RECIPE: STRAWBERRY PEAR SANGRIA

Are you entertaining a crowd this weekend? Here's a recipe that is not only delicious, it is inexpensive to serve for a large party. And it tastes as good as it looks! I had this as a cocktail at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle; a wonderful waterfront seafood restaurant. I've tweaked the original to make it for a crowd and included a some pomegranate and a little club soda. Scroll down to get a seasonal variation for holiday sangria. Perfect for a holiday open house or large gathering.

While traditionally made with red wine Sangria can be made with any variation of fruit and wine including sparkling white wine, Prosecco, or Cava. Change the fruit and the wine choice to the season. 

STRAWBERRY PEAR SANGRIA

Serves 6-8

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 each lemon, lime, and orange, cut into thin slices

1 pear, sliced

2 cups Pear Vodka (Absolut or Grey Goose)

1 bottle White Wine (use something crisp)

1/2 cup Pomegranate juice (I often use Pama Liqueur instead if I have it)

Club Soda

Muddle the strawberry and the citrus fruit with the sugar in a large pitcher to release the juices. Add the remaining ingredients. You can serve this immediately but it's even better if it has a chance to sit for 4 hours or more. I like to chill it for at least 2 hours before serving but you can serve it over ice. Top with club soda to taste at serving.   

SEASONAL VARIATION: HOLIDAY SANGRIA

Add some cranberries in place of the lemon and white cranberry juice cocktail in place of the pomegranate juice. A splash of Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur is a nice touch but not required. I often add a sprig of rosemary and let that infuse for a few minutes only because the taste is strong. Garnish with cranberries on a skewer.

FALL FLAVORS: CARAMEL APPLE MARTINI RECIPE

Everyone loves a caramel apple but they aren't that easy to eat and there's always the risk of expensive dental repairs afterwards. For that reason, I came up with this cocktail a few years ago and it has certainly become a fall favorite. Serve it as a cocktail or as an adults only dessert at the end of the evening.

The perfect fall cocktail: my Caramel Apple Martini.

Put martini glasses into the freezer to chill them. Drizzle caramel sundae syrup into the chilled martini glasses and put them back into the freezer while you mix your drinks. Make a design like a flower, polka dots, a spider web for Halloween parties, etc. Be creative! I wanted mine to look like a caramel apple.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice mix:

2 parts Butterscotch Schnapps

2 parts Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps

1 part vodka-- use plain vodka or adjust the recipe by using vanilla vodka for a sweeter drink or Vox Green Apple vodka for an extra apple kick. I prefer the vanilla vodka but it may be too sweet for some people.

Shake and pour into the chilled and decorated glasses. Yum.  Now go enjoy the weekend. This will certainly make it better.

HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS: MARTIE'S GHOST MARTINI

I love dessert cocktails and my Ghost Martini cocktail is certainly one of my all-time favorites. I created it especially for Halloween when I saw the ghost marshmallows the Peeps folks have out this time of year. You can make the recipe without the Peeps garnish or make your own marshmallows using Alton Brown's recipe and cut them into the shape you want for your cocktails. I like to toast the marshmallows using my kitchen torch but equally good out of the box.

Martie's Halloween Ghost Martini- a wonderful dessert cocktail. The flavor is sweet and creamy and tastes exactly like a marshmallow. The calories (and the alcohol content) make this one a "one and done" kind of drink but they are delicious!

MARTIE'S GHOST MARTINI

2 ounces Pinnacle Whipped Vodka (tastes like sugar)

1 ounce vanilla vodka

1 ounce Godiva White Chocolate liqueur (you can sub white creme de cacoa if you don't have this)

2 scoops of very melty vanilla ice cream--- almost pourable

DIRECTIONS: Put ice in two martini glasses to chill. Put a handful of ice and all of your ingredients  into a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Remove the ice from the glass and pour. Garnish with a marshmallow ghost "Peep" or a dollop of whipped cream decorated with eyes and a mouth. You can use black sprinkles or candy for that.

Yield: 2 cocktails