Category Archives: Drink

May 25, 2012 · 8:03 pm

Orange Infused Champagne Punch

When I hosted my book club meeting to discuss Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, I wanted to serve French inspired foods and drinks. I am so blessed to have a wonderful neighbor, Ms. Terry, who came to my rescue with a recipe for this champagne punch as well as an antique crystal candelabra and bronze bust of a woman to serve as buffet decorations. Everyone loved the punch, which is like a sangria.  To my surprise, there wasn’t a drop left at the end of the night! Not only does it taste light and refreshing, but it also looks beautiful in the glass. 

By Terry Sullivan, Elizabeth’s neighbor

Ingredients

3 oranges, quartered and sliced, seeds removed
1/2 cup sugar
1 bottle of white wine
2 bottles of champagne

Method

1. Slice oranges and place in a pitcher. Sprinkle with sugar and pour in white wine. Let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. (I made mine in the morning and served it at night.)  Chill champagne.

2. Right before guests arrive, pour chilled orange mixture into punch bowl and add two bottles of chilled champagne.  Cheers!

*Recipe may be doubled for a larger crowd. This served 12 people.

Let Them Eat Cake!
Along with the champagne punch, I served mini cupcakes and cheese fondue.

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December 24, 2011 · 9:23 am

Cynthia’s Christmas Wassail

Emily served this warm wassail as we helped decorate the Christmas tree in her new house.  Little did we know that Dad would soon knock the whole thing over!  It’s a Christmas we won’t soon forget.
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by Cynthia Sausley, Emily’s mother-in-law

Ingredients & Method

2 qt apple juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole cloves
1 cup sugar
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Stir all ingredients in a large pot and simmer.
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December 12, 2011 · 10:31 am

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Snowmen

At our Gingerbread House Party we served a crowd of people hot cocoa with this simple recipe made in a crock pot.  I prepared it the day before, stored it in the fridge, and reheated it the day of the party. We provided an array of treats to accompany the cocoa including some adorable marshmallow snowmen. The kids kept coming back for more!

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Crock Pot Cocoa Ingredients

6 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Method

Combine ingredients in the crock pot and turn on high.  Stir occasionally until warm.  Reduce heat to low or warm depending on how hot you’d like it served.  If you like, you can whisk the mixture until it becomes frothy. This recipe makes about 8 cups.

For our party, we made 1.5 recipes to serve around 20 people. I made the extra ahead of time on the stove and added it to the crock pot later. During the party, I warmed it in the microwave to give it a head start.

Marshmallow Snowmen Ingredients

3 regular marshmallows per snowman
1 Hershey Kiss for each hat
2 pretzel sticks for arms
Food Writer marker for face and buttons
Optional fruit ring or fruit by the foot for a scarf
Royal Icing or melted almond bark

Bamboo skewers (We had to cut ours in half.)
Floral styrofoam block for display
Colored tissue paper to cover block
Variety of marshmallows to fill in around the block on the platter

Method

Thread 3 marshmallows on the end of a skewer.  Attach Hershey Kiss hat with icing or almond bark. Let set.  Use a food writer marker to draw on buttons and face.  Place skewer into a tissue paper wrapped floral styrofoam block for easy display. Arrange the block on a platter and sprinkle marshmallows around. These extra marshmallows can be easily grabbed by kids to put in their hot chocolate.

I have also sent these snowmen in school lunches.  Just place them in a baggie.

Tip: Food writer markers can be found near the icing and sugars in the grocery store.  However, I recommend buying them from Hobby Lobby or Michael’s because you can use a 40%-50% off coupon.

Hot Cocoa Buffet Items

  • crushed peppermints
  • mint chocolate chips
  • a variety of marshmallows
  • cinnamon
  • candy canes
  • Redi-Whip

For an adult party, you could also include:

  • peppermint schnapps to make a Peppermint Patty
  • ginger and orange liqueur to make a Candied Orange
  • Bourbon
  • brandy
  • Kahlua
  • unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

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Filed under Candy, Drink, Entertaining, Holidays, Lunch Box

September 11, 2011 · 7:34 pm

Strawberry Margarita Spritzers

We love to entertain outside on our brick patio in the summer. Friends come over and we enjoy the evening with a cocktail. This spritzer is light and refreshing for those summer nights. We recently served this at a birthday party and upon leaving Ms. Judy said it was the best birthday party she’d ever been to.  We’re sure this opinion was influenced by this delightful spritzer. 

by Pat Savoie

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries or 1 (10-oz.) package frozen whole strawberries, thawed
1 (10-oz.) can frozen strawberry daiquiri mix
1 cup tequila
1/4 cup orange liqueur.  We like Grand Marnier.
Juice of 2 limes
1 (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled
Garnishes: lime slices and quartered fresh strawberries

Method

Pulse first 5 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a pitcher, and stir in club soda just before serving. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.

If you prefer, add the club soda to your glass instead of the pitcher to ensure it stays bubbly.

In the mood for a drink?  Check out some of our other cocktail recipes for a Mexican Martini, Curious Comfort, or a Mudslide Milkshake.

This red drink is well suited for Christmas parties too.

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August 20, 2011 · 11:18 pm

Mudslide Milkshake

My sister-in-law Dana sent me bottles of Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream to toast my completion of graduate school. Like me, Dana has her master’s degree in library science. Dave and I experimented with a few Mudslide recipes and decided that this Mudslide Milkshake takes the cake.  Cheers to an education!

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Yields 2 to 3 servings.

Ingredients

2 oz vodka

2 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream

2 oz Kahlua

2 oz cream (can substitute milk)

8 ice cubes

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

2 or 3 scoops chocolate ice cream

Method 

In a blender, crush ice. Add all other ingredients and blend on high for about 45 seconds until smooth.

Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired.

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July 6, 2011 · 7:24 am

Governor’s Mansion Summer Peach Tea Punch

How about tea that’s as sweet as can be!  I thought ladies loved flavored teas, but the men at my dinner party were the ones to sing praises.  The mint (picked from a plant Elizabeth shared with me from her garden) gives this tea a refreshing surprise.

By Austin Entertains, Junior League of Austin, Texas, submitted by Pat Savoie

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Makes about 1 gallon

Ingredients

3         family-size  tea bags

2         cups  loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1          (33.8 oz) bottle peach nectar

1/2     (12oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/2     cup  Simple Sugar Syrup

1          (1-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

1          (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled

Garnish:  Fresh peach wedges

Method

1.    Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add tea bags and mint leaves.  Boil 1 minute; remove from heat.  Cover and steep 10 minutes.

2.    Discard tea bags and mint. (I poured tea through a strainer)  Pour into a 1 gallon container; add peach nectar, lemonade concentrate, and simple sugar syrup.  Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

3.    Pour chilled tea mixture into a punch bowl or pitcher.  Stir in ginger ale and club soda just before serving.  Garnish.

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July 1, 2011 · 7:04 am

Mock Trudy’s Mexican Martini

My friend Chariste and I may have been born in Louisiana, but we love our Texas-tinis.   Chariste, who lives in Austin, introduced me to the Mexican Martini from Trudy’s restaurant several years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Luckily, Chuy’s restaurant in Houston has their own version called the Texas Martini.  When I was pregnant with the twins, I craved these more than pickles.  Chariste found this recipe that tastes pretty close to what’s served at both restaurants, although they each claim to have their own special recipes.

by Chariste, Elizabeth’s friend. Recipe perfected by Dave Dronet

Ingredients

2 oz tequila
1 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 oz orange juice
1/2 of a lime, squeezed
1 1/2 oz sweet and sour mix  (can substitute margarita mix)

Method

Put a handful of ice in shaker
Add tequila, Cointreau, orange and lime juice and sweet and sour mix.
Cover and shake.
Serve in a glass rimmed with salt if you like. Garnish with an olive or a twist of lime. Chuy’s uses jalapeno stuffed olives.

Makes about two martinis.

Enjoy this drink with some chips and our recipe for Chuy’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip.

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March 16, 2011 · 9:37 pm

Curious Comfort

Our family loves to sip on after dinner drinks while watching television or playing a round of Scrabble.   This one is my new favorite.  The Curious Comfort reminds me of a drink we had on our vacation to Belize called the Panty Ripper, which was essentially  coconut rum with pineapple juice.  I was too embarrassed to order it myself, so I made Dave!  Cheers! ~Elizabeth

By Dave Dronet

Ingredients

(Just remember 3-2-1)

3 parts pineapple juice
2 parts Blue Curacao
1 part Southern Comfort
1 handful of ice

Method

Combine ingredients in a shaker.  Shake vigorously.  Serve with or without ice.  Garnish with a drunken cherry or two.

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March 16, 2011 · 9:11 pm

Drunken Cherries

Impress your friends!  Garnish any drink with these spiked cherries.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Ingredients

1  (10-oz.) jar maraschino cherries
approximately 1/2  cup  Southern Comfort

Method

Drain maraschino cherries, and return to jar or place in a canning jar. Pour enough Southern Comfort into the jar to cover the cherries; cover with lid, and freeze. When you’ve eaten all the cherries, reserve cherry flavored Southern Comfort for another use such as serving over vanilla ice cream with a few of the chopped cherries and Granny’s Chocolate Sauce.

You may like to experiment by replacing the Southern Comfort with the orange flavored Grand Marnier or Brandy.

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Filed under Drink, Freezes Well

December 14, 2010 · 4:54 pm

Cranberry Key Lime Punch

We’ve been looking for a punch with a kick and finally found one that we love.  We tested it at Thanksgiving and saw many family members go back for a second and even third cup!  The red and green colors make this one a good choice for Christmas parties.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet based on a Southern Living recipe

Ingredients

4 cups fresh cranberries, plus more for garnish (3 cups are in the bag)
2 cups of sugar
2 cups water
1 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
sliced key limes for garnish
2 cups chilled vodka
2 liters or more chilled club soda

Method

Set aside some time the day before to juice the key limes. It can be time consuming and the acid from the juice may irritate your hands if you do not wear gloves. You may wish to take a break. Store juice in the refrigerator.

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and stir to combine.  Add rinsed cranberries.  Cook over medium heat until most cranberries have popped.  Mixture may not come to a boil.  Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a pitcher.  I use my 8 cup measuring cup.  Discard solids.  Cool completely.

Add key lime juice. You can refrigerate at this point or continue.  When ready to serve, pour into a punch bowl and add in chilled vodka and club soda.  Taste to see if you would prefer more of either.  Top punch with fresh cranberries and key lime slices.  This punch may be served alone or over ice.

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