Fresh Squeezed Tres Citrus Margaritas!

Warning...this margarita recipe is tart!

If you aren't one for sour beverages you should make this margarita recipe anyway! All you have to do is add more agave nectar and I promise even those with a sweet-tooth will enjoy it.

Recipe for Mulled Wine...a Winter Must Have!

I just recently discovered my love for mulled wine. However, I am not surprised by this new found love because I also love apple cider and it is very similar. Also, if you haven't figured it out by now I am a huge fan of anything that makes my home smell yummy and more "holidayish!"

Mulled wine is popular in Europe and a winter beverage that I have always been around and known about but for some reason had never tried until this past Thanksgiving when I decided I was going to make it for my family. My brother-in-law thought I kept saying I was going to serve "mold wine!" He didn't seem too thrilled about the idea at first but when the aroma filled the house he soon jumped on board and enjoyed a glass :-)

Below is the recipe I concocted, with the help of my dad's Grand Marnier suggestion. Enjoy!

Side note: How cute is the cork on this cheap bottle of wine? Sometimes the cheapies just know how to do it!

Serves 4-6 (depending on glass size)

Prep-Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 1+ hours with crock pot or 20 minutes stove top
Serve Warm

What You Will Need:

1 bottle of red wine (preferably something cheap and dry...I used a $4 bottle of Cabernet)
1/8 cup honey
1/2 cup grand marnier
8 whole cloves
1 medium-large orange (plus more for garnishing) 
3 cinnamon sticks (plus more for garnishing)

Let's Get Started:

1) Pour the wine, grand marnier, cloves, honey and cinnamon sticks into your crock pot. Turn crock pot to high.

2) Zest about 85% of the orange into the pot. Then slice the orange and add slices into the mix.

3) Cover and let simmer until it starts to boils. With a crock pot this takes a bit longer but the house starts to smell yummy and the spices really mix in versus a quick boil (which still works if you prefer a pot)

4) Once the Mulled Wine is boiling turn down to warm but keep covered until you are ready to serve.

5) Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice and serve warm. 

Red Lipstick is Optional

My Red Pants are LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's and my Top is Banana Republic

Enjoy and Happy Holidays Everyone!

XO

Jenna

TGIF! Blood Orange Cocktail Recipes!

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!

The hubs and I were recently staying in on a Saturday night so we decided to play mixologist. Now, we are not big hard alcohol drinkers so we made due with what we had and personally I found it to be a success, surprisingly, considering what we were working with, which wasn’t much.

White Balsamic Vodka Soda:

That’s right balsamic vinegar. We heard about it…so we tried it…and I liked it…Hubs, not so much. I think he couldn’t get passed the fact that his cocktail had vinegar in it but I didn’t even notice. I found it refreshing.

Here are the deets:

Vodka

Club Soda

Splash (about 1 tbsp or to taste) of flavored white balsamic of your choice. I used a white champagne mimosa flavored one as well as a coconut flavored vinegar (not together…yep I had two) and both were yummy. I also squeezed a blood orange wedge into it to add some color and fresh juice but I don’t think it was needed.

Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Vodka Soda:

It is simple and oh so good.

Here are the deets:

Vodka

Club Soda

Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Juice

Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Lime Margaritas:

Fresh and delicious! 

Here are the deets:

Tequila (Silver)

Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (I usually buy "Just Lime" juice to save time)

Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Juice (about 1 orange per full blender)

Splash of Grand Marnier 

Ice

Give it a try and tell me what you think by commenting below.

Cheers!

XO,

Jenna