I have been so busy as of late with work, kids, blogging and working out that I have neglected one of my favorite pastimes – drinking. Instead of posting about sweet treats for the holiday I have opted to go with the booze. Enjoy these Valentine themed cocktail recipes with your special someone. Just don’t enjoy too much or you may end up with a surprise delivery 9 months from now. Trust me on that.

Liquid Velvet

2 oz. Tequila

1 oz. White Crème de Cacao

1 oz. Double cream

1 oz. Chambord

White chocolate flakes

Raspberries

Preparation: Add tequila, white crème de cacao, double cream, and Chambord in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Pour drink into a chilled cocktail glass and rimmed with white chocolate flakes. Add a spear of fresh raspberries.

The Hopeless Romantic

1.5 oz. X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

2 oz. Champagne or Prosecco

0. 25 oz. Lemon juice

0.25 oz. Orange juice

0.25 oz. Pineapple juice

1 Lemon twist

Preparation: Muddle pineapple, orange, and lemon juices. Add champagne or processo and X-Rated Fusion Liqueur. Strain and serve in a highball glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Chocolate Kiss

1/4 cup Mint-Infused Simple Syrup, plus more for rim

3 chocolate cookies, finely crushed, such as Nabisco Famous Wafers

10 raspberries

1/4 cup vodka

2 tablespoons cranberry juice

Ice cubes

Fill a shallow dish with enough simple syrup to just cover the bottom. Place crushed cookies into another shallow dish. Invert a martini glass into simple syrup and then immediately into crushed cookies to coat the rim of the glass.

Place raspberries in a cocktail shaker; crush with a muddler. Add simple syrup and muddle again. Add vodka and cranberry juice; fill shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain into prepared martini glass. Serve immediately.

Prosecco Passion

1 teaspoon sorbet (like raspberry or passion fruit)

Chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Preparation: Scoop sorbet into a champagne flute. Fill with chilled Champagne or Prosecco; stir. Easy enough.

Valentini

2/3 cup vodka

2 tablespoons simple syrup (simply made from equal parts sugar and hot water and then chilled)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon rose water (or a little more)

*Rosewater is available at many specialty grocers, baking supply stores, good liquor stores.

Preparation: Place all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.  Shake vigorously, and then taste.  The rosewater and lemon flavors should be balanced. Rosewaters vary a lot in intensity, so you may need to add a little more. For an extra romantic touch, garnish with a (well washed) rose petal.

*Cheers!*

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment

Citrus zest is packed with essential oils that help fight the growth of bacteria.

Ingredients: Infused Four Citrus Vodka (reciple below; or any other citrus-flavored vodka), orange or blood orange juice, Prosecco, citrus peels, orange slice

Infused four-citrus vodka:Pour 1 bottle vodka into a 1 1/2-liter glass jar with lid. Wash rinds of 1 small Rio Star grapefruit, 1 tangerine, 1 Meyer lemon and 2 Key limes. Slice fruit; add to jar. Seal; store in a cool, dark, dry place. Infuse 3–5 days, shaking once a day. Strain through a coffee filter into a new bottle.

Calories: 167

Source: health.com

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

You dramatically cut the calories with this skinny spiced rum by using more spices instead of sugar and butter.

Pour 1/2 gallon apple cider into a saucepan. Add 5 cinnamon sticks, zest of 1/4 lemon and 1/4 orange, 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice; bring to a boil.

Cook 5 minutes; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and add 11⁄2 cups clear spiced rum.

To look like an amazing hostess, serve in cored apples!

(Makes: 11 servings)

173 calories per cocktail. Enjoy only one!

Source: Health.com

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Ingredients

1 oz Chambord
1 oz honey vodka
4 raspberries
1 oz lime juice

Preparation

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into crushed ice-filled rocks glass. Top with more crushed ice. Garnish with two raspberries.  Totally pinkalicious.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment