Summer Recipes

Refreshing drinks and Scrumptious food to bring to any summery event that may be approaching as the temperature rises and they sundresses come out of storage. 

.::Drinks::.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Margarita

Does this look perfect or what? Not only is the color pretty as ever, but it couldn't look any more refreshing! 

What you need:

1 wedge Ruby Red grapefruit
Coarse kosher salt
6 ounces tequila
1/3 cup Ruby Red vodka
1/4 cup agave nectar (honey like texture in local grocery store) 
1 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed or from a carton
1/4 freshly squeezed lime juice
4 cups ice cubes
2 crosswise slices Ruby Red grapefruit, cut into quarters

Use the wedge of grapefruit to rub the rims of 6 margarita glasses with grapefruit juice. Dip the rims in the kosher salt to coat. Set aside as you prepare the margaritas.

Place the tequila, vodka, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice and ice in a bar blender and puree until smooth. Divide the margarita between 6 glasses and garnish with the grapefruit quarters.

Lime Sorbet Margaritas

What you need:

• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 pints lime sorbet
• 1/2 cup tequila

Directions

Rub the lime wedges around the rims of 8 stemmed glasses. Place the sugar on a small plate. Turn each glass upside down and dip the rims in the sugar to coat.

Place 2 scoops of sorbet in each glass and pour 1 tablespoon of tequila over the top of each. Serve with a spoon.

Cucumber Gimlet 

Anything cucumber in the summer is amazing to me - cucumbers smell great and taste great! 

What you need: 

• 2 large cucumbers 

• 1/2 cup gin (or vodka if you prefer)
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 4 lime slices

Slice four 1/4-inch-thick slices from 1 cucumber. Peel and coarsely chop remaining cucumbers; transfer to processor and purée until smooth. Pour through fine strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer. Discard solids in strainer.

Mix 1 cup cucumber juice, gin, lime juice, and sugar in pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice; mix well. Immediately strain mixture into 4 small Martini glasses. Garnish with lime and cucumber slices and serve.

Pineapple Margaritas 

I guess this post is getting a little ridiculous if you don't like tequila considering all I am posting is Margaritas! Don't worry - after this delicious Pineapple Marg - I will give you Anti-Tequilians something to sip on ;) 

What you need: 

1 cup lime juice, about 10 limes
1 cup silver tequila
1 cup Triple Sec
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple juice
Fresh pineapple slices, for garnish

Combine the lime juice, tequila, Triple Sec, and pineapple juice. Fill a cocktail shaker 1/2-way with ice and fill 2/3 full with the margarita mixture. Shake for 30 seconds and pour into glasses. Decorate with fresh pineapple slices and serve ice cold

Peach Summer Sangria 

What you need:

1 (750-milliliter) bottle white wine

 (pick a wine depending on how sweet you want your sangria - ex. Riesling & Moscato - sweeter, 

Pinot Grigio - less sweet)
1 cup peach schnapps
1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 peaches, sliced
1 cup green or red grapes, whole or sliced (optional)

1 cup sliced or cubed pineapple (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Stir before serving.

.::Food::.

Cucumber & Chive Butter Tea Sandwiches

Anything cucumber screams summer to me - not only is the taste great - but I love the smell!  

What you need:

2 lg cucumbers - sliced

6-8 slices of bread - use a small round cup to make a perfect 'cucumber-size' circle 

(or if you are lucky enough to have a round cookie cutter -use that!)

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/2 cup (room temperature) butter

Mix butter and chopped chives together in a bowl 

Spread butter mix onto circle bread

Top with sliced cucumber and garnish with a tiny bit of 

the chive butter - Enjoy! 

Fruit Pizza

What you need: 

1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough (slice and bake type)
1 tub Cool Whip
1 cup strawberries
1 cup bananas
1 cup fresh or canned peach slices
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup kiwi - sliced

Directions:

Slice the cookie dough thin. Place cookie slices on a 14 inch pizza pan, overlapping slightly. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly.

 Spread the Cool Whip evenly on cooled cookie crust.

Starting at center, put strawberries, then a circle of banana slices; next a circle of peach slices; and last a circle of blueberries. If this does not completely cover pizza pan, add another circle of fresh fruit, like kiwi or fresh white grapes.

Goat Cheese & Apple Canapes 

What you need:

• 
  1/4 cup  crumbled goat cheese

• 1 tablespoon  honey

• 1 large red apple, cored and cut into 24 thin slices

• 24 watercress leaves

• Freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese and honey.
Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture onto each apple slice and top with a watercress leaf.
 Arrange the canapes on a platter and sprinkle with black pepper.

xo

H

Unique Party Foods

Lately (since I have moved up north) I have been going to lots of gatherings where appitizers are appropraite. I cannot bear another cheese and cracker plate or fruit bowl - therefore I have done some searching and tried the following two winners! Everyone loved them and you can be sure no one else at the party will bring them - Bonus! 

Goat Cheese Grape Balls

You will need:

Grapes - any type

Honey

Goat Cheese - or any soft cheese that you like

Crushed Nuts - I used Walnuts but you can choose any nut

Toothpicks (optional) for serving

First, you need grapes of course! Any type will do. I went with green grapes since I wanted the sour bite. Wash the grapes in a strainer and then pat them dry. 

Next, this is the hardest part, you want to take the goat cheese and break it apart into about half-a-grape size pieces - take the pieces and place on the sides of the grapes. Roll in between your palms until cheese is spread evenly onto grape - you may need to add additional pieces to cover the grape. It's a little messy and time consuming, but I can assume you the end result is worth it! 

 Next step is to carefully roll the goat cheese covered grape in honey. I drizzled honey on to a plate and gently rolled three grapes at a time in the honey. Once they are pretty much covered you can roll the grapes in crushed nuts. *I had to put my walnuts in a ziplock and crush them using the bottom of a glass. Roll it in the nuts until they are evenly covered and then stick the toothpick in them to serve! 

I found the snack tasted best after being refrigerated for 1-2 hours before serving. 

Enjoy! 

Baked Brie Crescent Roll Wrap

You Will Need:

Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough - Original Flavor is best 

Apricot Fruit Spread

Small-Medium Brie Cheese Wheel

Grapes, Crackers, and Apples for serving

 First I unrolled the crescent roll doubt and used a fork to mold and mush together the dotted lines so the triangles were hardly visible. Then, you take the apricot fruit spread and using a spoon, apply a thin layer to the dough. After that you plop the wheel of brie into the center of the dough.

After centering the Brie - now its time to fold the dough over to wrap the cheese inside - this can be tricky and it may take a few flaps and re-flaps to get it perfect but your goal is to create a solid wrap around the cheese without any showing from the inside. 

Place the wrapped brie on a lightly greased (pam) baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until outside is golden brown and crispy. Serve with a knife, apples, crackers, and grapes (or anything you'd like). Best served right after being taken out of oven. 

Enjoy! 

xo

H