cocktails Archives - Page 3 of 6

Valentines Day recipes

Last Updated February 8, 2013. Originally Posted February 9, 2013 By Kristina Sloggett 16 Comments

You have several more days to plan something for your Valentine – a sweet breakfast, a batch of pink cookies, a luxuriously decadent truffle.

You may know, Valentines Day is my all time favorite. I love to celebrate love, whether it be with Jason or my favorite friends!

You may know, giving gifts of food is another all time favorite. Each of these recipes is Valentine approved, vegan, gluten free, and deliciously good.

Baileys and black tea French toast

dark chocolate mint truffles

peanut butter cups – wasabi, ginger, or graham

homemade Twix – peanut butter or caramel filled

vibrant pistachio-lime truffles

raspberry lemon cheesecake cookies

saffron doughnuts with rosewater icing

salted caramel milkshake (with homemade Baileys)

strawberry lemon rice crispies

raspberry cheesecake oreo bars

salted toffee crunch truffles

pink thumbprint cookies with whiskey ganache

Valentines spicy hot shots

pomegranate cranberry hearts

sparkly spiked cran-raspberry granita

Meyer lemon mousse in chocolate cups

…and Portlanders can visit Blossoming Lotus for their prix-fixe Valentines Dinner!

Happy Valentines Day!

Grapefruit Ginger Vodka Toddy

Last Updated October 31, 2015. Originally Posted January 28, 2013 By Kristina Sloggett 31 Comments

Grapefruit Ginger Vodka Toddy – whether you are feeling under the weather or just craving a cozy cocktail, this warming blend infused with fresh ginger always brings cheer!

Ceeeellllaaaabrate good times, come on!

Sorry for putting that in your head for the rest of the day, I am just that excited about Vodka Week! I have participated in each and every letter of the #Meatless Monday alphabet, and have some definite favorites, but vodka? Yes, my most favorite.

This recipes is for those of you who might be feeling under the weather, and also for those who are in complete and utter fear of catching this SuperBug that is going around… my version of a hot toddy, with vodka.

This is also delicious and warming on it’s own, the non spiked version. One for before work, one for …

Sparkly Spiked Cran Raspberry Granita

Last Updated January 5, 2018. Originally Posted November 14, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 43 Comments

Sparkly Spiked Cran Raspberry Granita – light and refreshing, tart and sweet, this bright and colorfully cool dessert is great at any party!

I am loving the cold smoky winter evenings, the cooler temperatures, the fact that the holidays are coming.

The one thing …

tips and ideas for last minute entertaining

Last Updated November 6, 2012. Originally Posted November 6, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 25 Comments

As long as my house is clean, I am almost always up for some impromptu entertaining. Last minute spontaneity is a fun challenge, and I always love to have people over to our house. We always have a bottle of wine we can open, and at the very least, some nuts, olives, dried fruit and other fun nibbles on hand.

Once I check the possibilities in my ‘snacks’ cabinet (what, you don’t have one of those?), I then head to my metro rack of dishes, platters and linens. One quick way to make an impromptu get together not look so last minute is to include linens and fancy plates and serving pieces.

Even if all you are sharing is small nibbles like nuts and olives or cheeses and crackers, stepping up the elegance by using fancier serve ware takes no more time at the last minute. Adding linens and fun wine glasses or cocktail tumblers complete the feel of “I’ve been planning this all day!”

rosemary apricot tahini bites

When hosting a last minute thing, another place to find goodies is the freezer – I always have truffles, snacky bites and chocolate peanut butter cups filled with interesting things…

wasabi peanut butter cups

and if you were looking in my freezer, you’d also find seven different varieties of homemade ice cream…

ginger maple miso ice cream

As I get settled into our new house, much of my design plans are with entertaining in mind. My kitchen renovation plans include a new refrigerator. Jason and I both enjoy our wine, and we love to entertain – the LG Blast Chiller option is something I am considering. Chilled wine in 8 minutes? A cold beer in five? In eight minutes I can have a full table of goodies set up – want to come over for an impromptu party?

The LG Blast Chiller, available in the 3-Door Super Capacity French-Door refrigerator (LFX31935), can chill a room temperature, 12oz beverage in five minutes or a bottle of wine in just eight minutes. By comparison, a typical refrigerator takes about 40 minutes to accomplish this task – even in the freezer. This refrigerator is also among the largest capacity 36-inch refrigerators currently on the market, offering almost 20 percent more space and the ability to store over 50 gallons of milk.

Compensation was provided by LG via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of spabettie and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of LG.

s’mores shots in chocolate glasses

Last Updated October 27, 2012. Originally Posted October 28, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 14 Comments

I cannot have a whole month of Treats and Sweets without including a few cocktails.

Right?

While I am not generally a sweet cocktail fan, every now and then I love to create a dessert drink. and I usually have fun making the edible shot glass it goes in.

Some of these are perfect for the fall and winter, others are fresh summery sippers. Some are really fun, all are really sweet…

Cheers!

s’mores shots in chocolate glasses

hot chocolate peppermint shots

spicy hot cinnamon shots

cherry mojito milkshake

strawberry habanero margaritas

cherry sorbet champagne floats

fresh and fruity sangria

lightened up Pina Coladas

homemade Baileys Irish cream recipe

and something to make with that Irish cream:

salted caramel spiked milkshake

Do you have a favorite sweet libation?

Salted Caramel Milkshake with Vegan Irish Creme

Last Updated August 22, 2015. Originally Posted October 19, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 60 Comments

Salted Caramel Milkshake with Vegan Irish Creme – a sweet and salty dream of a milkshake, with homemade vegan Irish Creme – perfect for a snow day, or ANY day!

A few years ago, Portland had a huge winter storm. Snowpocalypse, or something like that, according to the news. Inches and feet and piles of snow.

Back then we were at the old house, the one on a couple acres. This is two rare acres in the middle of Southwest Portland, and we were the last house on this semi private road. We were actually unincorporated, end of county service. Which meant the snowplow would come right up to the bridge right before our house, and stop. Leaving a huge pile of snow, as if we weren’t there.

We couldn’t drive anyway, the road was a sheet of ice. We were …

girls night in

Last Updated September 3, 2012. Originally Posted September 4, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 25 Comments

You may have heard, I love to throw a party. Big or small, formal or casual, well planned out to each and every detail or an impromptu last minute thing (my controlling nature prefers the former, of course).

sunday night dinner

In college with my own place, the hostess in me blossomed. My housemate and I would host Sunday Night Dinners each week, where a large group of friends would each contribute and we would have a great feast. A great way to both end the weekend and welcome the new week, our friends would linger into the late hours, not wanting the night to end. It was at these dinners where I also started to get creative in the kitchen, often planning my part of the menu early in the week before.

Although they were planned events, the Sunday Night Dinners were more casual get togethers with no real structure – just friends sharing a meal and socializing.

pageant nights

Later in college, I would host girls nights in a much different way – pageant nights. Each and every pageant that was televised, from Miss USA to Miss America to Miss Universe, I hosted viewing parties that began with a cocktail hour and ended with a dinner and of course, the crowning of a new pageant winner. Using a time saving hostess trick of making a signature cocktail for the evening, I would greet each guest at the door with said cocktail and choice of tiara to wear… from my collection. Dinner would be served shortly after the pageant began – I would always plan an appetizer, salad, main entree and dessert courses. Elaborately fun evenings – I sometimes think I should start them up again!

Pageant nights revolved around the televised event and girls being girls – aside from my menu planning, the night flowed along the schedule of the pageant. Easy planning there.

modern day tupperware party

Other girls nights are easy to plan as well – a candle party, purse party, housewares party (I always ask my girlfriends ahead of time if they are interested – if I get enough positive response, I go ahead with it). These are fun events, and again the only planning involved on my end is the menu. These parties are best with several small plate options – finger foods set out where guests can nibble and graze. Cocktails or wine also make the event lively and fun.

naked lady party

Come on, minds out of the gutter. Similar to the “buying party”, another girls night in could be a Naked Lady Party – where all the girls show up with clothes, shoes, accessories they no longer want – and we swap! Everything unclaimed at the end goes to charity. These can include a potluck, to cut down on your food planning, and again don’t forget the cocktails or wine. You have a fun girls night and come away with new outfits as well!

karaoke night!

One of my favorite impromptu get togethers? Karaoke night at my house. Cocktails or wine, small plate and finger foods, and the courage to sing just for the fun of it are all required for a successful karaoke party. Such a fun time. Always.

small plate ideas for girls night in:

mango habanero guacamole

self-serve raw taco bar

spinach blini with pimiento spread

reuben rolls with homemade thousand island

seven layer dip with ‘noocho cheese’

quick and easy classic fudge

What is your favorite girls (or guys) night in?

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perfect labor day party

Last Updated June 5, 2013. Originally Posted August 29, 2012 By Kristina Sloggett 19 Comments

I am going to be incredibly cliché in declaring I cannot believe Labor Day is this Monday.

Totally snuck up on me this year.

We are planning a small shindig, and I am mixing classy with lowbrow, cocktail party with casual barbeque.

We really just want a low key comfortable thing – friends over grilling and chilling. A couple friends can only come for a short time, so I decided to split it up and have a little cocktail thing beforehand. Hey, any chance I can …