phew. we made it. i feel like i say this every friyay, but this week was a doozy. my schedule has really been picking up with the addition of some yoga classes and swim lessons. summer (my busy season) is in full swing and it has me driving a giant daily triangle all over orange county. and while i am TRILLED that my businesses are picking up and i welcome the hustle and bustle, i was VERY ready for friyay this week.

since it's summer and heating up in my neck of the woods, i needed a cooling cocktail today. something to make me feel like i'm on vacation even though i really only have a few hours to rest before i'm off again. bam. enter the mango mojito. it was so good, that it only lasted about 5 minutes and wes was bummed i only made one and we had to share. if you can't come by some beautiful fresh mango, you can always sub some mango juice (mango nectar) for the flavor with out the hassle. 

mango mojito
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 8 minutes
ingredients: 1 mango (or 3 oz mango nectar). 3 oz light rum. 8 mint leaves + a sprig of mint for garnish. 1 lime, halved. 1 tbs sugar. 6 oz club soda. muddler. shaker. food processor. 1 cup ice. 

start by slicing a wedge out of your mango to reserve for garnish. then remove the rest of the flesh from your mango and puree the mango. you need about .25 cup of mango puree. reserve any extra you have for another use. 

into the shaker, squeeze the juice form both sides of the lime and throw the lime halves in as well. rip up your mint and add it to the shaker with the sugar. muddle it all together until the mint is very broken up and your sugar is dissolved. about a minutes. 

add a couple ice cubes, the rum and the mango puree to the shaker. shake well to combine. 

fill your serving glass with the remaining ice and garnish your glass with the mango slice and the sprig of mint. 

strain your mojito over ice. 

pour in your club soda to take the mojito to the brim of the glass.

serve and enjoy! 

xo, a

mango mojito
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 8 minutes
ingredients: 1 mango (or 3 oz mango nectar). 3 oz light rum. 8 mint leaves + a sprig of mint for garnish. 1 lime, halved. 1 tbs sugar. 6 oz club soda. muddler. shaker. food processor. 1 cup ice. start by slicing a wedge out of your mango to reserve for garnish. then remove the rest of the flesh from your mango and puree the mango. you need about .25 cup of mango puree. reserve any extra you have for another use. into the shaker, squeeze the juice form both sides of the lime and throw the lime halves in as well. rip up your mint and add it to the shaker with the sugar. muddle it all together until the mint is very broken up and your sugar is dissolved. about a minutes. add a couple ice cubes, the rum and the mango puree to the shaker. shake well to combine. fill your serving glass with the remaining ice and garnish your glass with the mango slice and the sprig of mint. strain your mojito over ice. pour in your club soda to take the mojito to the brim of the glass. serve and enjoy!

i've been off the blog rails. but i'm getting back on track. after baking MANY fourth of july cakes, prepping and cooking for our fourth of july bash and teaching the morning of the fourth, i needed some time to regroup. 

i am working most of the weekend, but i have some beautiful summer strawberries that i need to use, so i made some time to take a cocktail break with my husband before we both ran off to work. wes loves margaritas (who doesn't) and i'm always looking for new ways to spice it up for him. this combo ended up being the perfect mixture of sweet, spicy and summer cool. 

strawberry ginger margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 7 minutes
active time: 3
total time: 10 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila. 1 oz triple sec. 1 oz strawberry puree (about 1 strawberry, just blended in the food processor). .5 oz lime juice. 1 tsp grated ginger (and whatever juice comes with it). 10 small basil leaves + a sprig of basil for garnish. 1 small strawberry for garnish. 1 cup ice. boston shaker. strainer. muddler. glass & ice for serving. 1 tsp sugar optional. 

start by combining the lime juice, ginger and basil in the base of the glass part of your shaker. if you like your drink a bit sweeter now would be the time to add in the optional tsp of sugar. 

muddle until the basil leaves are well broken up. 

fill the other side of your shaker with ice, the tequila, triples sec and strawberry juice. pour in the muddled lime juice, basil and ginger. cover and shake until well combined. fill your glass for serving with ice and add your basil and strawberry garnish. 

over the base of your shaker with the strainer and pour it over ice.

 serve and enjoy!

xo, a

strawberry ginger margarita
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 7 minutes
active time: 3
total time: 10 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila. 1 oz triple sec. 1 oz strawberry puree (about 1 strawberry, just blended in the food processor). .5 oz lime juice. 1 tsp grated ginger (and whatever juice comes with it). 10 small basil leaves + a sprig of basil for garnish. 1 small strawberry for garnish. 1 cup ice. boston shaker. strainer. muddler. glass & ice for serving. 1 tsp sugar optional.
start by combining the lime juice, ginger and basil in the base of the glass part of your shaker. if you like your drink a bit sweeter now would be the time to add in the optional tsp of sugar. muddle until the basil leaves are well broken up.
fill the other side of your shaker with ice, the tequila, triples sec and strawberry juice. pour in the muddled lime juice, basil and ginger. cover and shake until well combined. fill your glass for serving with ice and add your basil and strawberry garnish. cover the base of your shaker with the strainer and pour it over ice. serve and enjoy!