Ginger Lemonade Spritzer (Goddess Nectar)

Oh my gosh, this drink! It’s soooo refreshing, and very fizzy! Is fizzy a word?? It is for this drink!

This spritzer is great for hot, summer days when you need a drink that not only quenches your thirst, but is also very delicious.

And, it’s also a great drink to serve friends that don’t drink alcohol, but you still want to serve them a nice looking “mocktail”.

All summer I was making large pitchers of lemonade or ginger lemonade, but most times a large pitcher was too much for me. So I decided to make the simple syrup and use as needed. But then I added it to some seltzer water and it reinvented itself into Goddess Nectar!

You are going to start with a simple syrup, all you need is fresh ginger, lemon juice, sugar and water.

I started with about 1-1/4 cup water in a small sauce pan. I took a 1-1/2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled it and sliced it. Then I placed the ginger in the water and brought it to a light simmer for about 8 minutes or so. It’s important for it not to boil, but just a very light simmer. Next, I turned the heat off and added one cup of sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let that steep for about 10 minutes, then remove the ginger slices. Add one cup of lemon juice, stir well and pour into a jar. Give the jar a gentle shake before using.

To make the spritzer, fill a glass with ice and pour in some of the simple syrup. The measurement depends on the glass of course, but to give you a starting point I used an 8oz glass tumbler, filled with ice, I add about ¼ cup of the goddess syrup and top it off with seltzer water. You can add less of the syrup, it really depends on your preference. Stir well, add a slice of lemon and enjoy.

Watermelon Mint Spritzer

This little cocktail was perfect as I sat on my patio in the evening.

I threw about 2 cups of cubed watermelon in a small blender along with ½ cup simple syrup and 6 mint leaves and blended on high until completely pureed. Then I strained the liquid, the pulp and seeds will not pass through the strainer. Toss that once all the liquid has passed through.

To a cup of ice add about ½ to 3/4 cup of the watermelon and mint liquid, a shot of white rum and top with seltzer water or club soda. Add a sprig of mint and enjoy.

Like I said, it’s perfect on these hot evenings. Enjoy!

 

 

Sausage and Kraut

I don’t know about you, but I am so happy that it is now autumn and summer is over. I love being in my yard and gardens, and I love relaxing on my patio with an adult beverage but summer is a lot of outside work for me. And it’s getting to be more difficult to accomplish it all! Plus, I am so over the awful heat!!

And I am not in my kitchen cooking very much either. I’m soooo looking forward to some hearty soups, roast chicken dinners and lots of pasta!! And let’s not forget baking bread and cookies, YUM!

I’ve been trying to cook at least one to two meals a week, even if it’s something very simple. And I had a craving for this dish. And this dish is great to serve anytime but I think it is especially wonderful for cooler weather days.

This recipe is a nod to my Pennsylvania Dutch and German background. Although I have absolutely no memory whatsoever of any family member making this dish!

Seriously though, I fashioned this after a meal I had at a German restaurant I ate at years ago.

My family background is PA Dutch and German and we did have plenty of sauerkraut meals, but as a kid I did not care for it at all!! But I cook mine a little different, I like to spice my kraut with red pepper flakes and/or cayenne pepper. I have also added a can of beer, you should give that a try!

I haven’t made this dish in a very long time and sort of forgot how much I loved it. It serves 4 and reheats well for leftovers.

I tend to only use spicy Italian sausage for this; I know I know! It’s a nod to German food, but it works for me. All kidding aside, feel free to use whatever sausage you like.

You will need a very large fry pan for this, use some olive oil in the pan and get those sausage links cooking. When they are browned nicely on the outside remove from the pan and slice into rounds. They will not be cooked through, they will finish cooking in a bit!

Add the quartered red skinned potatoes with salt and pepper to the fry pan. Sauté the potatoes just until they start to turn golden, add the sausage back to the pan with the potatoes and add once cup of chicken broth.

Simmer over a medium low heat, as the broth reduces, add another cup if the potatoes are not tender. When the potatoes are tender add the sauerkraut and the red pepper flakes and a dash or so of cayenne pepper. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, adding more broth if needed so that it does not cook dry.

Sausage and Kraut

4-5 sausage links, use your favorite

8-10 red skinned potatoes, quartered or large chunks with skins on,

10 oz jar of sauerkraut

1 carton of chicken broth

Olive oil

Salt and pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

• In a large fry pan drizzle olive oil to saute the sausage links. When they are browned, remove from pan and add potatoes with salt and pepper.
• While potatoes are cooking, slice the sausage into ½ inch rounds.
• When potatoes are golden, add the sausage back to the pan and add about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of chicken broth.
• Simmer over a medium heat, adding more broth (1 cup at a time) until the potatoes are tender.
• Add the kraut and cayenne pepper, simmer until cooked through and serve.

Mudslide Eggnog

Have you ever had a Mudslide Eggnog? I can promise you that you might want to give it a try before you say “no way”. I served it to a few of my friends that wrinkled their nose at the mention of it, but after they had a sip of mine I made one for them also!

Recipe is easy, 1 part vodka, 1 part Kahlua, 2 parts eggnog. Pour over some ice in a shaker or mason jar, shake and strain from the ice into a martini glass that is lightly drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of ground nutmeg. Enjoy!

RumChata and Caramel Milkshake

This is a sin. Seriously.

And forgive me, but it is a sin I will definitely commit again!

I was craving a milkshake, and I wanted a cocktail. So hit up the liquor cabinet and I combined the craving.

Super easy. And you probably don’t even need to use a recipe. But here it is anyway, in case you’re curious!

I put about 2.5 ozs of RumChata in my little drink blender, added about 2 cups of vanilla ice cream, a shot of Caramel vodka and about a ¼ cup caramel sauce.

Blended until smooth, which didn’t take long because my little blender is a whiz!

I poured it into a mug, topped with a squirt of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

You could also add some chocolate syrup to make a chocolate caramel milkshake!

This milkshake was perfect, even though it was a chilly night!!

RumChata and Caramel Milkshake

2.5 ozs Rumchata

1 Shot of Caramel Vodka, optional

¼ cup carmel sauce

2 cups vanilla ice cream

Add to blender and blend until creamy smooth. Top with additional carmel sauce and whipped cream.

Enjoy!!

Mojito’s and Mint Tea

I love when my herbs are growing and blooming!  But I REALLY love it with the mint has come in!

Last year I planted mint in a large pot, and it did very well.  It came back beautifully this spring.  But I had to plant another pot this year because I love it so much!

I have made my usual mint tea twice this spring and now I make mojito’s!!

You can check out my recipe for the mint tea recipe here Fresh Mint Tea.  Although I plan to use some green tea bags the next time I make it, green tea is so healthy for us and I’m trying to incorporate more of it in my diet.

For the mojito, first I made a simple syrup by using 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring the water to a light boil, stirring until the sugar is melted.  Remove from heat and add about 5 large mint leaves to the syrup to “steep” while it cools.

I cut a lime in half, set half of it aside and the other half I quartered and squeezed the lime juice into my glass with about 10 mint leaves.  Muddle to break up the leaves, for just about a minute.  Then I added the lime quarters that I squeezed the  juice from and muddled them for a few seconds.  Fill glass with ice.

After the simple syrup was cool, I added 2 ozs to my glass.  Then 2-3 ozs of white rum and topped off the glass with seltzer water.
Add a lime slice to the rim of the glass and float a sprig of mint on top as well.

Mint Mojito

 

• 15 mint leaves, more for a more minty taste
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 ozs white rum
• 1 lime
• seltzer water

Make a simple syrup with the sugar and water by placing in a small sauce pan and bring to a light boil, stirring to melt the sugar.  When the sugar is melted stir in 5 mint leaves and set aside to cool.

Cut a lime in half; take half the lime and quarter it, squeeze juice into glass. Add 10 mint leaves and muddle.  Add the squeezed lime quarters and muddle lightly again.  I added another half of a slice of lime to the glass and to the rim.

Fill glass with ice, add the rum and mint infused simple syrup.  Top with a splash of seltzer water.

Live well friends and have a minty summer!  Be sure to follow me on Facebook for daily babbling and rambling!

 

Fireball Apple Cider Cocktail

I have a new addiction.  Fireball Apple Cider Cocktail.

Remember those hot cinnamon fireball candies we ate as kids?  Well, there is a vodka called Atomic Hot, and it is fabulous!!

The first thing you want to do is rim your glass with a cinnamon sugar mixture.  Fill with ice and add a good shot of this deliciousness!  Top off with apple cider and enjoy!

This would make a great holiday drink to serve your guests.

And, if you like hot apple cider, just pour the vodka and cider in a mug and pop it in the microwave for about 45 seconds.  Perfect for a cold chilly night!

Cheers my friends!