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!

is there a greater feeling than the friday freedom of a long summer weekend? no way.

even though i ditched the traditional nine to five lifestyle and i have to teach this holiday, i still feel that excitement knowing a long summer weekend is ahead. summer weekends combine all the things i love. swimming, sun, barbecues, fireworks and friends and family. 

and this holiday, i'm stepping up my patriotic game. i ordered these dried butterfly pea flowers for another project, but when i saw the tray of star ice the other day, a lightbulb went off. and after little effort and a couple hours in the freezer, i'm going cocktails on ice all weekend long. starting with this tropical boozy punch that started my weekend off right. 

blue butterfly ice
ingredients: 2 cups boiling water. 10 butterfly pea flowers that you can purchase HERE. regular ice trays or silicon star molds that you can purchase HERE. add the dried flowers to the boiling water and allow them to sit until the water turns blue. 5-10 minutes. now, you have a choice before you pour your water into your ice tray. if you want ice that will not melt and release flowers into whatever you are drinking, remove the flowers (my husbands camp). if you aren't that worried about it and don't mind dried flowers in your beverage, leave them in when you pour your ice (my camp). pop your ice in the freezer and let them freeze for 5 hours or overnight. use as desired. 

tropical independence day punch
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 8 minutes ingredients: 5 oz prosecco (or other sparkling wine) 3 oz coconut water. .5 oz triple sec. .5 oz lime juice. 1 strawberry, top removed. 1 cup ice (blue star ice directions above). blender or food processor.

start by pureeing your strawberry. then, fill the bottom of your glass with the strawberry puree.

add your ice to the glass. in a glass, combine the coconut water, triple sec and lime juice. 

pour the prosecco over the ice and strawberry puree, slowly so not to bubble over. 

trying to pour over the ice and not directly into the prosecco, pour in the coconut water mix and enjoy.

xo, a

blue butterfly ice
ingredients: 2 cups boiling water. 10 butterfly pea flowers that you can purchase HERE. regular ice trays or silicon star molds that you can purchase HERE. add the dried flowers to the boiling water and allow them to sit until the water turns blue. 5-10 minutes. now, you have a choice before you pour your water into your ice tray. if you want ice that will not melt and release flowers into whatever you are drinking, remove the flowers (my husbands camp). if you aren't that worried about it and don't mind dried flowers in your beverage, leave them in when you pour your ice (my camp). pop your ice in the freezer and let them freeze for 5 hours or overnight. use as desired.

tropical independence day punch
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 8 minutes ingredients: 5 oz prosecco (or other sparkling wine) 3 oz coconut water. .5 oz triple sec. .5 oz lime juice. 1 strawberry, top removed. 1 cup ice (blue star ice directions above). blender or food processor. start by pureeing your strawberry. then, fill the bottom of your glass with the strawberry puree. add your ice to the glass. in a glass, combine the coconut water, triple sec and lime juice. pour the prosecco over the ice and strawberry puree, slowly so not to bubble over. trying to pour over the ice and not directly into the prosecco, pour in the coconut water mix and enjoy.