White Nectarine Champagne Cocktail

• 3 large ripe white nectarines, pitted and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup peach liqueur
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 bottle (750 ml) champagne

Place the nectarines, peach liqueur, and lemon juice in a blender and process until completely smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and transfer the puree to a large glass pitcher. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

To serve, carefully add the champagne to the pitcher, stirring gently to blend. Alternately, pour 2 tablespoons of puree into individual champagne flutes and top with sparkling wine.  Serves 8.  (Or serves just Kathy because she would kick a puppy to drink 8 of these right about now)

If I could I’d rename this the Kathy Is Over Being Pregnant and Wishes She Could Have This Cocktail.  I’m annoyingly reminding Joelle that I am really into white nectarines right now for no known reason other than they have them at the store at the moment and I can’t resist them.  I’ve been eating two a day.  What better use for white nectarines than to mash them up and douse them with my other favorite thing, champagne.  I might as well die and go to heaven. 

Recipe found on EarthBound Farms website: EarthBound Farms

Cherry Infusion Fruit Fizz

• 1 1/2 oz Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka

• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz grenadine
• Seltzer

Combine the vodka and juices in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour contents into pint or tall glass. Top with grenadine and seltzer.

This arrived in my inbox this morning via Cocktail Times. It looks so simple and refreshing… and pink!  I want one right now. I think it totally qualifies as a brunch cocktail, no?

recipe and photo courtesy of CocktailTimes.com, one of our favorite cocktail resources!

Bloody Mary

• 3 oz vodka of your choice (not flavored)
• 4 oz V8 Spicy vegetable juice
• Juice of one lemon wedge
• 2-3 shakes of black pepper to taste
• 2-3 shakes of celery salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of horseradish
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 drops Tabasco sauce
• Garnish: lemon wedge, celery stalk, green olives
• Glassware: chilled pint glass
• Stuff: straws, toothpicks

Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a pint glass over cubed ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge, a stalk of celery (shove it right on in there) and throw a couple green olives in on a toothpick.  It might look like a salad, but it’s tasty!  Guests may wish to have their Mary milder or spicier, so adjust the Tabasco and Horseradish accordingly.  You might also want to keep regular V8 juice on hand, in case they prefer it really, really mild.

Idea! Create a garnish bar for your Easter guests. Stuff celery stalks, blanched cold asparagus, pickle spears or pickled okra (a southern fave), lemons, limes, green and black olives into different size glasses and line them up on a table or bar where you’re preparing the drinks…give your guests some options.  Lots of things go great in a Bloody Mary!  My own personal favorites are celery and green olives. Mmmm…

This is my personal recipe. Photo from iStockPhoto.

Leprechauns Irish Coffee

• 1 part Jameson Irish Whiskey
• 2 parts Kahlua
• 2 parts half & half
• Fresh mint and vanilla beans

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with fresh mint sprig and vanilla bean.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Drink responsibly, you lushes! ;-)

(photo and recipe courtesy of CocktailTimes.com — one of our favorite sources for spirits!)

Godiva Chocolate Berry Diva

• 1 oz. Chocolate Godiva liqueur
• 1 oz. raspberry liqueur
• 4 oz. club soda
• Garnish: raspberry

Pour Chocolate Godiva liqueur and raspberry liqueur over ice in a tall glass, top off with club soda and garnish with a fresh raspberry (or a raspberry truffle!).

For Moxie AnniversaValentine’s Day, I thought this recipe for a dessert cocktail from our friends at TheBar.com would be a fitting choice.  Refreshing, pink and chocolate? Can’t get much better than that if you ask me.

Photo and recipe courtesy of TheBar.com, one of our fave mixology websites!