Easy Entertaining: Make The Perfect Playoff Drinks
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 10:15PM So.... You're hosting the gang at your place for the playoffs this week and you're bored with the same old beer-in-the-cooler routine. Here's a great drink recipe for your game day get-together that can work for any menu. Best of all, this cocktail is easy to make and serve... especially if you mix up a batch in a large plastic dispenser before guests arrive. I'm also giving you the 411 on pre-party prep and simple plastic serving solutions so you can have fun at your own party!
SIGNATURE COCKTAILS
Serve a signature cocktail for your party. Choose one or two pre-mixed drinks which pair well with the menu you are serving. My favorite drink recipe starts with lemonade as a base which works for any occasion.
GAME DAY LEMONADE
Makes 1
4 ounces fresh lemonade (use frozen or powder mix if you must)
1 1/2 ounces of your favorite liquor: Plain vodka, citrus vodka, raspberry flavored vodka, bourbon, Irish Whiskey, or rum all work well with this recipe. Make your choice based on your crowd and menu.
1/2 ounce Limoncello
Mix and serve in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint or a lemon wheel.
For a crowd:
Serves 15+ guests depending on serving size
1 gallon fresh lemonade
1 bottle (750ml) of your liquor of choice. (I prefer raspberry vodka with an additional shot of raspberry liqueur)
2 cups Limoncello or other lemon liqueur
Add more or less alcohol to your taste. Mix ingredients in a large plastic or acrylic dispenser like the one shown below. You can add ice to the dispenser but I always freeze the lemonade base and use that in place of ice so you don't water down or dilute the drink. Add mint or lemon wheels to the dispenser to add some color and style to the presentation. You can also make these variations:
Margarita: Substitute limeade for the lemonade, use tequila for your alcohol and exchange orange liqueur for the limoncello.
Mojito: Substitute limeade for the lemonade; use light rum for your alcohol and exchange seltzer or club soda for the limoncello. Add a handful of fresh chopped mint.
Large plastic dispensers make serving easy for a partyPARTY PREP: MIX DRINKS IN ADVANCE AND FREEZE
When I'm entertaining, I want to make everything as simple as possible so I can enjoy time with friends and have some fun. I don't like to set up a bar and ask guests to mix their own drinks but I don't want to play bartender, either. The solution is to mix up drinks a few days in advance and freeze them in plastic jugs. You can find large restaurant-style plastic jug containers at a restaurant supply store or you can reuse plastic juice or milk containers.
Remember that alcohol does not freeze solid so if your drinks have a high alcohol content, they will not freeze completely. If the drinks do not have alcohol, they will freeze solid and take longer to thaw.
Remove the containers from the freezer an hour or so before you need them and let them sit at room temperature. This will give them a chance to thaw slightly. Pour the mixture into large, easy to pour plastic pitchers or acrylic beverage dispensers so that guests can serve themselves.
DRINK SERVING SOLUTIONS
For some occasions, plastic glasses and serving pieces just make sense and a game day party is one of those times. I stack up plastic cups in my team colors so that guests can serve themselves easily. One smart hostess trick I employ on game day is to start with a large cup and then switch to smaller size cups as the party goes on. This tip will help you control consumption; smart from both a budget and a safety perspective.
Smart plastic Tervis Tumblers are perfect for parties!I really love Tervis Tumblers for game day parties- both at home and when tailgating. These "smart" plastic glasses are virtually unbreakable. Their double wall technology keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. I love the cups for serving soup or chili on game day. Best of all, when you are entertaining at home, you can forget your coaster anxiety: these plastic cups and glasses do not sweat so they won't leave a water mark on your coffee table! You can get them monogrammed or in team logos for both NCAA and NFL teams. www.tervis.com
More cocktails for a crowd from Martie Knows Parties:
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