Name: Holiday Prosecco Punch with Cranberry & Orange
Prep time: 10 min
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients: 375 ml orange juice, chilled; 375 ml cranberry juice, chilled; 125 ml triple sec; 1 750 ml bottle Riondo Prosecco, chilled; 1/2 of a 12 ounce bag of cranberries; 1 naval orange, sliced

Holiday Prosecco Punch with Cranberry & Orange

November 10, 2017

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Riondo Prosecco for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Full of festive flavors, this holiday Prosecco punch with Riondo Prosecco is the perfect bubbly drink for a pre-shopping holiday brunch!

Click here to save this recipe!

Where Does Thanksgiving End and Christmas Begin??

I have to admit, I am one of those people who really thinks that holidays should be divided up neatly, with nice clean lines drawn between them. We won’t even begin to talk about the fact that craft stores start putting out their holiday decorations the second that the patriotic summer fare gets put away after Independence Day…I have to sigh deeply when I step into a store to pick up some discounted Halloween candy and see that Christmas trees are out. Where does Thanksgiving fit into this?

Alas, I don’t get to make the decisions around here (I know that you are all disappointed about that) and on November 1st we are rocketed neatly into “the holiday season”, which we all know means the Christmas season. I guess I should be glad that it gives us more time to celebrate the season?

Holiday Time = BRUNCH TIME

Which means that we have more time for something that I think is highly underrated: the holiday brunch. I mean, why should special breakfast foods be limited to Christmas morning? And why why why shouldn’t we have a special sparkly cocktail designated just for the holiday season?

Holiday Prosecco Punch

This holiday Prosecco punch fits the bill. Riondo Prosecco is the star of the show…not too dry but not too sweet. Riondo Prosecco is imported from Italy but still very affordable. Of course, you can drink it on its own, but it pairs perfectly with a little cranberry juice, a little orange juice, and a splash of triple sec to make a bubbly brunch cocktail that you won’t soon forget. So this holiday season, before you head out to do your shopping, invite your friends over for a little pre-shopping brunch session with this holiday Prosecco punch!

Click here for more Riondo Prosecco Cocktails.

Click here to save this recipe on Pinterest!

Mary

Yield: 6-8 servings

Holiday Prosecco Punch with Cranberry & Orange

10 minPrep Time:

10 minTotal Time:

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

375 ml orange juice, chilled
375 ml cranberry juice, chilled
125 ml triple sec
1 750 ml bottle Riondo Prosecco, chilled
1/2 of a 12 ounce bag of cranberries
1 naval orange, sliced

Instructions

Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice, triple sec, and Riondo Prosecco in a large pitcher. Add the cranberries and orange slices. Serve immediately.

https://chattavore.com/holiday-prosecco-punch-with-cranberry-orange/

Frozen Watermelon Margarita (non-alcoholic version included) + Video

June 26, 2017

This frozen watermelon margarita is like summer in a salty sugar-rimmed glass! For the kids and teetotalers, a non-alcoholic version is included! Scroll down for video!

Who out there can’t get enough ?watermelon? in the summertime (??)? Interestingly, I married a man who will eat watermelon if he is forced to, but since he’s never forced to, he doesn’t eat watermelon. He’s never liked cantaloupe or honeydew, and honestly, though I like them, I get that. Watermelon though? He used to like it but now he doesn’t. What gives?

Because of this, I have been forced to buy these little mini watermelons. I have seen them called “personal” watermelons and that always makes me laugh. It’s my own personal watermelon…it really is. It’s really kind of convenient, because even if Philip were eating it too a big watermelon would be way more than we’d ever finish before it went south and I don’t think I have any storage containers that big anyway.

Funny story about the watermelons used to make this recipe…I’ll admit that while I usually try to get my produce, at least in the summer, from local stands and what not, I bought these at Costco, which had these baby watermelons in pairs in a little mesh bag. My friend was grabbing dog food over by the wall and I told her that I was going to go grab some watermelons, and went traipsing back to the cart carrying two small watermelons right. in front. of my chest. Ooooooops. Also, how many of you can’t carry a watermelon without thinking about Dirty Dancing? I know I can’t (can you believe that Philip has never seen that movie?!?!).

Mostly I’m a watermelon purist. I really don’t care to eat it in a salad or anything like that, and I would never, ever put salt on my watermelon. But…there’s something about a watermelon margarita that gets my heart pumping (especially a frozen watermelon margarita!). Watermelon and lime go really well together, and frozen watermelon is basically like melon flavored ice. I literally just chunk my watermelon up and freeze it – so easy. Instead of lime juice, I use frozen limeade concentrate here. You all know I usually go for fresh but I read a lot of articles about frozen lime margaritas and they all recommended limeade concentrate because it retains its flavor better. I’m not one to argue.

This frozen watermelon margarita comes together super-quick in your blender, and a non-alcoholic version is as simple as subbing in lemon-lime soda for the tequila and triple sec. And, I’m going to commit heresy against myself here, but a rimmed glass is an absolute necessity when you are having a margarita, virgin or not (I like a mixture of sugar and salt). I rolled my eyes at myself when I realized that I had put a straw in a rimmed glass, but then I realized that this drink does well with a good stir from time to time, so I recommend you follow suit!

Mary

Yield: 1 drink

Frozen Watermelon Margarita (non-alcoholic version included)

10 minPrep Time:

10 minTotal Time:

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

1 cup frozen watermelon chunks
2 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate
1 1/2 ounces (one shot) silver tequila (gold is fine too, but I always prefer silver)
2 teaspoons triple sec
OR sub 1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7Up, or Sierra Mist) for the tequila and triple sec
3-4 ice cubes
lime wedges for garnish

For rimming the glass

lime juice or water
2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

Pour the lime juice or water into one small plate and the sugar and salt into another plate. Mix the sugar and salt together with your fingers. Dip the rim of your glass into the water or lime juice then twist into the sugar/salt mixture. Set aside.
Combine the watermelon, limeade, tequila and triple sec (or lemon-lime soda), and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into the rimmed glass and serve garnished with a wedge of lime.

https://chattavore.com/frozen-watermelon-margarita-non-alcoholic-version-included/

This frozen watermelon margarita is like summer in a salty sugar-rimmed glass! For the kids and teetotalers, a non-alcoholic version is included! | Recipe from Chattavore.com

Frozen Pineapple Mojito (Non-Alcoholic Version Included)

May 30, 2017

A frozen pineapple mojito just tastes like summer! It’s a great way to cool off on a hot day and a delicious way to kick back and relax!

Okay, summer is still 22 days away, but can we all agree that it is, at least unofficially, summer? Because, you guys, IT IS OFFICIAL, I AM ON SUMMER BREAK?????☀️. And it’s a million degrees outside (okay, it’s in the eighties, but come on). So, in my house, it is unofficially official. #fulltimebloggertillAugustyall

My plans for the summer include retraining my brain to be able to sleep like a normal human being, trying to stay off of social media a little more than I currently do, actually keeping my house clean, eating more vegetables, reading reading reading (currently, I am reading The Handmaid’s Tale <–affiliate link–, which I read when I was a freshman in college…I am very interested to compare my 38-year-old perspective to my 18-year-old perspective…so far it’s a pretty vast difference), and, of course, spending a ton of time on my blog. Like, actually treating my blog like a full-time job. I have failed at that the last few summers and this summer I am determined. Social media is the problem. Time. Waster.?

Oh, and my plans also include lots of self-care. ??See eating more vegetables. Also, saying nice things to myself. You should try that. You might be surprised at how different you feel when you leave behind the Western expectation that we’re all supposed to loathe ourselves. What is that about?!?!?! Good exercise habits fall into that category too. For years I basically beat my body up, running and doing HIIT and putting a ton of pressure on my joints. And if running and HIIT work for you and you enjoy it, then DO IT. But it didn’t and I didn’t and I was just doing it because I thought I had to, and it got me nowhere except in a world of (literal) hurt. So now I walk and strength train and do yoga and, you guys, I feel so good.

Also in my self-care plan? Some sort of delicious drink every day. That doesn’t always mean alcohol. Most days it’s a latte or an iced coffee. But some days a cocktail is what I need, and I welcomed this week with this fresh and sweet (but not too sweet) frozen pineapple mojito. Mojitos have some of my very favorite flavors – mint and lime – as it is, and pineapple just goes so well with those flavors. I like spiced rum for my pineapple mojito, but if you want to use regular light rum, that would be fine, and I would bet that a little coconut rum would work well here too. No matter what rum you use, this frozen pineapple mojito is just infinitely slurpable. Buzz one up and kick up your feet!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This does not affect the cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosures. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Mary

Yield: 1 drink

Frozen Pineapple Mojito

10 minPrep Time:

10 minTotal Time:

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves
juice of 1 lime
4 ounces (about 1 cup) frozen pineapple chunks
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) rum (I prefer spiced, but light or coconut rum would work as well)
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) lemon-lime soda or soda water
3-4 ice cubes

Instructions

Place the sugar, mint leaves, and lime juice in a 10-12 ounce glass. Muddle with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon until the leaves are mostly broken down.
Place the pineapple, rum, soda, and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Pour the pineapple mixture into the glass with the mint mixture. Stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

For a non-alcoholic version, replace the rum with more soda.

https://chattavore.com/frozen-pineapple-mojito/

A frozen pineapple mojito just tastes like summer! It's a great way to cool off on a hot day and a delicious way to kick back and relax! | Recipe from Chattavore.com

Adult Cheerwine Cocktail

November 25, 2016

This adult Cheerwine cocktail is quick and easy, and if you have a reasonably stocked liquor cabinet, you probably have what you need to make it right now.

Raise your hand if you’ve never heard of Cheerwine. I’ve honestly been surprised recently at how many people I’ve talked to that have no idea what Cheerwine is. Granted, these friends aren’t from around here, and Cheerwine is a decidedly Southern soda…so Cheerwine is to the South what Moxie is to the Northeast (have you ever had Moxie? It’s an acquired taste, but I love it).

Actually, Cheerwine has only been back in this area for a few years. I remember being obsessed with it as a kid, when the commercials boasted a teenage girl who talked like a Valley girl and wore clothes that my eighties elementary-aged self thought were so cool. My friends and I all loved it, and then…it disappeared. I didn’t even know it still existed until I went to North Carolina for a conference in my twenties and saw Cheerwine everywhere. Then, a couple of years ago, it reappeared.

Anyway, for those of you who don’t know, Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soda. It’s pretty sweet (as sodas go, of course) but pretty tasty when you’re feeling like a sugar overload. I don’t buy it often, as it has caffeine (Philip doesn’t drink caffeine) and, er, high fructose corn syrup. And let me warn you, don’t trust a recipe that tells you to boil Cheerwine for an hour until it turns into a thick syrup (Really. Don’t. You will regret it and you will waste a bottle of Cheerwine).

Philip and I visited Asheville, North Carolina in October while I was on Fall break. We ate dinner one night at a restaurant called Bonfire Barbecue. The food was great – I had an awesome smoked turkey and pimento cheese sandwich – and, while the place was definitely not empty, being away from downtown gave it the advantage of not being completely packed out with people. The thing that really stuck in my head, though, was the Adult Cheerwine cocktail. Coke, whiskey, amaretto, and grenadine…adult Cheerwine popped right off the page at me and I knew I had to try it. It was perfect, and tasted more like actual Cheerwine than I could have imagined (by the way, did you know that most “cherry-flavored” things are actually almond-flavored???).

I decided that I needed to recreate the adult Cheerwine cocktail, and, of course, share it with you. I mean, it’s so easy, and it doesn’t require any unusual, crazy ingredients. That is, if you have a reasonably stocked liquor cabinet, there’s a good chance that you have what you need to make this Cheerwine cocktail.

So what are you waiting for? There’s online shopping to be done and this adult Cheerwine cocktail will make for fun sipping while you shop!

Mary

Yield: 1 cocktail

Adult Cheerwine Cocktail

5 minPrep Time:

5 minTotal Time:

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

ice
1 ounce whiskey (I used Chattanooga Whiskey )
1 ounce amaretto
1/2 ounce grenadine
Coke or other cola (I used Mexican Coke, which does not contain high fructose corn syrup)
maraschino cherries and/or pomegranate arils, for garnish

Instructions

Fill a 12-ounce glass halfway with ice. Pour in the whiskey, amaretto, and grenadine. Top the glass with the cola and stir to combine. Garnish with cherries and pomegranate arils, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pomegranate arils may seem like an odd garnish here, but grenadine is actually pomegranate flavored, not cherry-flavored! You can extract the arils from the pomegranate yourself - just cut the pomegranate in half and firmly slap each half with a wooden spoon over a bowl. OR, just buy a cup of prepackaged arils in the produce section of your grocery store.

https://chattavore.com/adult-cheerwine-cocktail/