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Over the past few years I’ve become enamored with making my own delicious cocktails and other drinks.  From a super simple gimlet to a slightly more complex punch (or even a sour or fizz with frothy egg whites), I’ve learned to love experimenting with different flavors and spirits and have started a pretty impressive list of cocktail recipes (particularly featuring gin and whiskey).

But let’s not forget mocktails and even more importantly other types of non-alcoholic drinks…especially delicious coffee drink recipes.  From my best iced coffee ever to healthy smoothies to trying out different simple syrup flavor combinations, I’ll admit that quite a bit of my caloric intake is liquid!

Not sure where to start??  Here are a few of my fave cocktail recipes to begin with…

  • Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail
  • A Classic “Army and Navy” Gin Cocktail
  • Bourbon Milk Punch Cocktail
  • Rye Port Manhattan Cocktail

You can see the full list in my recipe index or a more visual index here, or you can browse through the archives below.

A Classic “Brown Derby” Cocktail

April 27, 2020

I was first introduced to the Brown Derby cocktail over a decade ago at an amazing little secret speakeasy called Prohibition. 

Hidden behind a red London-style phone booth, I was transported to a time of jazz, silent movies, and delicious boozy drinks.  I’d never really been around cocktails, but I was a convert.

A Classic Brown Derby Cocktail | A delicious bourbon grapefruit cocktail with a great history. This tart and easy cocktail is perfect for spring, with fresh grapefruit juice, honey syrup, and boozy bourbon. #cocktail #easycocktail #easydrinkrecipe #grapefruit #bourbon

Last weekend (for work reasons) I had Derby on the mind.  The Kentucky Derby, that is.  It’s the time of year when all of Louisville would have normally horse fever.  Except it isn’t. 

The horses won’t run on the first Saturday in May for the first time since World War II, and a lot of folks here are feeling the void of that spring rite.  So the other night I decided to try whipping up a Brown Derby cocktail in honor of the Derby.  

No, they’re not technically related, but that’s how my brain works 🙂  

The Brown Derby is a delicious bourbon grapefruit cocktailREAD THE POST

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Rye Port Manhattan Cocktail

April 19, 2020

Given the gloomy, chilly spring weather we’ve been having here, my cocktail game has had more of a fall vibe, and it seemed time for me to finally tackle one of the great classic cocktails, the Manhattan.  Since I can’t ever just do the thing straightforward, I’m going with a rye port Manhattan.

Because, here’s the thing—I don’t like Manhattans.  I think it’s because of the sweet vermouth that provides the distinctive flavor, which I don’t like.  So I went looking for a Manhattan without vermouth, something that maintains that iconic flavor but that I actually *like*.  Enter delicious ruby port…

What is a Manhattan cocktail?

The standard Manhattan has remained remarkably consistent over the nearly 150 years it’s been around.  A basic Manattan is two parts rye whiskey, one part sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters, and served “up” (chilled but no ice) with a cherry or twist (lemon peel). 

The original might have actually been equal parts rye and vermouth, which for someone like me who does NOT like vermouth or sweet vermouth sounds especially gross.READ THE POST

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River Boyne Fizz: An Irish Whiskey Cocktail

April 5, 2020

With the warm weather FINALLY making an appearance, I thought it might be time to share a refreshing spring-y cocktail to keep you company.  Sound like a plan??

This Irish whiskey cocktail uses bright and tart lemon juice, some sweet honey, and the bite of tonic water for something you could sip on all day.  The River Boyne Fizz is perfect for a day by the pool, chillin’ on your deck, or for me reading in my sunroom with the kitties.

River Boyne Fizz...Irish Whiskey Cocktail with Lemon, Honey, & Tonic | This easy and refreshing whiskey cocktail uses complex Slane Irish Whiskey with fresh lemon juice, honey, and tonic water for something perfect for spring and summer. Sip this all day on your patio or by the pool! #cocktail #springcocktail #summercocktail #irishwhiskeyREAD THE POST

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Blood Orange Elderflower Gin Cocktail

March 17, 2019

I just recently realized that I’ve never purchased blood oranges, despite being kind of obsessed with the idea of them (along with Meyer lemons).  They feel like…fancy citrus?  Citrus fruit for wealthy folks??

Regardless, I literally never see them at my grocery store, but magically stumbled upon a few recently and so snatched them up with absolutely zero idea of what I was going to make.  After poring through tons of recipes, I ended up coming back to the idea of a kind of souped-up gin & tonic.  A refreshing blood orange cocktail for spring!

This recipe feels like an adaptation of the French gimlet, which I *also* love.  But while the original version of this recipe calls for ginger ale, I’ve substituted tonic water as I am firmly NOT a ginger fan.  UGH.  And the tonic water lengthens the drink (makes it less potent) so you can enjoy it for longer.

One of the keys here is to make sure you’re using fresh lime juice.  Trust me when I say that the bottled lime juice you keep in your fridge will not work in this drink.  I’ve tried.  It’s terrible.  If you don’t have fresh limes then either omit it or save this recipe for another day.  *shudders*

blood orange & st. germain gin cocktailREAD THE POST

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Fizzy Rosemary Gimlet

January 26, 2019

About a year ago—after over a decade as a die-hard wine drinker—I fell in love with gin.  

I KNOW.  But hear me out.  I’ve noticed that gin is a very polarizing subject.  I’ve met tons of people who absolutely love it, and a similar amount of people who tell me I’m insane and gin is the grossest thing ever. 

I haven’t really found anyone who’s like, “yeah, it’s cool sometimes”.  Apparently gin is an all-or-nothing 🙂  But I kind of think that’s because people maybe haven’t had a great gin cocktail.  In my experience over the last year, gin mixes so well with so many different flavors, and so that’s what led to today’s adventure.

Fizzy Rosemary Gimlet (Gin Cocktail) | This delicious gin cocktail pairs gin, fresh lime juice, and rosemary simple syrup with some tonic water for a refreshing and complex drink. And it's so easy to make!

I was first introduced to the idea of a gimlet via my Cheese, my bff in Los Angeles…and actually before I became a gin drinker.  We capped off an awesome girls’ weekend with homemade pizza (courtesy of her now-hubby) and French gimlets. 

A French gimlet basically adds elderflower liqueur like St. Germain to a regular gimlet, which is gin and lime juice.  I fell in love…and three drinks later she told me I’d have to Uber to LAX because there was no way she was taking me now 🙂

Ahhh, girls’ night…

Fizzy Rosemary Gimlet (Gin Cocktail) | finding time for cooking blog

You might also like:Blood Orange Elderflower Gin Cocktail

So today I bring you a lovely twist on a regular gimlet, where we take the bright botanical gin and fresh lime juice combo, and add to it a delicious herby rosemary simple syrup. 

It takes like 5 minutes to make the simple syrup yourself and you’ll feel pretty badass.  Then top it off with some tonic water to lighten it up and provide fun fizz.  Behold—the fizzy rosemary gimlet!

Fizzy Rosemary Gimlet (Gin Cocktail) | This delicious gin cocktail pairs gin, fresh lime juice, and rosemary simple syrup with some tonic water for a refreshing and complex drink. And it's so easy to make! READ THE POST

2 Comments CATEGORIES // Drinks: Cocktails & More

Rosemary Simple Syrup For Cocktails

January 12, 2019

Friends, we are now venturing into a new realm of foodie-ism.  The world where we think of delicious flavors to add to cocktails and then MAKE IT HAPPEN.  

Not a bad world, amirite???

Easy Homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup | this rosemary simple syrup makes a great addition to many cocktails, from a rosemary old fashioned to sprucing up a gin & tonic.  And you can add it to baked goods as well!

Ever since moving to Louisville for my new job and working on spirit brands like Woodford Reserve, Tequila Herradura, and Old Forester, I’ve been introduced to a much wider world of awesome cocktails…new flavors, types of ingredients, ways of preparing, and so much more.  I’m fascinated by all the new combinations that are out there.  And now that I’ve dipped my toe in by making old fashioneds at home (using pre-made syrup that’s amazing), I feel like I can try and branch out more on my own. 

So when I saw this recipe for rosemary simple syrup, I was intrigued.  I happened to have some rosemary sitting in my fridge, so on a whim I got up off the couch and put the saucepan on the stove.  And five minutes later (plus 20 minutes of steeping on its own), I had my own homemade rosemary simple syrup.  I felt like a magician.

Easy Homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup | finding time for cooking blogREAD THE POST

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It’s actually way better than it sounds… (Spinach Pineapple Smoothie)

July 20, 2012

I’ve been feeling the need to detox a little. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing any of that crazy stuff like drinking only lemon juice and cayenne pepper or anything. It’s just that between the long work hours, lack of sleep, some weekend trips, and general meh-ness, I’ve been feeling pretty blah lately.

I was browsing Pinterest for recipes and found a bunch of different smoothies, which just struck my fancy for some reason. This spinach pineapple smoothie in particular jumped out at me, which is weird because I’ve never had a green smoothie. And I know the spinach makes it looks so weird, but it’s actually really good. The pineapple and banana are plenty sweet and you don’t taste the spinach at all. So I’ve been drinking it every day for over a week, and am loving it.

healthy spinach pineapple smoothie

And now for the good news:

When blended really well, the combination of low calorie foods mixed with fiber and antioxidant-rich ingredients means your body doesn’t need to work as much because the food is already broken down. This allows key nutrients to flood the body better than if the food were eaten whole and separately.  Additionally, spinach is a nutritional powerhouse full of vitamins A and K, as well as iron, folate, calcium, and lutein. The pineapple is a vitamin C star, which helps the body absorb the iron in the spinach—which for someone like me who is always low on iron & vitamin C, it’s a 1-2 punch of awesome. Sign me up!

READ THE POST

5 Comments CATEGORIES // Breakfast Goodies, Drinks: Cocktails & More, Super Healthy

Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Cold Brew Coffee

April 26, 2012

I’m fairly new to cold brew coffee. Actually, by most people’s standards I’m fairly new to coffee altogether. My parents drink gallons but it never appealed to me (beyond the smell, which is awesome mixed with amazing)—that is until a visit in Italy in ’08. We had church every morning at 10:00 a.m. and between jet lag and staying up late, we were desperate for a pick-me-up at breakfast. Enter Lewlo, our awesome waiter/concierge, who hooked us up with as much free delicious cappuccino as we could put in our bellies. And I’ve been in love ever since.

I normally drink the Nespresso at work (with a raw sugar packet, in case you care), but we also have Keurig machines so I’d tried making iced coffee a few times when the hot brew wasn’t doing it for me. Unfortunately, it was super watered down and just…OFF. Then I read about the Pioneer Woman’s cold brew coffee recipe and it made perfect sense. I’ve tried it a couple times now and overall it’s awesome, plus I’ve found a couple twists that work for me.

cold brew coffee with cold cream

The best part? For the price of a venti Starbucks iced latte, you can make 2-3 weeks’ worth of cold brew coffee for yourself—$4 or so for the coffee, a tiny bit for milk & sugar, and you’re good to go with iced coffee for dayyyyyyyys.

READ THE POST

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About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

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