Christmas Cocktails

Happy Ho Ho Ho To You

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)                             

Baby it's cold outside, so let's stay in and party. Time to eat, drink and be merry... Fa la la.  Ok if you're going to or giving a Happy HO HO HO party then you've come to the right place. We've cued up a couple of cool appetizers, a great playlist and oh yeah.... COCKTAILS!!!

Come on in... The Pots are on!

The Plate... 

Rosemary Cheese / Olive Wreath & Cranberry Feta Pinwheels 

Ok... a couple of different and decorative appetizers for your little Christmas Soiree.  Really easy to make and hey you kinda need a cheese plate anyway, right?  Not to mention that if you wrap anything up in a tortilla it's gonna go fast.  So, here you go... cool, tasty and they fit the "walk around" food category.  Enjoy...

Rosemary Cheese / Olive Wreath

What you need...

2 packages of Rosemary

Peppadew peppers (if you haven't tried these, you need to)

Goat cheese

Stuffed olives, blue cheese, Jalapeño, etc.

Cornichons

Your favorite soft cheese - colby, fontina, havarti, monterey Jack, etc.

What you do...

Place rosemary around a platter in the shape of a wreath

Stuff peppadew peppers with goat cheese (kind of a pain, but well worth it)

Use a mellon baller to scoop cheese into balls

Now place olives, peppers, and cheese around the wreath

Cranberry Feta Pinwheels 

What you need...

1 package dried sweetened cranberries

1 container cream cheese spread

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onion

4 large flour tortillas

What you do...

Combine all ingredients and mix well

Divide and spread mixture evenly among the tortillas

Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic

Refrigerate for at least one hour

To serve - cut into 12 slices

A cool touch - add some thin slices of Prosciutto or Parma ham on top

The Playlist... 

Christmas Cocktails

May your Christmas be Jazzy and bright. I love to get away from the traditional Christmas playlist and listen to a little Holiday Jazz.  I really think this makes the best background to set the mood for trimming the tree, hanging out or oh yeah... a cocktail party.  You know I had to sneak a little Vince Guaraldi (Charlie Brown Christmas) in here.  One of my other favorites is Oscar Peterson's Christmas CD, love the whole thing.  But, I think my all time favorite is Carol of Bells and Mr. Benoit does an excellent job here. So eat, drink and say hello to Mary for me. 

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar... 

Sugar Rum Cherry & The Sugar Cookie Martini

I think I see a theme here... hmmm. 

Sugar Rum Cherry

What you need...

2 oz Spiced rum
1 oz Cointreau
3 oz pomegranate juice
Sprite or 7-up to taste
Pomegranate seeds
Lime Sliced
Black Cherry Jello

What you do...
Fill your martini shaker with ice and pour in rum,
Cointreau and pomegranate juice. Shake, Shake, Shake.
Rim your martini glass with Black Cherry Jello.
Add in a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds.
Pour the contents from your shaker into your glass.
Top off with a little Sprite and garnish with a slice of lime.

Sugar Cookie Martini

What you need...
1 crushed Sugar Cookie
2 oz Irish Cream
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps

What you do...
Take a chilled martini glass and coat the rim with water.
Dip it into the sugar cookie to garnish.
In your cocktail shaker, combine the Irish Cream, Vodka and Schnapps.
Shake, Shake, Shake!
Strain into the glass and garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate shavings.

HO HO HO Yourself!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Cocktail. 

Please... Day Drink Responsibly

 & 

Keep On Cookin'!