Three Cocktails to Liven up your Holidays

It's 5:00 somewhere... am I right??  Today I'm participating in the link up party at The Lovely Cupboard, where there is bound to be quite a few yummy cocktail recipes abound!

After getting our new bar cart, I went wild at BevMo, so we are stocked to the gills with delicious holiday beverage accouterments.... everything from brandied cherries (these are just AMAZING in a manhattan), to flavored syrups, whiskey, vodka, mixers, and LOTS of champagne... 

To keep things feeling festive, I've devised three holiday cocktails to perpetuate that warm feeling of holiday cheer (or is that warm feeling from taste-testing three different cocktails in the afternoon...)

The hard part about this post wasn't coming up with three cocktails, but, actually limiting myself to just three!!  I had a little too much fun with this one!

The first cocktail up, is the Rose "merry" and Cranberry Cooler... ya like that name??

I, for one, LOVE mixing savory and sweet flavors, and the rosemary in this recipe gives this cocktail a nice earthy balance.  

It also could not be easier to concoct this bad boy, and it's as delicious as it is pretty!  I mean come on... red and green??  It doesn't get more festive!

Ingredients:
  - Vodka
  - Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
  - Simple Syrup
  - Rosemary
  - Ice
  - Campari

Directions:
Muddle Rosemary in your cocktail shaker.  Pour in one part vodka, two parts unsweetened cranberry juice, one part simple syrup, and 1/2 part Campari.  Add 4 large ice cubes, and stir 30 seconds.  Strain into martini class (or here, I used a pretty crystal coupe from my mama).

This drink is sweet, but also bitter (from the campari) and a bit sour from the cranberry juice, and earthy from the rosemary.  It's a little TOO good...

If you're not a fan of Campari, just leave it out - I made a second version without it, and it was also absolutely delish!

Next up, is the Orange & Mango Fizz...   This is a bit of a twist on the classic mimosa, but the bitters and the mango spice it up a bit... 

Ingredients

  - 1 orange wedge

  - 2 1/2 cups sparkling wine, prosecco or champagne

  - 3/4 cup mango nectar

  - 1 teaspoon orange bitters

  - orange zest twists, for garnish

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the wine, mango nectar, and bitters. Serve in a champagne flutes, and garnish with an orange zest twist.

It literally could not be easier, and this serves four! Perfect for Christmas morning if you ask me, and aside from the mango, most people have everything else on hand already!  If you don't usually keep bitters on hand, you should start!  Great in food (mainly sauces, soups and broths as an aromatic) and drinks.

Finally, onto dessert.... err... I mean dessert drinks.  

The Snowy White Russian is so sweet and yummy, you'll want to skip the fig pudding... or yule log... or grandma's fudge, or whatever traditional Christmas dessert you have!

Ingredients

  - Vodka

  - Kahlua

  - Milk (I've used non-fat before, but 2% is better)

  - Chocolate Syrup

  - Whipped Cream

Directions

Combine one part vodka, one part kahlua, and one part milk in a glass, stir.  Add three large ice cubes, and top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

You can thank me later.

Making this one totally took me back to my college days - my girlfriends and I would make these on a regular basis, regardless of season, and now I remember why.  They are SO GOOD.

I mean... YUM!!  Can we get a close-up glamour shot here??

Ohhh yeahhhh... nom nom...

And how cute are these glasses?

Kris got them from his sister as a birthday present, and I'm kind of obsessed (they originally came from Restoration Hardware although I can't find them online anymore).  They are labeled to measure out how much "medicine" you might need after a grueling day of caroling, or an especially brutal snowball fight...

Super cute, right??

So that's it!!  Do you have any favorite holiday beverages??  Mulled cider?  Mulled wine?  Some sort of yummy whiskey cocktail??  A hot toddy???  I could go all day people!

May your holiday's be merry and bright(er) with these fun cocktail recipes!

xoxo