch from the very first episode or it will be majorly confusing. 
What does all of this have to do with this drink? Absolutely nothing, except maybe I’m ready for the weekend and a cocktail? Yeah, that works…Anyways, this drink is everything y’all, it is perfectly fruity and you do not taste the alcohol 
orange/banana juice…
then a splash (or two) of mango nectar…
then enjoy!!!
Anyways, last cheat day I really wanted a cocktail. I had some pear juice lying around and thought it might go quite well with some vodka, which totally works (I initially put too much in, but remedied that the 2nd time I made it). 
I did think it needed a little something extra, but didn’t want to add anything else super sweet or flavored and overpower it, because pear juice is pretty mild. 
I ultimately decided on a whole vanilla bean, which I think added that extra oomph it needed, and because drinking out of cute shot glasses is way more fun to me, that’s what I did. Have a wonderful weekend y’all and again thanks so much for stopping by! 
vodka…
& vanilla bean (cut down the middle & scraped out)…
and enjoy!!!
Soo excited, not only because weddings are great & two awesome folks are getting hitched, but because it will be the first time I’ve been back in my old stomping grounds & see a number of folks for the first time in almost 5 years, sheesh time flies. Let’s not forget Louisiana is where I got my start working in film, and I’ve got memories (a lot good, some meh) coming out of the wazoo from that place, and not to mention I’ve met some of my best friends ever there.
So, what better way to celebrate the nuptials of a beautiful couple than with a cocktail, am I right? I may or may not have mentioned in the past that a Gin & tonic is hands down my ultimate cocktail, pretty much the only thing I ever drink when I’m out splurging. 
If you like a Gin & tonic, then you’ll like this too, totally has that same light taste to it…the lime juice, the Gin & the simple syrup, which you can find the link on how to make 
and some simple syrup…
and enjoy!!!
Awesome! because that is precisely what I’m bringing you guys today. I made the grand mistake of watching Chocolat, (that totally adorable movie with an equally adorable Johnny Depp), when it showed up in my Netflix queue. Not that it’s really a mistake to watch because it’s a great movie, but it is full to the brim with the most drool inducing chocolate making scenes, and all it did was make me wish it was my cheat day. Well, obviously it wasn’t my cheat day, but it gave me an awesome idea of something I needed to make. The main character serves her customers in her chocolaterie this incredible looking drinking chocolate that she puts cayenne pepper in, and I was all oh snap, I must have that. 
I started doing some research about drinking chocolate and honestly most looked waaaay too dark for me, sorry, just too bitter you know? Anyways, I just assumed I could throw together things that I thought would be super yum and make a delicious drinkable chocolate, and y’all it totally is! This is the perfect mix of just enough sweet without it being too sweet, and that little extra kick of cayenne to up the flavor. This is delicious you guys, just go ahead and make some you’ll be happy you did, have a great weekend!
then cream and vanilla…
then all of the spices & cornstarch…
mmm, ready to drink!
Enjoy!!!
