Tag: Drink

Beverages

Recipe—Peach Margarita

Diva di Cucina

When we bought our house 7 years ago, the backyard was a bare lot. I told my husband right off the bat that if we plant any trees in the backyard, they have to produce fruit. I don’t want to water something unless it provides more than shade. So over the years we have planted a lemon tree, lime tree, apricot tree, and a peach tree. This year the peach tree has produced more than ever before so I have been enjoying coming up with new recipes to try.

Now if you know me, you know I love a margarita and something I have found through the years is that you can make a margarita with pretty much any fruit. I’ve posted recipes for Grapefruit Margaritas, Mango Margaritas, and more recently a Watermelon Margarita. So why not a peach margarita!

The peach schnapps in this recipe replace the typical triple sec in a margarita and really gives it that peachy flavor. Perfect for a warm summer day!

Notes: This recipe makes two margaritas. I doubled the recipe and put the margaritas in a carafe so I could enjoy a couple poolside. If you like a frozen blended margarita, use two cups frozen peaches instead of fresh and then also add in about a cup of ice. 

INGREDIENTS
2 peaches, peeled and pit removed
4 oz silver tequila
2 oz peach schnapps
2 oz lime juice
lime wedges (optional)
tajin or salt for the rim (optional)

STEPS

  • Add the prepared peach to a blender or food processor and blend fully, you want it nice and smooth.
  • Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate. 
  • Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat.  
  • In a drink shaker, combine the peach puree, tequila, schnapps, lime juice, and ice and shake well.
  • Pour the margarita into the prepared glasses over ice. 
  • Garnish with a lime.
  • Put your feet up, sit back, and enjoy!
Beverages

Recipe—Watermelon Margaritas

Diva di Cucina

It never fails, anytime I serve watermelon at a BBQ or party I end up with a ton leftover. Not that it’s a bad thing, especially when you can make some amazing watermelon margaritas! This cocktail is the perfect summer drink, it’s light and so refreshing. I just love the combination of the sweet watermelon with lime and if you put a little Tajin around the rim, it just takes it up a notch with a nice little kick of spice. Nothing says summer like a fresh and fruity cocktail!

Notes: This recipe makes two margaritas which is great because cocktails always taste better when shared with a friend! Since the juice content varies from watermelon to watermelon you may have extra juice after blending. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of the strained juice.

INGREDIENTS
4–5 c seedless watermelon, cut into chunks (you will need 1 1/2 cups juice)
1/2 c silver tequila
1/4 c lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 tbsp agave or simple syrup
lime wedges (optional)
tajin or salt for the rim (optional)

STEPS

  • Add the chopped watermelon to a blender or food processor and blend fully.
  • Pour the blended watermelon through a sieve or fine strainer into a large measuring cup to separate out the pulp.
  • Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate. (optional)
  • Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat.  
  • In a drink shaker, combine 1 1/2 cups of the strained watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, agave, and ice and shake well.
  • Pour the margarita into the prepared glasses. 
  • Put your feet up, sit back, and enjoy!
Beverages

Recipe— Greyhound Cocktails

Diva di Cucina
Recipe—Pitcher of Greyhound Cocktails

This recipe is a must for your next dinner party or a day of poolside lounging. It makes a nice sized pitcher, perfect to share with friends. When I had a little party back in August, this was the signature cocktail served and it was a huge hit! We served it in some cute pitchers along with grapefruit wedges and sprigs of rosemary.

Grapefruit juice has always been one of my favorite cocktail mixers. It is just the right amount of sweet and tart and is so refreshing. I am pretty sure this cocktail is what sunshine would taste like, if sunshine had a flavor. 

There are all sorts of variations of greyhound recipes, and this is one of my faves. The vanilla gives you this nice little bit of sweetness that cuts the tartness of the grapefruit and the soda water really lightens it up. I like the subtle flavor the rosemary garnish adds but if you like a stronger rosemary flavor you can infuse the vodka with it

Note: If you want to prepare this ahead of time, mix together all the ingredients EXCEPT the soda water. Don’t add the soda water until right before serving or it will go flat. overnight. 

INGREDIENTS
2 c vodka
3 1/2 c grapefruit juice
2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 c soda water
rosemary sprigs for garnish

STEPS

  • Mix vodka, grapefruit juice, vanilla, and soda water in a large pitcher and stir well. 
  • Pour over a glass filled with ice.
  • Add a sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish.
Beverages

Recipe—Chocolate Chip Cookie Shots

Diva di Cucina
Recipe—Chocolate Chip Cookie Shots

‘Tis the season for indulging in tasty adult beverages and lots of fresh baked goodies. This time of year, I just love having a sweet night cap for dessert cuddled up next to the Christmas tree. Don’t get me wrong, I would honestly make these dessert shots any time of year. I actually made a big batch and served them for dessert at my party over the summer. They were a total hit paired up with a tray of chocolate chip cookies.

This is one of my favorite dessert shots. Every drop packs a punch and you get a nice little bit of cookie on the edge with each sip. This recipe makes two generous shots so there is one for you and one for a friend. Or even better, one for each hand. Enjoy! 

Note: If you don’t have chocolate vodka, you can substitute regular vodka. If you plan on making these for a party, you can pre mix the alcohol but do not put into the shot glasses until you are ready to serve. Otherwise your cookie edge can get a bit soggy.  

INGREDIENTS
1/2 oz Disaronno amaretto
3 oz Bailey’s irish cream
1 1/2 oz chocolate vodka
2 chocolate chip cookies, crushed for garnish
chocolate cake frosting (for rimming the glasses) or light corn syrup

STEPS

  • Put a tbsp chocolate frosting or light corn syrup in a small bowl and add the cookie crumbs to a small plate.
  • Dip the rim of a shot glass into the frosting/corn syrup and then the cookie crumbs to coat the edge. Repeat with the other glass.
  • Fill a shaker with ice and add the amaretto, Irish cream, and chocolate vodka. 
  • Shake well and strain into the prepared shot glasses.

Recipe adapted from Mantitlement.

Beverages

Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

Diva di Cucina

Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

We have had a hot streak out here in California with every day last week being over 100º and being that it is strawberry season I figured it was time to whip up a batch of refreshing sangria using some of my favorite seasonal fruit! This sangria is so perfect for sipping on in this summer sun. It is light, refreshing, and ridiculously easy to make! You just stir together a bottle of wine, some silver rum, a little sugar, and a splash seltzer. You can certainly make it and drink it right away but I like to let mine sit in the fridge for about an hour so that the wine really takes on those strawberry flavors. Mmmm…mmm… tastes like summer in a glass!Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

And if you like this recipe then be sure to also check out my Red Wine Sangria or Summertime White Sangria.

Notes: 

  • If you are watching your carbs or don’t like drinks that are too sweet, feel free to leave out the sugar all together. I made it that way the other day and it was still delicious! You get lots of natural sweetness from the fruity wine and fresh strawberries.
  • For the white wine I used Pomelo’s sauvignon blanc (one of my favorite summer wines). It has a nice refreshing grapefruit flavor. Anything with citrus notes will give you wonderful results. I recommend using a pinot grigio, rosé, or sauvignon blanc for this recipe. Something fruity and light.

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of sauvignon blanc (see above note)
1/3 c silver rum
1/4 c sugar
1 lemon, sliced
2 c fresh strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 c seltzer

STEPS

  • Pour the wine, rum, and sugar into a large pitcher.
  • Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the sliced lemons and strawberries to the pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Add the seltzer right before serving.
  • Pour over ice and enjoy!

 

Beverages

Recipe—Summertime White Sangria

Diva di Cucina

So I have this incredible friend named Brandy. We have many things in common. One of which is our fabulous taste in refreshing adult beverages. A few weeks back I was at her home for a summer birthday party, and she made this white wine sangria. It was incredible! I would define it as being the perfect summer drink. I have had red sangria before but found it to be a bit heavy for a warm summer day. (I’m more of a white wine gal anyways.) This could not be further from the traditional sangria. It is light and super refreshing. I decided to make Brandy’s recipe for 4th of July for my aunt who says she doesn’t like sangria. (She had a bad experience.) Well guess what, my aunt could not get enough. Who am I kidding? No one could get enough! We had the pitcher wiped out within an hour. It could have been the 100º+ day that had us drinking glasses hand over fist, but either way every drop was enjoyed. This is the perfect drink for a summer party or just a lazy day by the pool. And don’t forget to eat the fruit. That is one of the best parts! Gotta get in your vitamins.

Note: For the white wine I used Pomelo’s sauvignon blanc (one of my favorite summer wines). It has a nice refreshing grapefruit flavor. Anything with citrus notes will give you wonderful results. I recommend using a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. I actually bought two bottles and made ice cubes with one of them. This way rather than get watered down as the ice melted, the sangria just got better. 😉

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of sweet white wine (see above note)
2/3 c peach schnapps
1 peach, sliced
1 mango, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 1/2 c raspberries
2 c ginger ale

STEPS

  • In a large pitcher combine together the wine, peach schnapps, and all the fruit.
  • Place the pitcher in the fridge and allow it to set overnight. (This step is not necessarily but it is highly recommended. Sitting overnight will allow the fruit to soak up some of the boozy goodness and allow the fruit flavors to infuse into the wine.)
  • Add the ginger ale to the pitcher right before serving.
  • Top off the pitcher with ice.
  • Pour. Relax. Enjoy.