My Favorite Beer Cocktail plus Easy Toss Away Cooler Idea for Game Day

When I want to keep it light... for a long day at the game, beach or pool, for example, I often drink a beer on ice to keep it really cold and to slow down the pace. I will often take it a step further and turn my beer into a cocktail. Simply salt the rim of your glass, like you would for a margarita. Add ice. Squeeze in a bunch of lime wedges... about 5. Pour in your beer. Add a little dash of hot sauce if you like but I usually don't. Or you can add a shot of tequila...:)

Now, here's a simple and easy idea if you don't want to take a cooler to the game. Just tear off the top, remove the beer. Add a garbage bag (I always use two so it does not leak) return the beer and add ice. Afterwards, just toss in the trash.  

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Easy Tailgating and Game Day Ideas: New Recipes, Tips and Serving Suggestions!

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON! What I usually hear this time of year is: “I’m tired of our same old game day plan” and “I don’t want to grill- I want to relax and enjoy my friends” So, here are some ideas for your game day that will keep everyone happy and let you have some fun, too. Big thanks to Dandy RVfor the use of the awesome RV for our tailgate party!

VARIATIONS ON A THEME: MIX IT UP…one week Mexican with hats and decor, the next week you can take it to New Orleans with a Mardi Gras menu, the following week make it a Lowcountry crab boil, Italian, Pirate Party, Chili cook-off, beach party, etc. You don't have to go with BBQ or typical tailgate food every weekend.

MULTI-PURPOSE FOOD: For example, chili works for a variety of different foods... chili pie, tacos, hot dogs, nachos, and more. You can host a chili throwdown where everyone brings a Crock-Pot with their favorite recipe. Add a condiment and hot sauce bar so everyone can add their favorite toppings.

Serve chili in a Fritos bag! Instant chili pie!Serve chili in individual Fritos or Doritos bags.... yes, serving right in the bag makes yummy Frito chili pie or nachos! This is so good and makes clean up a breeze. Best of all, no dirty dishes to take home! 

MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES TAILGATE TIPS

1. When it is still hot outside, make sure to take an extra cooler filled with ice so you can keep drinks and food items cold and have plenty of clean ice for drinks.

2. Use multi-purpose glasses like the insulated glasses from Tervis Tumblers – they keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. LOVE THEM... especially when I have a party inside. No condensation rings and no broken glass. Plus they go right in the dishwasher.

3. A great way to keep hot food hot is to wrap and store them in a cheap Styrofoam cooler and pack it with newspaper. This will keep it hot until you are ready to serve.

4. Do most of the prep at home so you just have simple assembly or grilling when you get to the stadium.

Make a toss-away beverage coolerRe-use a drink holder for dipsUse the 6-pack carrier for condiments5. If you don’t want to take a cooler- get a case of your favorite drinks, empty it and line with a white or clear garbage bag and put the drinks back and fill with ice. Afterwards, put the whole thing in the trash. I always double the bag so I don't have any leaks. You can also use a beer carton as a condiment holder. Works great! Save the carton from your next 6-pack!

6. Another use for a cardboard drink carrier- is to use it for a condiment carrier or a dip holder!

7. Pre-cook what you can. You can even pre-cook ribs and finish them on the grill. Just make sure to keep them well chilled.

8. Get in on the Crock-Pot craze…. Plug it in before you go to bed the night before and you’ve got a good start on lunch when you get there.

9. One of the most frustrating things about going to the game is not being able to find your friends or their tailgate! Use a cluster of helium balloons and fly them way over the top of your tent so your friends can spot you from a distance! I got huge balloons and wrote on them with a marker to define our tailgate and help friends locate us easily!

Make a game day table runner from a rug, placemat or tablecloth with white electrical tape and stick on numbers10. You don’t have to buy special football items or tableware- you can easily make a football field runner from placemats or some other item. I used a green chenille kitchen rug I got on sale for $4 at Target and lined it with white plastic electrician's tape. I got the numbers at Wal-Mart in the mailbox section but you can get stick-on numbers where you get scrapbook supplies also.

11. Bring items in a large plastic tub. When you are ready to pack up, line the tub with a garbage bag and then put your dirty dishes inside. Makes for super easy clean up when you get home!

Make giant sandwiches like a Muffaletta and just slice to serve. No more making lots of small sandwiches!12. Make giant sandwiches instead of lots of small sandwiches. Just take a large loaf of bread and make one large sandwich. Slice it up and you are good to go! If you make hot sandwiches, make sure to double the foil on the bottom so you do not burn the bread. Open up the top of the foil for the last few minutes to get the bread toasty. Add a little cheese on top for some extra yum!

 NEED MORE GAME DAY IDEAS? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES AND TIPS FROM MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES:

Argentine Asado & Chimichurri

Host a Chili Cookoff for Game Day!

Game Day Grub: Steakhouse Steaks with Herb Butter

Make a Bloody Mary Bar for Game Day

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Wedding or Party Decorations: Easy Paper Lanterns

Need a fast, simple, and cheap table decoration for your wedding or party? Make these paper lanterns- they are so simple and add a pop of color to your table. You can use scrapbook paper, heavy wrapping paper, craft paper, or any stiff paper that will stand. Color coordinate with your party theme; you can personalize with stamps, punch a decoration, or ribbon trim.

EASY TABLE DECORATIONS: SCRAPBOOK PAPER LANTERNS

Scrapbook paper sheets

Double sided tape or glue stick

Mason jars or other jar, vase, etc

Candles: floating candles, tealights, or other light source

These lanterns are so easy to make and can really dress up a table or customize any party for very little money! Since scrapbook paper comes in all colors and patterns, you really have endless options. Here's the how to:

Get a sheet of scrapbook paper. If it is thick, you'll want to cut in some designs so light will shine through. If the paper is thin or you use vellum, you don't need to cut in a design. You can use a hole punch or a paper cutter- or a utility knife. Use a glue stick or double faced tape along the edge of the back side of the paper to form the paper into a cylinder.

Put the light source into the jar. LED lights work great but you don't want to see the clunky base through the paper so use a dense paper with a design at the top. You won't even need a container if you use the LED lights. If you opt for candles, including tealights or votive candles, make sure to put some sand or salt in the bottom of the vase, glass, or container to keep the candle off the bottom of the jar so that it does not get too hot. A great use for canning jars, you can cut the paper to different lengths to stagger the height of the

This is a great use for floating candles or even glo-sticks!

Place the paper cylinder over the jar.... and you have a customized lantern!

Design your paper lantern so light will shine through using a punch or create your own design!Use LED lights or flameless candles for long-lasting light! Put them in a clear canning jar or vase so the wind does not blow them over!

Wedding Signature Cocktail: Blackberry Mojito

We had a request on our Facebook page from our friend Sue for a signature cocktail for a wedding. Specifically, a blackberry mojito to compliment the couple's wedding colors of plum and pale green. This recipe from our friends at Driscoll's Berries is just perfect for 1 or 100... or more!

A mojito is typically made one or two at a time. If you are serving in a dispenser, you will have to strain the mixture so the berries do not clog the spigot. You can float whole berries and mint on the top after you put it in the dispenser as garnish. You don't have to strain the cocktail if you are serving in a pitcher.

Blackberry Mojito using Driscoll's fresh blackberries is the perfect wedding cocktail!BLACKBERRY MOJITO

For 2

12 large blackberries

12 mint leaves

4 teaspoons sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 ounces light rum (you can substitute vodka if you like)

Ice

Club soda

Lime wedge, mint, and blackberries for garnish

Chill two glasses. Put the mint and the berries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to muddle (bruise) the mint and crush the berries. Add rum, lemon and lime juice. Fill with ice. Shake until well chilled. Put mint leaves in the bottom of the glass. Add ice. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Top with club soda for a little sparkle.

BLACKBERRY MOJITOS FOR A CROWD

Serves 50 (approx 4 ounce servings)

5-6 pints blackberries plus some for garnish

4 bunches mint leaves plus some for garnish

6 cups sugar

4 cups cold water

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

6-7 cups light rum (depending on how strong you want the drinks. This is based on 1 ounce per drink which is light. Add more if you like. You can also substitute vodka if you prefer)

Ice

2 bottles of chilled club soda (to taste)

Put the berries in the bottom of a container with the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to crush the fruit. Add the mint and gently muddle to release the essence of the mint. Add 4 cups of water and stir well to make sure the sugar is dissolved completely. Refrigerate and let sit for at least an hour. If you are using a dispenser with a spigot, you will need to strain off the mixture so the skin from the berries and the mint leaves do not clog the dispenser. Add the strained mixture to your dispenser. Add rum, lemon and lime juice. Fill with ice. Stir well. Top off with a bottle of club soda- to taste. Float mint leaves, lime wheels, or blackberries in the dispenser as garnish. Or thread berries onto a cocktail skewer and have those ready in glasses filled with ice. Then guests can help themselves to the beverage.

Martie's Tips: To make this easier, I usually just put the berries, sugar, and water in a large container. Then whir them together with my immersion blender. I strain off the seeds and any flesh remaining and am left with the juice.  

Often, I will chill or even freeze my drinks for a party so I need less ice and the beverages are not as diluted. For this one, you can freeze lime juice or lemon juice into ice cubes and use that in lieu of adding the juice to the recipe.

You can also substitute mint simple syrup to make this process easier. Get the recipe....

Prefer the classic mint mojito recipe? Try mine! Make Classic Mint Mojitos for 12

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Oprah's Favorite Summer Cocktail: The Moscow Mule

I was driving in the car and had on Oprah Radio-- I heard Oprah raving about her favorite summer drink, the Moscow Mule. I was so curious, I had to try it. I thought it was very refreshing and easy to drink. Best of all, they are easy to make. You'll need ginger beer, which you can find at most grocery stores these days or at an International market like World Market. And use fresh lime juice. Not the squeezy stuff.... You are supposed to serve a Moscow Mule in a copper mug but come on- who but Oprah has a copper mug? Serve it in a julep cup, a coffee cup, a plastic cup---who cares? Cheers to the weekend!

THE MOSCOW MULE

1 ounce vodka

1 teaspoon simple syrup (make it with equal parts sugar and water- heat til sugar dissolves, cool)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 cup ginger beer

1 sprig fresh mint

slice of lime

ice

Pour vodka over ice. Add simple syrup and lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with mint and lime.

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