Salted Caramel Apple Martini

Oh my goodness.....amazing.....

I tried this recipe for the first time at a restaurant here in Jaffrey, NH called Sunflowers.  If you are in the area, visit them!!  The website is http://www.sunflowerscatering.com/

The recipe is super simple, and ever so delicious!!  

I always rim my martini glass with caramel and kosher salt, but you don't have to.  
You could drizzle caramel sauce in the glass if you want to.  

Here it is....drumroll please....

2 ounces Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka
2 ounces Apple Juice

Shake in a martini shaker or Boston shaker and strain into a martini glass.

There.  That simple.  Perfect!!

"Sprinkles" Cake Martini

I'm back on the wagon again - the Martini wagon that is!

Tonight, I went to the liquor store and saw cake vodka. I had to wonder about that one....would it be too sweet? Answer: NOPE!! Tonights martini was named by my oldest son who was sitting playing his DS when I was trying to come up with a name for it. Because I garnished it with sprinkles, I guess that is the name :)

 Here's the recipe:

1 part Cake Vodka
1 part Malibu Rum
1 part Creme de Cacao
1 ounce Milk
Splash of Grenadine

Garnish - sprinkles and sweetened condensed milk

 Mix all ingredients in a martini shaker with some ice and shake shake shake! Garnish glass with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkles. Strain into glass and Enjoy!

Cheers from my Martini Kitchen to yours!

 ~Robin

Christine's Blue Light Special

Christine could not join us tonight. We were sad about it, so Nikki and I had to dedicate a drink to her. Christine loves to shop. Doesn't matter where, as long as there's something on sale. That's why we love her so much! We are 3 peas in a pod!!

Christine's Blue Light Special

2 ounces Midouri
1 ounce Blue Curaco
1 ounce Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
2 ounces Sour Mix (I made my own)
Splash Lemon Juice

Mix everything in a martini shaker or Boston Shaker with ice. Splash a little 7 up or sprite in the glass.

Enjoy! I know in a few weeks Christine will be enjoying it!!

Tropical Madness

I love Banana Liquer. I love Banana ANYTHING!! I have to laugh though because growing up, my Nana Bev always HATED bananas and anything to do with them, and still does! So because I am who I am, I am totally going to dedicate this one to her!!

This was one of Nikki's favorites of the night. Her face actually lit up with she tried it....I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

1 ounce Banana Liquer
1 ounce Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
1 Ouce Midouri
1 ounce Peach Schnappes
1 ounce Orange Juice
1 ounce Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice in a martini shaker or Boston Shaker.

Cheers!!

Lightning Lemonade

This one had some kind of Citrus kick to it. The only name we could come up with was Lightning Lemonade!! It was a nice summer martini (which I will I am sure enjoy when I do not wake up with ice on my front step like this morning!!) but of course can be enjoyed all year long - how can a martini not be enjoyed?? That's just crazy talk!!

Lightning Lemonade

1 ounce Citrus Vodka (I used Smirnoff)
1/2 ounce Blue Curaco
1/2 ounce Midouri
Splash of Sprite
1/2 ounce Sour Mix (I made my own)

Mix all ingredients in a martini shaker or Boston Shaker with ice and Enjoy!!

Take me to Tahiti

Tonight was Midouri Night. We did a bunch of Martini's featuring the well known liquer. This one reminided Nikki and I of a tropical island - and if you have ever spent a winter in NH, islands are what you are looking for come November when you know that the snow is about to fly and it is getting colder by the second!!

Take me to Tahiti

1 1/2 ounce Midouri
1 ounce Coconut Rum
1 ounce Vodka
Splash of Sprite
Splash of Pineapple Juice

Mix all in a martini shaker or Boston Shaker with ice and strain. Enjoy!

A good friend of mine just bought a house. With that house came a beautiful Peach tree which has brought forth BEAUTIFUL peaches!!! She was kind enough to bring some for me but they were ones that had to be used pretty quick so I made a nicce peach bread then I went on the lookout for a drink recipe with peaches. The Noble Pig had a recipe on her blog that was just what I was looking for!

Here is her recipe:

Noble Pig's Peach Margaritas

1/2 cup tequila
1-1/2 cups margarita mix
2 ounces Peach Schnapps
16 ounces (about 2 cups) of frozen or fresh peaches
1 Tablespoon of sugar (optional, add only if using frozen peaches or fresh peaches that are not sweet)
1 cup crushed ice
Fresh lime for rubbing around rim of glass and garnish
Kosher Salt

Run a wedge of lime around the rim of a margarita glass. Dip the wet rim in kosher salt.

Add tequila, margarita mix, schnapps, peaches, sugar and ice to the blender. Blend until smooth.

I did not use the sugar because I had the fresh peaches....this my friends is beyond a keeper!

Cheers!!

Coconut Lime Margarita

My friend Nikki and I went to Margaritas Restaurant. They have a bunch of different really good margaritas. I had this one first. This is my new FAVORITE Margarita! It totally brings you to the islands!! The key is you need to get the Coconut Cream - not Coconut Milk. Nikki learned that one the hard way!!

We took some time to master this drink and this is our version of the recipe. Gotta love friends who share in the making of a masterpiece!

Coconut Lime Margarita

1 ounce Tequila
1 ounce Triple Sec
2 ounces Sour Mix
3 teaspoons Coconut Cream
Ice

Fill martini shaker with ice. Pour in tequila, triple sec, and sour mix. Add the coconut cream and shake. Pour in salted (optional) margarita glass. Garnish with lime wedge. Enjoy!!!

Key Lime Pie Martini

This Martini is AMAZING!!! The Liquor Store in Rindge, NH was nice enough to order "Ke Ke Beach Key Lime cream Liquor" Which, by the way, is so unbelievably good by itself!!


Anyways, I saw this martini on a website called www.swankmartini.com. They have really outdone themselves with the amount of recipes they have on there. This one really intrigued me though. I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!!

Key Lime Martini
Taken from http://www.swankmartini.com/

Graham cracker crumbs, for rimming the glass
2 lime wedges
6 T. vanilla flavored vodka
1/4 cup key lime liquor
2 T. pineapple juice
2 T. heavy whipping cream
Ice

Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a shallow dish. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a martini glass and roll the edge in the graham cracker crumbs. Chill the glass for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Combine the vodka, key lime liquor, pineapple juice and cream in a shaker. Fill the shaker half full with ice and shake until well blended. Pour into prepared martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.

Think Summer with a Blue Bikini Martini!

I was trying to think of something new to try tonight. Nothing looked good to me - I know, I must have a fever! My new love is Blue Curacao....if you notice, it is in the Jamaican Paradise which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! So I looked on the good ole Internet and found one that I wanted to try.

Let me just start by saying I do not care for Gin at all. I never have. BUT I do love Peach Schnapps and Blue Curacao. So I decided to give this recipe a try and I am so glad I did! It is really good!! It is one of those I can only have one of but the one was worth it!!

I got the recipe from http://www.martinirecipe.net which has lots of fun drink recipes!

Blue Bikini Martini

45ml (or approx 1+ 1/2 oz) Gin
45ml (or approx 1+ 1/2 oz) Blue Curacao Liqueur
45ml (or approx 1+ 1/2 oz) Peach Schnapps
6 ice cubes

Blue Bikini Martini Recipe Directions
Into a cocktail shaker, pour the Gin, Curacao and Schnapps.
Add ice.
Shake well.
Strain and pour into a martini glass.

Chocolate Kiss Martini

So, today has been one of those days. You know the ones.....Kids making you nuts.....not getting half of what you want to get done actually completed.....yup...my day.....

Anyways, when I finally sat down tonight, I decided I have been neglecting my martinis lately. So of course I had to make one! Of course, I had very little ice. Story of my day. This martini is good for the day I had!

The perfect pre-Valentines Day drink. Chocolate and raspberry - Can't go wrong there! I got the idea for the drink from a website called http://www.mixology.com. I had to tweak it a little but it is really yummy!

Chocolate Kiss

2 oz Vodka - Vanilla
1/2 oz Bailey's Irish Crème
1/4 oz Chambord
1/4 oz Chocolate Liquer - I used Godiva
1 ounce milk or cream
Ice

Instructions

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake together, but not too vigorously - no more than five shakes should do it. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with white chocolate shavings, fresh raspberries or both.

French Martini

We went to a restaurant today and they had on the menu a "French Martini" of course they never tell you how much is in the martini, they just tell you what is in it. So there I am, writing all the ingredients of all the fun looking drinks on a napkin!! I really wanted my hubby to take a picture with his phone of the menu but the look I got when I suggested it was a little awkward so I decided against pursuing it. I think he was a little embarrassed, and I am not 100% sure he will be taking me out again in the near future - you can dress me up but can't take me anywhere :) :) :)

This one is really good though - it may not be the exact one that they had there but the one that I made was really yummy!!

2 ounces high end Vodka (I used Grey Goose)
1 1/2 ounce Chambord
2 1/2 ounces Pineapple Juice
Ice

I of course used my Boston shaker. I chilled the Martini glass using ice and water. Then I mixed the liqueurs and the pineapple juice in the glass part of the Boston shaker then filled it completely with ice. I shook the shaker with all the liquids then strained it in a martini glass. It was excellent!

Enjoy!

All my stuff

Since I started making Martini's, I have collected so many cool things. The other night, I saw an episode of "Good Eats" on the Food Network. Alton Brown showed the way to make a perfect Martini. Of course, he had a stocked bar and all the little gadgets that go with it. My husband had to stay up to watch the show (which was on WAY past his bedtime) just so that he could see all the different things that Alton had so he could get them for me for Christmas.

I have a top of the line Martini shaker that my best friend, Becky gave me for my birthday. It was featured in the Food Network magazine a few magazines ago and it is so nice! It has a flip top, and has a great seal on it - NO SPILLING!! YAHOO!!! I use this to make Margaritas, Pearl Harbours, and any other mixed drink. There is something about the way ice sounds when it is being shaken in a martini shaker!!

This Christmas, after seeing the Alton Brown Martini show, I HAD TO HAD TO HAD TO have a Boston Shaker. I had no idea how to use them, or why I needed one but Alton had one so what the heck right?!?!? Anyways, my poor husband, and Becky and her dad searched high and low for this Boston Shaker and it was not to be found in any store in fact, Ray said that they looked at him like he had grown 2 heads when he said what he was looking for!!

He had to turn to his savior the Internet where he found one on Amazon. He found that along with every size measuring cup there is. I love them all!! You will be able to find all of these things on http://www.amazon.com/ and put in the keyword Boston shaker. They will come right up.

I used the Boston shaker blog to find out the correct way to use it. It was really informative and had all the different types of strainers. It also has a video on how to use the shaker itself which I thought was really neat. I need a visual!! The link is here if you are interested:

The picture shows everything. The Boston shaker comes with the strainer and the glass and metal cup, the 3 size jiggers are in front then my martini shaker is the last one on the right.

http://thebostonshaker.com/_blog/ShakerSmarts/post/What_is_a_Boston_Shaker_(And_how_do_you_use_it)/

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE MARTINI'S?????

Apple Pie Ala Mode

Quite the name for such a cool drink!! Stoli Vanilla Vodka and Apple pie liqueur with some apple cider - OH WOW!!! What a great addition to next year's fall line up!!

1 1/2 ounce Stoli Vanil Vodka
2 ounces Apple Pie Liqueur - See previous post
1/2 ounce Peach Schnapps
2 ounces Apple Cider

Put in shaker with ice and shake. Strain into martini glass and ENJOY!!

Apple Pie Liquor - A must have!!!!

Today, as I was heading out to find something new and exciting, I came across a new liquor - well, it's new to me - it's called Apple Pie Liqueur. As I was coming up with something to do with it, I came across the website - check it out sometime! There is a great story of the liqueur and how it came about as well as different recipes to do with it. The website is http://www.drinkpie.com/

I also have a recipe, but for now, here is what the bottle looks like!

Chili's Jamaican Paradise

This is by far my favorite drink from Chili's - I always get it!! I am os excited to be able to share it with all of you! This recipe is a copycat from the Top Secret Recipes drink book that I posted previously.

1 1/4 ounces Malibu Rum
1/2 ounce Tequila
1/2 ounce Midori
1/2 ounce Blue Curacao Liqueur
2 ounces sweet and sour mix
Splash lime juice

Garnish:
Orange wedge
Maraschino cherry

1. Fill 16 ounce mug with ice
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake. Pour over ice.
3. Add an orange wedge and maraschino cherry on a toothpick and serve with a straw (or if you are me in a wine glass LOL!)

Gotta get the recipes from somewhere!!

I have been trying to utilize some of my cookbooks lately. Yes everyone, I can cook too!! Not just martinis!! Anyhow, If you love to mix drinks and you have favorites from The Olive Garden and Chili's, you will love this book I have, and you NEED one :) It is Top Secret Recipes and it is the one for all drinks. Not only martinis and margaritas but smoothies and non alcoholic drinks as well as recipes for pina colada mix, and sour mix. I have been using that recipe instead of buying it - SO MUCH CHEAPER!!! Anyways, here is a picture of the book so you can get it an add it to your collection!!

Raspberry Citron Martini

This is a great summer sipper - Ray even liked it! Can you believe it?? He never likes my martinis! Life is good!! Anyways, here is the recipe. This is one I played with till it came out right - And it finally did!

2 ounces Absolute Citron Vodka
2 ounces Pomegranate Juice
2 ounces Raspberry Liquor
2 ounces Orange Juice
1 ounce Lime Juice

Mix all ingredients over ice in a martini shaker. Strain in a martini glass. This recipe can make 2 martinis depending on the size of the glass. Enjoy!!!!

Butterscotch Caramel Martini

This is a great dessert Martini. A little on the sweet side, but I will never be sweet enough!! This one was great on a Sunday afternoon while cleaning up the kitchen and listening to music!!

2 ounces Vodka
1 ounce Butterscotch Liquor
Splash of Cream De Cacao
Splash of Bailey's Caramel Liquor
Ice
Chocolate Syrup (for garnishing)

Line Martini Glass with chocolate syrup. Add all liquor to martini shaker with ice. Shake and strain into prepared glass. Enjoy!

Welcome Home Nana!!

After a fire happened at Nana & Grampa Kemp's house, and they lived in their camper for a good majority of the summer, It's finally just about done! All that is left in the house now is boxes of stuff to be gone through and put away but yesterday afternoon, while the boys were up on the roof fixing the antenna, Becky, Mom & I were downstairs enjoying our first of many drinks in the new kitchen. Here's to you Nana and Grampa - May we all create new memories in your new house!!

Coconut Pineapple Dream

2 parts Coconut Rum
1 part Vodka
Pineapple Juice
Orange Juice

Put ice in glass. Add Rum and vodka. Add pineapple juice and a splash of orange juice. Stir and Enjoy!