Weekend Cocktail: Fresh Peach Sangria

It is a big weekend for me with the premier of Food Network Star so I wanted to make a signature drink to celebrate that not only was delicious, but represented my culinary point of view. You are going to hear a lot about that as the show goes on week to week. This recipe is not only delicious, it is inexpensive to serve for a large party. And it tastes as good as it looks! The best thing of all is that I made it with the best peaches in the world; fresh Chilton County Peaches from my home state of Alabama... ask for them at your store or farmer's market!

FRESH PEACH SANGRIA

Serves 6-8

5-6 peaches, peeled and sliced

1 cup vodka (if you use peach vodka, omit the peach nectar)

1/2 cup peach brandy

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup peach nectar (find it in the International aisle)

1 bottle chilled white wine or Prosecco

Club Soda, chilled (omit if you are using Prosecco)

Reserve 2 peaches for later. Muddle the remaining sliced peaches with the sugar in a large pitcher to release the juice. Add the vodka and brandy. Allow to sit for 1-2 hours. Crush to a puree with a wooden spoon or use an immersion blender to make into a puree. If you like, strain the puree before adding the remaining ingredients. I happen to like the pulp. Add the peach nectar, remaining peach slices, and white wine. Chill well. You can serve this immediately but it's even better if it has a chance to sit for a while so the flavors can develop. I like to chill it for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with club soda to taste at serving if you are using white wine. Omit the club soda if you are using Prosecco.   

Have a great weekend!!

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Weekend Cocktail: Vanilla Vodka Recipes for Summer Breeze & Dreamsicle Cocktail

Two of my favorite go-to summer drinks are made with vanilla vodka. Simple, no-fuss and soooo refreshing! Try one of these this tonight. Cheers to the weekend!

SUMMER BREEZE

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka

4 ounces pineapple juice

squeeze of lemon juice

ice

garnish with a lemon twist

Fill a glass with ice and pour over vodka and juice. Stir, serve!

DREAMSICLE COCKTAIL

3 ounces orange juice

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka

1/2 ounce orange liqueur like Grand Marnier

dash of heavy cream or whipping cream if you like.... optional

ice

Put the ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients. Shake and serve over ice.

Weekend Cocktail: Reata Restaurant's CF Cherry Limeade Recipe

Have you ever been to the famous Reata Restaurant in Ft. Worth, Texas? I love Ft. Worth and when I'm lucky enough to go, Reata is my first stop for their world-famous cowboy cuisine. I crave their Cherry Limeade and the Jalapeno and Cheddar Grits, the Tortilla Soup, and of course, the Chicken Fried Steak... or any other steak, for that matter. A double dose of Texas awesome! My friend Mike Micallef of Reata said I could share this recipe with all of you who can't pop into the restaurant for this perfect summer libation. Warning: once you try it, you'll crave it, too! Happy weekend! Enjoy!

CF Cherry Limeade from Reata Restaurant in Ft. Worth, TexasReata Restaurant's CF Cherry Limeade

2 ounces cherry vodka

1/4 ounce Grenadine

1/4 ounce Rose's Lime Juice

2 ounces sweet and sour mix

2 ounces Sprite

Ice cubes

Lime wheel and Marachino cherries for garnish.

Put all the ingredients into a glass filled with ice. Stir well. Garnish and enjoy!

Love cowboy cuisine? Buy Reata's cookbook on Amazon.com to get all of their amazing recipes or book a reservation at one of their restaurants: Reata Ft. Worth or Reata Alpine.

Make your own cherry vodka:

Infusing vodka is not complicated. If you don't want to buy a special cherry vodka, you can make your own! Take two cups of pitted fresh cherries- I like the darker red ones for this because the flavor is richer- and put them in a pticher. Add 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Take a wooden spoon and mash the cherries into the sugar until juice begins to appear. Then, pour two cups of good quality vodka over the top and let sit undisturbed for at least two hours. Longer is better.... more flavor. Strain the infused vodka into a pitcher or bottle. Keep in the freezer if you don't use all of it.

How to make your own sweet/sour mix:

The key to many great cocktails, this sour mix is also simple to make. If you are like me and don't like the stuff they put in the bottle variety, just make your own! With margarita season around the corner and Cinco de Mayo coming up, you'll want plenty of homemade sour mix on hand.

Makes 8 cups

3 cups water

3 cups sugar

2 cups fresh lemon juice

2 cups fresh lime juice

Make a simple syrup by combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar disolves. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Then, mix the syrup, lemon juice, and lime juice in a pitcher and chill. You can make this up to three days in advance. Really helpful for a big party or event.

 Try more weekend cocktail recipes from Martie Knows Parties:

Belfast Lemonade

Martie's Pomegranate Lemonade

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Firefly Vodka Lemonade

Pomegranate Margaritas

Classic Margarita

The Pink Pony

Weekend Cocktail: Belfast Lemonade (Irish Whiskey Lemonade)

There are a lot of green drinks and beer drinks out there for St. Patrick's Day... But this year, I wanted a signature cocktail for our St. Paddy's Party that was definately Irish, but a little "girly" since we were also celebrating our lovely friend Jessica's birthday! The cocktail I came up with got a big thumbs up from the guys and the girls alike; it will be perfect for your spring and summer BBQ's, lake parties, and yes, even wedding celebrations! Since Bushmills, my favorite Irish whiskey, is made close to the Irish city of Belfast, I named it Belfast Lemonade. I used just a little Limoncello to smooth out the cocktail, but it is very good without it if you want to keep your cost down.

Give it a try! Oh, and happy birthday, sweet Jessica!

Irish whiskey, freshly squeezed lemonade and a little lemon liqueur makes this cocktail perfect for spring and summer entertainingBELFAST LEMONADE

Makes 1

4 ounces fresh lemonade

1 1/2 ounces Bushmills Irish Whiskey

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) Bushmills Irish Whiskey

2 cups Limoncello or other lemon liqueur

Add more or less whiskey to your taste. Mix ingredients in a large dispenser. Add lots of ice to the dispenser but also provide clean ice along side the dispenser because the drink tastes best served over ice. If it is a hot day, make sure to freeze lemonade and use that in place of the 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.

Cheers! And as always, drink responsibly!!

Martie's Weekend Cocktail: Limoncello Snow Cones

Yes... it is another hot, hot, hot summer weekend! We took a poll last night on our FACEBOOK page and asked our friends what sounded better; watermelon or limoncello concoctions. It was close, but the limoncello won out! Try my Limoncello Berry Snow Cone and let me know what you think!

LIMONCELLO BERRY SNOW CONE

This one is a spin on two of my favorite things. Pink Lemonade and snow cones! Doesn't that sound soooo good? I love limoncello; if you've ever been to Capri or the Amalfi Coast, you've certainly had it. It is divinely sweet and will give your lemonade a perfect finish. I decided to make pink lemonade by adding some raspberries and raspberry vodka. Doesn't this just look perfect for a hot summer afternoon? Here's how to make it:

3 cups fresh lemonade (add a little lemon zest or lemon peel-- yum)

1/4 cup fresh raspberries

1 ounce raspberry vodka

1/2 cup limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)

Soak raspberries in the raspberry vodka for about 30 minutes. Mash the berries in the vodka and strain to remove the flesh and the seeds. You really just want the juice; that is what creates the pink color. Combine all ingredients. You can put this in an electric ice cream maker or put it on a cookie sheet and pop it into the freezer. The ice cream maker produces a creamier texture and the freezing produces an icy texture; use a fork to flake it into icy crystals. You don't have to freeze this drink; you can simply make it in a pitcher and pour over ice to serve. Garnish with lemon.

Next week... Watermelon Margarita Granitas!

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