A Pickled Garlic Martini in honor of The Martini Club

This sounds like a strange concoction, but it is surprisingly good.  It makes a wonderful pre-dinner cocktail.

Key Lime Pie Martini and the Weekly Menu #SummerCocktails

This sweet and tart cocktail is served in a glass rimmed with toasted coconut and crushed graham crackers providing all the flavors of your favorite pie in liquid form.

Cheers!!  We are sharing Summer Cocktails.......

W is for Whiskey

Salted Caramel Royal Crown Whiskey hooks up with Kahlua, Creme de Banana and Espresso for a different take on an Espresso Martini.

W is for Whiskey.......

A French Martini to help me through The French Dispatch #MoviesandMunchies

The French Martini was not created in France.  It was created in the 1980's in a bar in New York City and called a French Cocktail because it contains Chambord, a raspberry liqueur from France.

I was inspired to have Frank make this Martini while watching our Movies and Munchies film this month......

Chocolate Coffee Martini #ImprovCookingChallenge

This creamy, chocolatey, coffee flavored Martini will be the perfect ending to your Valentine's Day dinner.

Whether you like to eat in or out on Valentine's Day, this cocktail will be the perfect ending to your evening.

No April's Fool, just an Easter Cocktail and the Easter and Weekly Menu

 It is April Fool's Day but don't let the joke be on you.  Make up some of these candied Kumquats and serve up a Kumquat Martini as a special Easter treat.

I enjoyed mine while perusing my latest Cuisine at Home and deciding my Easter Menu as well as the Menu for the rest of the week.

Chocolate Raspberry Martini #ImprovCookingChallenge

A swirl of chocolate in the glass followed by a combination of Raspberry Vodka and dark Creme de Cocoa is the perfect after dinner drink.

Cheers!!  I am joining in with the Improv Cooking Challenge crew as we create recipes containing Chocolate and Raspberry.

Rambutini. What happens when #ThirstyThursday meets up with #FreakyFruitsFriday

These cocktails are made with an Asian fruit knows as Rambutan.  I had never heard of this exotic, freaky fruit before but I think I will be seeking it out every chance I get.

The outside rind, that I used to garnish the glass, is hairy and scary.  Perfect for Halloween......

Orange Creamsicle Martini #DairyMonth #NationalMartiniDay

Welcome to our week long celebration of June being #DairyMonth hosted by From Gate to Plate and Cooking With Carlee.  We are putting together our best recipes using cow milk, goat milk butter, cream and cheeses.  We can't wait to share them with you.

Today is also National Martini Day and Ellen of Family Around the Table invited us to post a Martini recipe to celebrate.

I decided to combine both events by sharing a creamy, smooth, and delicious Orange Creamsicle Martini.  Remember those wonderful push-up concoctions you would get when the ice cream truck came around?  Well this is the adult version of that refreshing, tasty treat.

It is a fast and easy recipe and fun to make and share.  It is simply equal parts of orange juice, light cream and vanilla vodka, shaken over ice and strained into a glass.

Garnish with an orange peel and toast to the good old days.  I served these up as an after dinner drink with friends.  

I think it would be fun to make a punch bowl of these and float some orange sherbet in it.  This would be perfect for a summer shower or brunch.  

More Cocktails Celebrating National Martini Day

Welcome to #NationalMartiniDay Whether you enjoy your martini with vodka or gin, shaken or stirred, we’ve got some libations for your happy hour.

• Blueberry Lemon Vodka Martini from Family Around The Table
• Mermaid Martini from Amy’s Cooking Adventure
• Orange Creamsicle Martini from A Day In The Life On The Farm
• Pomegranate Grapefruit Vodka Martini from Books n’ Cooks
• Thai-Tini from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• The Jasmine Martini from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Vesper Martini from Potable Pastime
• Watermelon Strawberry Martini from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• White Peach and Honeysuckle Martini from Palatable Pastime

We are going to be sharing Dairy Recipes each day this week.  I will be back tomorrow with a Cheese and Spinach Souffle.  In the meanwhile, I am sharing the links to the other recipes submitted in celebration of Dairy Month.

Delicious Dairy Delights

• Avocado Ranch Dressing by Tip Garden
• Frosty Chocolate Pie by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Gluten Free Penne with Brie, Fig and Rosemary by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Jalapeno Bacon Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Rhubarb Sauce by Grumpy's Honeybunch 
• Orange Creamsicle Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Orange Creamsicle No Bake Cheesecake by Cooking With Carlee
• Peaches and Cream Smoothie from Feeding Big 
• Strawberry Crisp Milkshake by From Gate to Plate 
• White Cheddar and Bacon Pasta Salad by Palatable Pastime 
• Whole Milk Yogurt Banana Cream Muffins by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids 
• Milk Braised Chicken Thighs from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures 

Orange Creamsicle Martini

For each drink:

1 jigger orange juice
1 jigger half and half
1 jigger vanilla vodka

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Add the orange juice, cream and vodka.  Shake to combine and chill. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with an orange peel, if desired. Print Recipe

Cheers!!!! We are celebrating #AppleWeek.

Welcome to Apple Week, where Ellen of Family Around the Table and Carlee of  Cooking with Carlee, have invited several of us to post our favorite apple recipes according to a theme chosen for each day.

Today is Monday so we are celebrating with Drinks and Appetizers.  It's like a potluck and each of us has brought either a drink or an app to share.  You will find all of our goodies at the bottom of this post.  But the fun doesn't stop here....we are going all week long!!  Here are our themes for each day.

• Monday- Appetizers and Drinks
• Tuesday- Mains and Sides
• Wednesday- Sweets
• Thursday- Decorations, Crafts or Projects
• Friday-Anything Apple 

You can see that it is going to be a great party.  You are going to want to scroll to the bottom of each post where you will find links to the others who are joining in the fun. I will be here each and every day but I won't be posting on Thursday as we are in the process of moving and I have already packed up all of my craft supplies.

I have recently gotten a Vitamix for my birthday and my first thought was to make homemade apple juice but what the heck kinda party is that!!!  I'll save it for when my Angel Face comes to visit.  So I went to my bartender extraordinaire, who also happens to be my husband, and asked him to create me an apple drink that did not contain apple schnapps or apple liqour of any sort because I think it tastes fake and it makes me gag.  

So when we were out for a drive one day we stopped by the cider mill and picked up some cider, apples and donuts.....yes I know they are not on my eating plan....but they had just come out of the fryer and were still warm!!! They were shaken in cinnamon sugar and smelled so delicious.  We broke open the box the minute we got in the car.  I controlled myself and only had one but it was very difficult.....believe you me!

Frank created these while I was making dinner.  While dinner was simmering on the stove he handed me one as a pre-dinner cocktail.  Well....it is very decadent and sweet.....much better suited for an after dinner dessert so that is what we did.  Into the refrigerator it went and it was a perfect ending for a nice meal.

Caramel Apple Martini

created by Frank

3 jiggers apple cider

2 jiggers caramel vodka

ice

caramel syrup

cinnamon sugar

apple slices

Rim two glasses with caramel and then dip into cinnamon sugar. Place the cider and vodka into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well to chill and combine.  Pour into prepared glasses and garnish with an apple slice.  

Print Recipe

Monday: Appetizers and Drinks

• Apple Brie Roll Up  by Family Around the Table
• Apple Cider Margaritas by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Cheddar Pinwheels by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Pie Martini by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Apple Pie Smoothie by Feeding Big
• Hot Fireball Apple Cider by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Caramel Apple Float by Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Caramel Apple Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Caramel Appletini by The Speckled Palate 
• Crockpot Apple Sauce by I Say Nomato 
• Hot and Boozy Caramel Apple Cider by Love My Messy Messy Mess 
• Mulled Apple Shrub Mule by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures 
• Red Hot Apple Cider by New South Charm
• Roasted Apple and Acorn Squash Soup by Caroline's Cooking 
• Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Tuesday: Main Dishes and Sides

• Apple Cheddar Grilled Cheese by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Apple Cider Bread by I Say Nomato 
• Apple-Glazed Pork Chops with Raisins by Love My Messy Messy Mess
• Apple Streusel Muffins by Family Around The Table
• Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries by Feeding Big
• Chopped Apple Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Fall Apples Become Yummy Applesauce for the Year by Crafty Mama in ME 
• Harvest Brats with Apple Slaw by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Sausage Stuffed Apples by A Palatable Pastime 
• Sage Pork Chops with Apple Pan Gravy by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Scalloped Apples Casserole by Red Cottage Chronicles 
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork by Cooking With Carlee
• Southern Style Fried Apples by New South Charm

Wednesday: Sweet Treats

• Apple and Nut Drop Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Apple Brown Betty by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Apple Cider Caramel Sauce by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread by Feeding Big 
• Apple Dumplings by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Oatmeal Cookies by Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Apple Pie & Cinnamon Things by Crafty Mama in ME 
• Apple Pie in a Jar by Grumpy's Honeybunch 
• Apple Swirl Buns by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Baked Apples with Chocolate and Caramel by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Brown Butter Apples by Cricket's Confections 
• Mini Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Nana's Apple Pie by The Crumby Cupcake 
• Sparkling Cider Pound Cake by Family Around The Table

Thursday: Apple Projects

• Apple Bacon Jam by Caroline's Cooking
• Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix in a Jar by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Potpourri by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Apple Suncatchers by Crafty Mama in ME
• Caramel Apple in a Jar by Family Around The Table
• Homemade Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Packets by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Knit Apple Hat by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Friday: Anything Apple Goes

• 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Apple Brown Betty by A Palatable Pastime
• Apple Bundt Cake With Cider Caramel by Cooking With Carlee 
• Apple Cinnamon Shortcakes by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Apple Fritters by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Apple Pie Skillet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Caramelized Apple and Bacon Jam Crostini by Caroline's Cooking
• Creamy Peanut Butter Apple Dip by New South Charm 
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Apple and Peppered Bacon by Feeding Big
• Individual Apple Crisp by Family Around The Table 
• Smoky Apple Pulled Pork by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Slow Cooker Apple Butter by The Crumby Cupcake