Monday Inspiration - Fabulous Tabletops

Source: 1, 2-6, 7-9, 10

Happy Hour Friday - Snickertini

Snickertini
*note: 2 tablespoons=1 ounce…and drink responsibly!

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, for rimming
2 ounces dark creme de cacao (recommended: Dekuyper)
1 ounce Irish cream liqueur (recommended: Bailey’s)
1 ounce hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico)
1 ounce light creamMint sprigs, for garnish

Dip the rim of each glass in water and then in the cocoa powder; set aside.Pour the remaining ingredients, except for the mint, in a cocktail shaker, half-filled with ice cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glasses. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and serve.Makes 2 servings. *This is a great substitue for the chocolate martini.

Happy Hour Friday - Carrie Me

Carrie Me

2 oz. vodka

2 oz. white peach puree

1 oz. ginger-infused simple syrup

½ oz. lemon juice

Silver and pink sanding sugar (for rim)

Silver sugar beads

To make the peach puree, peel a peach and put it in a blender for about 10-15 seconds. To make the ginger syrup, bring half a cup of water and half a cup of sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Throw in some fresh chopped ginger. Reduce, and stir until the mixture thickens. Strain out the ginger and let the syrup cool to room.

Happy Hour Friday

In honor of my birthday today I am posting two cocktails. Enjoy!!

Naughty Girl Scout

2 oz. Kahlúa

1 oz. Crème de Menthe

1 oz. half and half

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients and shake well. Pour mixture into a glass over ice. Garnish with a few small mint leaves.

Malibu Coconutini

1 oz. Malibu rum

1 oz. Irish cream

1 oz. chocolate liqueur

Put all the ingredients in a shaker, add ice, and shake. Drizzle chocolate syrup along the inside of a glass, and then add the beverage. Garnish with a chocolate lollipop.

Happy Hour Friday - Watermelon Martini

Watermelon Martini

3 oz Ketal One Citroen

1 oz Watermelon Pucker

1/2 oz Cointreau or triple sec

Splash of lemonade

Splash of 7-up

Mix all ingredients over ice, shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of watermelon.

Happy Hour Friday - Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini
- Shot of espresso
- 1/2 oz. Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Godiva dark chocolate liqueur
- 1/4 oz. Amaretto
- 1/4 oz. Kahlúa
- Baileys to top off

Shake ingredients with ice. Rim the glass with shaved chocolate. Strain cocktail and top with Baileys, whipped cream, and cocoa.

SOURCE: David Feuer, Deco, in Houston

Happy Hour Friday - French Cosmo

The French Cosmo
3 oz. pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. cassis
Garnish: pineapple slice or leaf

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled stemmed glass. Garnish with pineapple slice or float a leaf from the fruit in the drink.

SOURCE: Joe Reiser, at Woo Lae Oak, Los Angeles

Happy Hour Friday - Amore Vietato (Forbidden Love)

Amore Vietato (Forbidden Love)
2 oz. Hendricks gin
1 oz. blood orange juice
Dash simple syrup, 2 strawberries
4 slices of cucumber

Muddle fruit with simple syrup, add gin and blood orange juice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with strawberry, cucumber spiral and orange peel hearts.

SOURCE: Wendy Verdel, Zeffirino, The Venetian, Las Vegas

Happy Hour Friday - Hot Apple Pie Shots

Hot Apple Pie Shots

Ingredients

3/4 c. apple cider

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. rum

cinnamon

Directions

Measure 3/4 c. of apple cider on a microwavable container. Heat in the microwave until very hot. Stir in 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract, 1/4 c. of rum and a pinch of cinnamon. Pour into a shot glasses three-quarters of the way full. Top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Makes 5-6 shots.

Happy Hour Friday - Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot
1/2 ounce SKYY Infusions Pineapple Vodka
1/4 ounce Godiva White Chocolate
1/2 ounce Pineapple Juice
Splash Licor 43
Maraschino Cherry

Drip several drops maraschino cherry juice in bottom of shot glass. Slit bottom of maraschino cherry and prop on rim of shot glass. Set aside. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into prepared shot glass.

Happy Hour Friday - Peach Bourbon Sours

Peach Bourbon Sours
Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup peach preserves*

1/2 cup hot water

1 cup plus

2 Tbsp. bourbon or whiskey

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Garnishes: lemon slices, fresh basil sprigs

Directions:
1. Whisk together peach preserves and hot water in a glass pitcher until preserves are dissolved. Whisk in bourbon and lemon juice.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add one-third of bourbon mixture; cover with lid and shake until thoroughly chilled. Pour over ice into 2 (8-12 oz) glasses. Repeat procedure with remaining bourbon mixture. Garnish, if desired. Serve drinks immediately.

*Seedless blackberry, apricot, or ginger preserves may be substituted.

Quick Ideas: Add garnishes to match or complement the preserves flavor you choose. Fresh blackberries and mint sprigs look great on glasses of Blackberry-Bourbon Sours, while lemon and kiwifruit slices are fancy touches to Ginger-Bourbon Cocktails.

Source: Southern Living

Happy Hour Friday - Frozen Screwdriver

Ingredients:
1/2 can Fuzzy Navel Frozen BACARDI® Mixers
8 oz Minute Maid® Orange Juice
1/2 cup Bacardi® Rum
5 cups ice
oranges for garnish

Directions:
1. Blend together Fuzzy Navel Frozen BACARDI® Mixers, orange juice, rum, and ice for 45 to 60 seconds or until uniform.

2. Garnish with orange slices.

Serves: 5

Source: Hostess with the Mostess

Happy Hour Friday - Texas Twister

Texas Twister

Ingredients:
2-1/2 to 3 oz. high-quality tequila

1-1/2 oz. Grand Marnier

1-1/2 to 2 oz. fresh lime juice

1/4 pint frozen limeade

Splash of Corona (or your favorite Mexican beer)

Splash of your favorite red wine such as Zinfandel

2 cups crushed ice

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients with ice in blender until smooth. Pour into a chilled margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Yield: Two drinks

Source: Fine Living

HappyHour Friday - Chocolate Martini

Chocolate Martini

1 1/2 shots Godiva® chocolate liqueur

1 1/2 shots creme de cacao

1/2 shot vodka

2 1/2 shots half-and-half

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass.

Recipe from Drinks Mixer Photo from My Recipes.

Happy Hour Friday

Almond Joy & Milky Way Martinis

Almond Joy Martini

1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka
1 oz. Frangelica
1 oz. coconut rum

Shake together while chilling and pour.

Milky Way Martini

1 1/2 oz. Starbucks Cream Liqueur
1 oz. Three Olives chocolate vodka
1/2 oz. cream

Shake together while chilling and pour.

Source: Fine Living