Blackberry Smash

Hi, friends! It's been a hot minute and it seems like I have a mile long list of recipes to share. We are definitely living in some strange times right now but we are all making the most of it around here. I never mind a little slow down from time to time so for that, I am thankful. I know that we will look back on this time with memories of precious family moments. If anything, it's taught us how to enjoy the little moment each day that much more. Not to mention the doodle is loving having all of his people home all day every day right now. 

The world seems to be coming together in all kinds of ways right now and I'm loving seeing all of the new thing that people are making and new skills they are trying. I knew that I was going to go all in on quarantine cocktail hour and have been having tons of fun mixing and matching what I have in my liquor cabinet and coming up with new simple syrups and fresh mixers. If anything, we have had weather that has been beyond amazing the past month and a half, making happy hours on the patio extra festive. It's my favorite time of year to sit out there and the weather has just been perfect.

I have been missing my girls nights and happy hours at some of my favorite happy hour spots in Charlotte and was really craving a blueberry smash from The Summit Room! I pulled up the cocktail menu and with a little tweaking, was inspired to recreate my own with some fresh blackberries I had on hand. The result was SMASHING and I'll for sure be making this again. I love the refreshing taste of the club soda but for added sweetness, I think that ginger beer would be a tasty addition.

BLACKBERRY SMASH

2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. mint simple syrup
handful of fresh blackberrie
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
club soda

In a cocktail glass, place 4-5 blackberries and muddle at the bottom of the glass. Top muddled blackberries with crushed ice  In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, and ice. Shake shake shake! Pour over muddles blackberries and ice and top with a little club soda. Garnish with blackberries and lemon rind

BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

I hope everyone had a great week! We are over here soaking up the last few weeks of Summer. Routine is nice, but I'm just not ready for the busy-ness that Fall and back to school season brings. Summertime is just the sweetest.

Patio happy hours are my favorite and our cocktail game has been pretty strong this summer if I do say so myself. If there is ever a spicy tequila drink on a restaurant's cocktail menu, I will almost always order it- and then try to recreate it at home! Restaurant menus are a great source of inspiration when looking for different flavors and Liquors to mix and match. I honestly like to keep it simple with just some good tequila, lime seltzer, and a wedge of lime most of the time, but there are other times that you just want a little something extra.

A friend of mine dropped off a TON of fresh basil from her garden. I made pesto, caprese, and more caprese, then saved out a handful for this simple syrup. Basil and jalapenos work so well alongside each other and this simple syrup provides the perfect backdrop to even the simplest of cocktail concoctions. The fresh jalapeno really stands out here, and even more so if you drop a few slices of fresh jalapeno in your drink! I love the spicy kick. 

If you can boil water, you can make simple syrup! Trust me here and have at it. Use this in a margarita, or just with a splash in a vodka soda. We made margaritas and they were a HUGE hit. So much flavor here and a perfect drink for Taco night- or any night of the week to be honest. Enjoy!

BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

handful fresh basil leaves

1/2 sliced jalapeno 

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan on medium high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and drop in the basil and jalapeno slices. Let this all steep until the syrup is completely cooled.

Once syrup is cooled, strain into a glass container. This will last in a sealed glass container for quite a while! 

BASIL JALAPENO MARGARITAS

2 oz. Tequila

1/2 oz. basil jalapeno simple syrup

lime seltzer water

lime juice

jalapeno slices + lime wedges for garnish

Prep your glass with a salt rim if desired. Fill glass with ice, tequila, and the simple syrup. Finish with a pour of seltzer and a splash of lime juice. Give it a quick stir and garnish with a lime wedge and a couple of jalapeno slices for heat.  

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

It's about time we add another cocktail to the recipe files around here! Not even 9:00 on a Friday morning and I'm still chugging coffee with happy hour on the brain.

We've always loved making these Markaritas, but we have really gotten into Tequila over the past couple of years and love trying new types and brands. Many years ago, when Mark was reading tons of Paleo books, so many of them talked about how Tequila is one of the cleanest liquors that you can drink since it comes from a plant. "CLEAN DRINKING" I call it. Sign me up!  We drank margaritas together on our first date so this only seems fitting that this is what we really gravitate to! With the good tequilas, we love it with a splash of lime La Croix and a wedge of lime- it is really my favorite way to drink it. I LIKE TO TASTE THE TEQUILA.

This drink was inspired from my birthday dinner at one of our favorite Charlotte restaurants. It's refreshing and flavorful without being overly sweet. This Blood Orange Liqueur is a new favorite and a great one to have on hand. Just a splash adds a touch of sweetness and that bold blood orange taste. I cannot get enough of this Spritz. 

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

2 oz. Good Tequila 
1/2 oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
A few dashes of Orange Bitters 
Top off with Grapefruit Spindrift
Squeeze of fresh grapefruit + grapefruit wedge for garnish

I make these individually in the glass. Combine Tequila, Blood Orange Liqueur, and orange bitters and give it a little stir. Add ice and top off with Grapefruit Spindrift and a squeeze of fresh grapefruit. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge!

Cheers! Hope everyone enjoys the Summer sunshine this weekend! (and some tequila of course) For more cocktail inspo, you can follow me on Instagram (@ninanmoore) and check out the hashtag #DRINKMOORECOCKTAILS

Spiked Spa Water

Apparently #TitosTuesday is a thing and since I meant to post this little cocktail recipe yesterday, let's just pretend it's still Tuesday. 

Summertime happy hours are my favorite. We eat later dinners and spend lots of time outdoors during that chunk of time between afternoon naps and when it's time to start cooking. Around the fire pit on our outdoor patio is my favorite spot to sit. It's so easy to grab a quick glass of wine or an icy cold beer from the beverage fridge, but lately I've been super into this little Tito's concoction. It's light and refreshing and I won't call it "healthy", but it's certainly a cleaner beverage option- and we are loving it. 

Just a little Spindrift, lime/lemon, some mint if you have it and a splash of Tito's- that's it! I've done this with many of the Spindrift flavors, but the cucumber is just the best. Tastes just little spa water...with an upgrade.

Spiked Spa Water

2 oz. Tito's vodka
wedge of fresh lime
Spindrift Cucumber 
Mint leaves, torn and muddled

Start with a wedge of lime and squeeze it into the bottom of your glass. Add mint leaves and muddle them a bit. Pour in 2 oz. of vodka and finish with a pour of Spindrift- more to water it down and less for a stronger drink. Give it a quick stir and add finish with ice and another wedge of lime or lemon. 

Markaritas!

What goes well with Tacos on a Tuesday!? Margaritas! Duh. Or in our case, the ever popular Markarita. No, really. Pulling this deliciousness out of the archives because Summer is around the corner and I wish I had these on tap. This is one of my most popular recipes to date and definitely one of the top five recipes requested by all of my real life friends and family. I've always loved margaritas but I came to the realization recently that I think I love them so much because Mark and I drank them on our first date! And here we are still sipping away on these things.

Back when we started reading a ton of Paleo books and blogs, we learned that Tequila is one of the better liquor choices. While all alcohol isn't necessarily "paleo approved", Tequila is a cleaner option because instead of being made with grains, it comes from the agave plant. This is why when you're buying your tequila, make sure it's made with 100% agave as some will have fillers like sugar and grain additives. 

I don't claim that this is a healthy cocktail, but it's certainly a smarter option for happy hour- and I promise you won't miss the crazy amounts of sugary sweet mixers. Fresh lime juice is stellar but when you don't have time to squeeze ALL THOSE LIMES, I found a great organic lime juice at Harris Teeter with an impressive ingredients list of only one thing: organic limes! It was delicious. While these can be made in larger quantities and served to a crowd in a pitcher, I still prefer to make these margaritas one at a time! They are just so good. 

Enjoy your Taco Tuesday!!! With a Markarita please. (and don't forget the salt rim!)

Markaritas

2 oz. tequila
2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. organic raw agave or honey
lime seltzer water 
fresh lime wedges

I like to serve these in lowball rocks glasses. Start by measuring out the tequila and lime juice and pour into the glasses. Add in the agave (or sweetener of choice) and mix with a bar whisk. Finish what a pour of seltzer and add ice, then garnish with a lime wedge. 

Lemon Thyme French 75

Coming in hot today with a cocktail recipe for your weekend happy hours this Mother's Day weekend. It's only Thursday so I'm giving you a quick minute to gather your ingredients and get to work! 

Cocktails have been my go to happy hour choice lately. I love to sip on something while I'm cooking dinner for my family or when Mark and I are sitting outside at the end of the day. I've been playing around with different mixers and liquors and I've decided to experiment more this Summer. Mixing flavors is fun and cocktail making, I've realized, is a bit of an art.

I'm obsessed with this drink and have my sister and future brother in law to thank for it. It's fresh, slightly bubbly and light for the warm Summer days ahead. This lemon thyme simple syrup is going to have a permanent spot in my fridge this Summer as I've been adding it to all kinds of things. It's especially delicious with Tito's Vodka and a splash of cucumber spindrift. Back to these French 75s though... they're just so good. I think what I love most about this cocktail is that it can take you from brunch to lunch to happy hour- seriously delicious and appropriate at any time of day! Lemon, thyme, gin and bubbles. You know you want it. 

Lemon Thyme French 75

2 oz. gin
1.5 oz. champagne or prosecco
1 oz. lemon thyme simple syrup (recipe below)
sprig of fresh thyme

Mix the gin and simple syrup with ice and strain into your serving glass. To with chilled champagne/prosecco and garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme.

Lemon Thyme Simple Syrup

1 cup cugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh thyme

Combine sugar and water in a pot and bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice but do not let it come back to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add the thyme, letting it steep in the syrup until it reaches room temperature. Strain into a clean bottle and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Apple Cider Mules

I know. Another apple cider cocktail. But I swear I haven't been sitting around all season enjoying happy hour! We are full on Christmas over here and enjoying every minute. We've decked the halls and every corner of our house just seems extra cozy and festive this time of year. We've built a gingerbread house, constructed a foam Nativity and enjoyed special cups of hot chocolate. Tomorrow we'll make snow angels, go ice skating and eat a whole roll of tollhouse cookie dough. Just kidding. Sort of. 

It is no secret that I LOVE this time of year and these little ones of ours certainly make it extra special. I want to bottle up their excitement and joy with it all. Every day of this season is just so much fun with them. 

This cocktail though. In case you have some cider sitting around from Thanksgiving, MAKE THIS. Or even if you don't, go to the store and MAKE THIS. I love Moscow Mules- 50% because they are delicious and 50% because the mugs are just fun to drink out of. The best part about a mule is that as long as you have ginger beer and good vodka, you can basically add your own mixer and call it a mule. 

Holiday Happy hour is calling! 

Apple Cider Mules

2 oz. vodka

2 oz. apple cider

2 oz. ginger beer

sliced oranges + cinnamon sticks (for garnish)

Mix these right in the glass! Combine all ingredients, stir and finish with ice! Garnish with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick. 

Apple Cider Old-Fashioneds

Hello! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with plenty of deliciousness and family time. It came and went so fast but we had the best time! It's so crazy to me that December is a matter of days away. We wish for Fall to come so quickly and we blink and it's Christmas. WHOAH. But it's the very best time of the year and I plan on soaking in every minute.

As long as the holidays are here, I want to be drinking apple cider in my cocktails. Whether it's cold or warm, there's something about cider in a drink that is like sipping on a giant hug. It's the perfect mixer this time of year!

There Apple Cider Old-Fashioneds were a hit with my family this year. They pack a punch and if you don't like them as strong as the recipe makes them, just keep adding more cider. The measurements you will find below are good for one drink, but it's easy to multiply the portions and make these in a pitcher. Trust me- this is a good idea if you're enjoying happy hour with a crowd. 

If you need me, I'm over here researching other apple cider cocktail recipes. 

Apple Cider Old- Fashioneds

2 ounces apple cider
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 tsp. of brown sugar OR simple syrup
2 ounces Bourbon OR Rye Whiskey
Ice
Slices oranges and apples, for garnish
Cinnamon sticks, for garnish

In your favorite cocktail glass, combine apple cider, bitters, simple syrup and whiskey. Mix it up, then add the ice. Pop in fruit and cinnamon sticks for garnish! 

The Great Pumpkin Beer Tasting

Back in September, when the first day of Fall hit, Mark and I celebrated in the most delicious way we knew how- with a pumpkin beer tasting! I went to town at Total Wine and built my own 6 pack, making sure to pick mostly new to us beers. Two of the beers we had are old favorites, but I couldn't pass them up and had to include them in our first day of Fall tasting. GIVE ME ALL THE PUMPKIN BEERS. It's like a switch turned on September 22 and I was in full on pumpkin. NO turning back now. 

Pumpkin beer is tricky. Too much squashy taste or too much spice can totally ruin the good vibes. I like a little pumpkin, a little spice and hint of sweet and that warm Fall feeling. I guess you could say I'm particular about my pumpkin beer! 

We didn't go in any particular order, other than saving what we predicted would still be our favorite to the very end. 

My rankings are as follows:

#1 Cottonwood Pumpkin (Foothills Brewing) 
I'm confident this will always be my most favorite of the pumpkin beers. I've loved this one for years and it's the perfect amount of spice and not too much sweet. If you can find this on draft, GET IT! It's so, so good. 

#2 King Don's Pumpkin (Catwaba Brewing)
This was another winner! Mark and I both really liked the flavors in this and it was the first beer of the night. Again, not too sweet and a good amount of fall spices. 

#3 Pumpkin Pie Porter (Deep River Brewing)
Over the past couple of years, I have grown to LOVE dark beers. They are a great way to end a meal or even as a little dessert beverage. This porter is rich and flavorful.

#4 Pumpkin Down (Ballast Point)
This was a little on the strong side but I enjoyed it for the most part! It was a little heavy on the carmel flavor to me and I definitely couldn't drink more than one but it was good.

#5 Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin (New Belgium Brewing) 
I wish I loved this but I just didn't. It was way too spicy for me and the spice overpowered all of the good things it had going. If you like a little spice to your beer, this is definitely for you! 

#6 Jack-O Traveler Pumpkin Shandy (The Traveler Beer Co.)
This was like a combo of pumpkin juice and an Arnold Palmer. I think I have decided that Shandys definitely aren't for me. 

A few other Pumpkin beers we are loving this season- Gordgeous, from Noda Brewing and Sycamore Brewing's Oh My Gourd. Both are great and local to Charlotte! 

Antipasto Kabobs

Going into the weekend with all the heart eyes and pumpkin beers right now. I'm also hoping for an October crispness in the air so that we can enjoy our back patio fire pit and make some s'mores! It's almost Happy Hour time and happy hour on Friday, truly is the best hour- especially when you have a good snack to go with it. 

I'm completely obsessed with these Italian bites. I took them to our big neighborhood party this past weekend and they were a huge hit. They are filled with ALL THE GOOD ITALIAN THINGS and the presentation is automatically cute with everything perfectly lined up. They are also easy to grab which is great for a mixing and mingling setting. What more do you need!? I found these perfect sized bamboo skewers at World Market and they were deifnitely worth the extra trip. A drizzle of pesto on top would totally take these over the edge in all of the best ways. 

I'm already looking for an excuse to make these again.  

Antipasto Kabobs

recipe from Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers

1 package cheese tortellini, cooked according to instructions

Sliced salami

Green olives

Fresh basil leaves

Grape tomatoes

Fresh mini mozzarella balls

Cook tortellini according to the instructions on the package. 

To assemble kabobs, I did salami, tortellini, green olive, basil, tomato, mozzarella. I finished with a drizzle of good olive oil and a tiny bit of salt and pepper.