Fun, Festive, Cocktails!

If you cannot already tell, I love speciality cocktails!  They are so fun and welcoming and many times are a conversation starter!  Here are a few fun, festive, cocktails you can serve at your holiday party!

COSMOPOLITAN PUNCH 

•  4 cups vodka
• 2 cups frozen limeade
• 1 cup Triple Sec
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1 bottle sparkling wine (750 ml)
• 1 bottle club soda (1 liter)
• Lime zest for garnish

Stir all ingredients together in a large pitcher or punch bowl; add ice.  When cold, remove unmelted cubes and serve; garnished with strips of lime zest.

Another fun thing to do is to fill a jello ring half full with water.  Freeze.  Place limes, lemons, rasberries or whatever kind of fruit you would live over the frozen water.  Fill rest of way with water and freeze completely.  Run ring under hot water for a second to loosen.  When ice ring comes away from holder place it in  punch bowl to keep drink cool.

*Recipe & Photo Courtesy of http://www.cuisineathomespecials.com/


MULLED RED WINE 

• 4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 TB. cardamom seeds, crushed
• 2 tsp. whole cloves
• Peel of 1/2  a lemon and 1/2 an orange
• 2 cups vodka
• 2 bottles of dry red wine (750 ml each)
• 1 cup sugar
• Grape clusters and oranges for garnish

Steep cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and citrus peel in vodka in a large pot over low heat, 10 minutes.  Add wine and sugar, and heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Strain out spices and serve warm, garnished with small clusters of grapes and slices of orange.

WHITE RUSSIAN EGGNOG 

• 8 cups purchased egg nog
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)
• Grated nutmeg and cinnamon sticks for garnish
• Stir all ingredients together in a large pitcher or punch bowl, add ice.  When cold, remove unmelted cubes and serve, garnished with nutmeg and cinnamon sticks.

 POMEGRANATE MOJITO MARTINI 

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 40 leaves fresh mint
• 1 liter club soda
• 4 cups white rum
• 2 cups fresh lime juice
• 2 cups purchased pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 8 leaves fresh mint
• thinly sliced limes for garnish

1. Boil 2 cups sugar, water and 40 mint leaves in a saucepan over medium high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring often.
2. Reduce heat to m edium and simmer 2 minutes.  Strain syrup, dicarding solids, and cool to room temp.
3. Combine cooled syrup with soda, rum, lime juice and pomegranate juice in a large pitcher or punch bowl, add ice.
4. Process 1/4 cup sugar and 8 mint leaves in a mini food processor until mint is finely ground; transfer to a plate.  Rub rims of glasses with lime wedges then dip into the mint sugar to coat.  Set glasses aside.
5. When mojito mixture is cold, remove unmelted cubes and serve in martini glasses, garnished with lime slices.

*Recipe & Photo Courtesy of http://www.cuisineathomespecials.com/