COCKTAIL RECIPE: BLOOD ORANGE MOJITO PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN PARTIES!

For Halloween, this cocktail has been nicknamed the "Boojito"... perfect for your Halloween bash!

The recipe features Blood Orange Italian Soda which you can get at Target or Whole Foods. This is easier to find than blood oranges or blood orange juice. It's a really refreshing spin on the mojito- I actually like it better!

BLOOD ORANGE MOJITO

Makes 8

3 cups Blood Orange Italian Sparkling Soda

3 cups light rum

3 cups ice cubes

1 large bunch of mint leaves, no stems (about 40 leaves)

2 limes sliced very thin (one is for garnish)

In a pitcher, add mint, lime slices, and one cup of the ice. Muddle together to slightly bruise the mint and release the juice from the lime. Add the remaining ice, the soda, and the rum. Stir and pour!

*You do not need sugar (as you would in a standard mojito) unless you are using the actual fruit or fruit juice instead of the Italian sparkling soda. If that is the case, use about one teaspoon raw sugar per drink and muddle with the mint and lime. 

MORE HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL RECIPES:

 Ghost Martini Recipe

RECIPE: BLOODY MARY OYSTER SHOOTERS

BLOODY MARY OYSTER SHOOTERS

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: no cook recipe

Yield: Makes enough mix for 6-8 cocktails or 2 dozen shooters

You can make your own Bloody Mary mix using my recipe or use your favorite store-bought mix for this recipe. Zing-Zang makes a great one!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups tomato juice

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 1/4 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional)

1/3 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

24 fresh chilled Gulf (or your own local variety) oysters, shucked

 DIRECTIONS:

Put shot glasses into the freezer or on ice to chill them. Add all of the ingredients into a blender. Whir everything together until smooth. Transfer to a glass pitcher and chill well. For the rim mix, put ½ teaspoon Old Bay and ½ teaspoon kosher salt on a saucer. To rim the glasses, use a lemon or lime wedge to moisten the rim of the glass. Dip the rim into the mix. 

Add an Oyster…

Drop a chilled oyster into the bottom of the cold shot glass. Top with a splash of your favorite chilled vodka (or tequila for a Bloody Maria) and fill with the Bloody Mary mix. Garnish with a green onion, olives, pickled green bean, celery stick, lemon or lime. Serve chilled.

RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE LIMONCELLO

Have you ever been to Italy? Specifically, have you ever been to Capri or the Amalfi coast? If you have, you probably remember the lemons and you've probably experienced limoncello,  a luscious lemon liqueur. The Italians typically serve it after dinner as a digestive or with flaky Italian pastries or rich desserts. I am a big fan of limoncello. Not only does it remind me of a wonderful summer in Italy a lot of years ago, it is a fast and easy ingredient for cocktails and even for a super quick dessert. Pour chilled limoncello over pound cake and berries, over vanilla ice cream, or add it to your store bought lemonade or iced tea. Makes a great addition to an Arnold Palmer!

I keep a bottle in the freezer for late afternoon summer sipping.... takes me right back to Italy.  When I first learned to make limoncello, you could not find it in the stores. Nowadays, you can find it readily but it is so much more fun to make your own. Make a double batch and give it as a gift! It's a wonderful summer tradition. I got this recipe from an Italian friend a few years ago and tweaked it until I got it just right. You do not have to use the vanilla bean; that's my own spin.

A couple of important notes: you have to take care to get rid of the white pith of the lemon rind. It becomes bitter in the distilling process. Also, you can use grain alcohol instead of vodka. I've made it both ways and simply prefer the vodka version but there is not a disenable difference in taste or cost. Select thick skinned lemons that are fully yellow with no green or soft spots on the exterior. Typically, I prefer lemons with a thinner skin when juicing, but the thicker, dense peel is better for zesting.

HOMEMADE LIMONCELLO

INGREDIENTS

20 fresh lemons

2 750ml bottles vodka (use 100 proof, if possible)

4 cups granulated sugar

5 cups water

2 vanilla beans- split with seeds removed (optional but yummy)

DIRECTIONS:

Wash the lemons well. Use a brush to remove any wax or residue on the peel. Pat dry. Peel the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Use only the outer part of the lemon rind. Try not to remove the white pith, If you do, take a sharp pairing knife and remove as much of it as possible; discard. Reserve the lemons for another use like lemon marmalade or fresh lemonade that you can freeze for a few weeks, if necessary.

Put the lemon peel into a large glass container, like a Mason jar, a large pickle jar, or a pitcher with a tight-fitting lid. Add the vodka or grain alcohol. If you are adding the vanilla bean, add it now. Split the bean and using the back of your knife, remove the seeds by scraping the bean. Add to the jar and secure the lid tightly. Allow to sit undisturbed at room temperature in a dark place for ten days. Do not disturb the mixture or stir. Just wait patiently as the vodka soaks up the yummy lemon flavor.

On the 11th day, make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar completely dissolves. Allow to cool completely.

Pour the simple syrup over the lemon peel/vodka mixture. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours but the preference would be to let it stand for at least another 10 but no longer than 20 days; the longer you allow it to stand, the better the flavor will be.

Strain the liquid to remove the peel and the vanilla bean, if you used it. Pour the liqueur into pretty bottles with a stopper or tight-fitting lid. Seal tightly and refrigerate. If you don't have a fine mesh strainer, line colander with a coffee filter as a quick substitute.

Chill well before serving. The limoncello should be very cold. You may even store them in the freezer to extend the prime flavor.

Serve very cold; in tall shot glasses or cordial glasses.

And as they say in Italy... "No poem was ever written by a drinker of water." - From the great Roman poet Horace around 65 BC. 

Salute!