Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparkler

Sparkly and sweet just in time for Valentine's Day. Blood Orange and Raspberry SparklerBlood Orange and Raspberry Sparkler //

We are celebrating! Well kind of…it’s been a long week and we have been gone FAR too long from our little space, but really I am celebrating with this Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparkler because I made it through a short juice cleanse.

Honestly we are happy to share our favorite foods and family moments, but at the moment life seems a bit busy. I think most of you can attest to that. How did we go from the holidays to mid February? It can only mean one more thing, it’s another HOLIDAY!

San Pellegrino for Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparklers

For this Valentine’s Day we hope to keep things simple yet fun. We love to celebrate with a special meal at home and this year we will be enjoying a couple of these easy, tasty, bubbly Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparklers.

Bubbly Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparkler

This pretty pink cocktail has a few ingredients but it makes for a fun at home celebration special. But should you be one of those couples that does plan ahead and make dinner reservations, we recommend making this beverage as a pre-dinner toast. If you are looking for some more recipe ideas for this holiday weekend, check out our recipe index. Wishing you all a wonderful and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Blood Orange And Raspberry Sparkler for Valentine's Day
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Blood Orange and Raspberry Sparkler

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Cocktail
Servings: 3
Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

  • 1 cup San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa
  • 1/2 cup sparkling lime water
  • 2 tablespoons raspberry simple syrup recipe below
  • 1 ounce St. Germain
  • 1 1/2 ounce Vodka
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup raspberries frozen or fresh
  • lime
  • mint
  • ice
  • water

Instructions

  • In a small sauce pan add two cups water to one cup sugar.
  • Bring to a boil and then switch to medium love heat.
  • Add the raspberries.
  • Once sugar is fully dissolved, remove from heat and let cool.
  • Next add sparkling water, pellegrino, simple syrup, St. Germain, and Vodka to a chilled martini shaker.
  • Shake lightly.
  • Pour into 2-3 glasses and garnish with a squeeze of lime, ice, and a mint sprig.

nicole signature via simply happenstance

Blood Orange and Thyme Margaritas

Spooky and tangy these Blood Orange Thyme Margaritas are perfect for Halloween.Blood Orange and Thyme Margaritas //

Boo! Can you believe Halloween is in less than a week?! This is my favorite time of the year. I love that we go from Halloween straight onto Christmas. What I don’t like is that it happens within a blink of an eye. In order to enjoy our Halloween decor, I skip over the autumn fare and go straight to Halloween. My kids love decorating the house, so I like to put decorations up in mid September until Halloween, and then I decorate for fall for Thanksgiving. Is that what you do? 

With Halloween falling on a Saturday, we plan on staying in our neighborhood and making a big pot of Crockpot Spaghetti and these Blood Orange Thyme Margaritas for the friends that stop by. Who said adults can enjoy a few treats on Halloween? [Read more…]

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

:: Strawberry Tropical Cocktail ::

It was a big birthday week for my family last week during our spring break.  To celebrate I made a few of these Strawberry Tropical Cocktails.  The taste of this tropical drink will take you back to your last vacation, or make you think of taking one real soon.

strawberries and pineapple for Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

This Strawberry Tropical Cocktail is definitely on the skinny side so you can enjoy one or two.  Sip them over appetizers in the late afternoon, or share them with a couple of girl friends and count down the days until schools out for summer!

Refreshing and light this Strawberry Tropical Cocktail reminds us of summer.

What makes this drink feel like it should have a tiny umbrella in it is the mixture of coconut vodka with the muddled strawberries and pineapple. I have made this Strawberry Tropical Cocktail by either simply muddling the strawberries and pineapple with Stevia at the bottom of a cocktail glass or I have placed the strawberries and pineapple with Stevia in the blender.  Either pureed or with fruit on the bottom, this recipe is easy to make and it will transport you to a quiet moment beach side with a cocktail in hand.  Cheers to celebrating birthdays, counting down until schools out, and to enjoying these cocktails on a sunny day.

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail
Print Recipe

Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Cocktail
Servings: 2
Author: Strawberry Tropical Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sparkling water I used lime flavored
  • 3 ounces of Coconut Vodka
  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 packet of Stevia
  • 4 strawberries sliced
  • 1/8 cup pineapple fresh or frozen
  • a splash of orange juice

Instructions

  • Divide the strawberries and the pineapple and place in two cocktail glasses.
  • Add half a package of stevia into each of the glasses.
  • Muddle the fruit and Stevia with a back of a spoon.
  • In a cocktail shaker add the Coconut Vodka, Cointreau, and sparkling water.
  • Shake until mixed but be careful to shake too hard as the sparkling water is carbonated.
  • Pour the mixture into the two glasses.
  • Top each glass with a splash of orange juice and serve with ice.
  • Serve and sip cold

 

Cheers!!

nicole signature via simply happenstance

4th of July Spritzer

 

** 4th of July Spritzer **

 

Summer is here and it’s time to “Cheers” to sunny beach days and barbeques. One of my favorite parts of summer is entertaining outdoors. Whether it’s a neighborhood gathering or friends over for a summer soiree… {okay so maybe the summer soiree really isn’t happening with kids running around, but I would like to imagine it is}. 

What we do have in our community are concerts in the park and a big 4th of July celebration! It’s during these summertime occasions that a celebratory drink recipe is needed to cheers the events at hand. A few years ago, I found a tasty fruitful libation while watching Martha Stewart.  The recipe that can be found {here}, has a few steps in arranging the beautiful patriotic cocktail. It is a yummy drink that I love and it’s made with Champagne, but it’s one that I have to have the time to make. I came up with this super easy red, white, and blue themed drink. It’s simple, yet refreshing and can be made with or without alcohol.

[Read more…]

Grapefruit Margaritas

 

:: GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITAS ::

I am feeling like it is a Grapefruit Margarita kind of a Monday! There are two reasons to make these refreshing margaritas.  Number 1 it is Sara’s birthday today, so we must of course cheers to that! Happy birthday sweet friend Simply could not happen without you! Number 2, Ay ya ya!, it’s Cinco de Mayo this weekend. So break out your Margie glasses and put on some mariachi music, and let’s make a pitcher!

[Read more…]