Whether you are spending the night with your sweetie or out with your girls on the town, this conncoction is perfect way to kick off St. Valentine’s Day!
Spicy Strawberry Margarita
Happy National Wear Red Day! The 1st Friday each February is a special day dedicated to bringing attention to the #1 killer of women – heart disease. Click here to learn more about the Go Red Movement and National Wear Red Day.
It only felt natural to create a red colored cocktail, and with oranges being good for heart health…. I felt this was the way to go!
The “Heart” Stuff (like the Hard Stuff… get it?!)
Serves 3-4
*Inspired by Nerds & Nomsense
So I’m not a big beer drinker and I don’t think sipping on a super fruity cocktail is going to fly for the big game this Sunday, so I wanted to whip up something that is football friendly yet tastes yummy enough for the ladies… here we go!
Bourbon and Orange Smash
Serves 4 – Adapted from Real Simple
* Feel free to make the drink up to 6 hours in advance – just withhold the club soda, and add right before serving!
Lavender is a tricky herb to infuse because it can turn into this horrible “cough-drop” taste… so I tend to be weary about ordering anything with it. Luckily after going to The Grove in SF and trying their refreshing lavender lemonade my faith in this refreshing drink was renewed!
Inspiration hit me again when I was at the farmer’s market and came across some lavender bunches being sold. I have a bunch of lavender infused drinks pinned (follow me on Pintrest here!) but they often call for “culinary lavender,” which frankly, was confusing to me. I searched for it at the grocery store (it isn’t in the spices section? or the vegetable aisle…), and had almost given up on ever finding it, when I decided to ask the nice couple working the farmers market. They educated me, that basically recipes are just saying not to use potpourri lavender, and that any lavender you pick up at a farmers market should do the trick! Phew 🙂
So naturally Fun Drink Friday wouldn’t be so, without an elevated beverage… so I introduce to you – the Lavender Lemonade Martini.
Lavender Lemonade Martini
Combine vodka and lemonade in a shaker with ice. Shake until icy and strain into a martini glass. Bottoms up!
After whipping up some “homemade ginger ale” kits for Christmas gifts, I had a little extra syrup and wanted to put it to good use!
Gin-ger Fizz
Muddle cucumber in a cocktail shaker (you really want to release the juices). Add lime juice, gin and simple syrup. Shake thoroughly until chilled through. Strain into an low ball glass and top with club soda and an XL ice cube.
