Southern Comfort

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This weekend I rediscovered a really refreshing grown-up cocktail. This drink used to be one of my favorites, and then I must have somehow forgotten about it. But while I was shopping on Saturday morning, I spotted a bottle of Southern Comfort in the store and remembered my old favorite, Scarlett O'Hara.

This is a drink that if ordered in a bar in Ohio, the bartender will say, "Huh?" But when Doug and I were on our honeymoon in Williamsburg, Virginia, I asked for it by its contents (Southern Comfort, cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime on ice) and the old southern gentleman waiting on us said, "Yes ma'am, that's a Scarlett O'Hara ma'am." Gotta love it.

A Scarlett O'Hara is light and sweet, but not at all syrupy. It has a tiny kick -- just enough to keep you coming back for more. I believe this will be the house drink for football season.

Scarlett O'Hara

2 oz. Southern Comfort
100% cranberry juice
lime wedge
ice

Fill a highball glass with ice.
Pour Southern Comfort over ice and fill glass with
cranberry juice. Squeeze the lime into the glass and put lime on top of ice. Stir.

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Brandy Slush

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This is one recipe I just love to have hanging around in my freezer. In the summer, when the kids go to bed (or not), and Doug and I are chilling out or watching a movie, I grab an old-fashioned glass, get the ice cream scoop, and fillerup. Top with a splash of Sprite and it's so refreshing -- a lovely summer nightcap!

Brandy Slush

9 cups water
1½ cups sugar
4 tea bags
12 oz. frozen orange juice
12 oz. frozen lemonade
½ cup whiskey
1½ cups apricot brandy

Mix water and sugar and bring to a boil.
Steep tea bags in hot water for 5 minutes.
Cool. Add orange juice and lemonade and alcohol.
Freeze for 36 hours.
Fill glass halfway with slush and add 7-Up or Sprite.

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White Sangria

A couple of weeks ago I created a White Sangria from a couple of recipes I found online. None were just right, so I picked the ingredients I liked and one particular method. Over Labor Day I recreated the recipe to take to a dinner party at a friend's house. It was fruity, maybe a little sweet, which is easy enough to fix, and refreshing. I serve mine over ice, but you could drink it straight. It's very inexpensive if you have a nice, inexpensive bottle of chardonnay or pinot grigio. I used pinot grigio the first time and a chardonnay the second time.

For the fruit -- I used one sliced orange, one sliced apple -- cored, one sliced peach -- pitted, and about 1/2 c. halved grapes. You could use almost any variety of fruit -- even berries or bananas. Obviously, your sangria will taste like the fruit you add, so use the ones you like. I added orange and cherry liqueur -- you could use any fruit liqueur that enhances your already-existing fruit flavors.

White Sangria

1 c. white sugar
1 c. water
assorted fresh fruit
bottle dry white wine
1/2 c. orange juice or any other favorite fruit juice --
just keep in mind you're trying to keep it light (white)
2 T. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 T. Kirsch

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.
Heat until sugar dissolves and liquid is clear.
Place fruit in a glass bowl and pour hot syrup over it.
Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
At least 8 hours prior to serving, pour fruit and liquid into a glass pitcher.
Pour wine into pitcher and add juice and liqueurs.
Chill for 8 hours. Serve over ice or straight in a wine glass.

NOTE: If you think the entire recipe of syrup will make your sangria too sweet for your taste, add fruit and about half of the syrup and continue with recipe as directed. Reserve leftover syrup. After about 6 hours, taste and add more syrup if necessary.

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Strawberry Margarita

Lately I've been finding a few spoonfuls of sugared strawberries left over after dinner or dessert. You can't save them because they will be mushy the next day, but I have found a good use for them -- a fresh strawberry margarita.

I love a good Margarita in the summer time (actually I love a good Margarita anytime), but I will absolutely not drink a Margarita from a mix. So, I've been putting those leftover sugared berries in a freezer container, and each time I have few left over, I just throw them in on top. When I have enough for a batch of Margaritas, I make some, and kick back on the front porch for cocktail hour. This recipe makes on jumbo or two regular frozen margaritas.

Strawberry Margaritas

1-1/2c. frozen sugared strawberries
2 - 3 T. limeade concentrate
1 oz. tequila

Break up chunk of frozen strawberries. Add limeade and tequila. Blend in the blender until smooth. Add water if necessary to reach desired consistency. Pour in a sugared, salted, or plain glass.

Note: depending on how sweet your strawberries are, you may need to use more limeade, or add a little sugar. Also, you may use more, less or no tequila to suit your taste.