Eyeball Highball

1 dozen radishes, trimmed

6 pimento-stuffed green olives, cut in half
16 ounces gin or vodka
1 ounce vermouth

Using a paring knife, scoop out a small circle opening in the larger side of the radish and insert an olive half, cut side facing out. Place radish in ice cube tray. Repeat with remaining radishes and olives. Fill tray with water and freeze.

In a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and add gin or vodka and vermouth. Add desired amount of frozen eyeballs to each of 4 highball glasses. Strain martini and divide evenly between glasses.

Mulled Marvel

This recipe comes to UNOR courtesy of Stewart Faulkner.

1.5 l bottle of dry red burgundy
1 orange
handful of cloves
1 lime, quartered
1 large stock pot
4 small or 2 large cinnamon sticks
tsp black cracked pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
zest of one lemon
1 Tbs brown sugar
2 thin slices of ginger root
small splash of ruby port or good Irish whiskey

Take the orange and push the whole cloves into the skin evenly all the way around. Score skin into center to allow flavor out (or puncture with a fork several times).

In a large stock pot put the cloved orange, 2 of the 4 quarters of lime, cinnamon sticks, cracked pepper, nutmeg, allspice, lemon zest, brown sugar, ginger root, and one bottle of wine.

Simmer until steamy and hot, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from heat and add a small splash of ruby port or a good Irish whiskey, and stir.

Strain the mulled wine, season to taste with nutmeg or sugar. Rub the insides of the serving cups with the remaining two quarters of lime and serve.

Best Ever Eggnog!

7 cups fat-free milk, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size)Vanilla Flavor Pudding & Pie Filling
1 cup low-fat evaporated milk
2 tsp. rum extract


Pour 2 cups of the milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes.

Add remaining 5 cups milk, evaporated milk and extract; mix well.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hummingbird

I came across this recipe about 4 years ago. It's almost like an smoothie with alcohol.

1 fluid oz run cream liqueur
1 fluid oz coffee flavored liqueur
1 fluid oz milk (vanilla soy milk works good here too)
1/2 fluid oz strawberry flavored syrup
1/2 banana
1 cup crushed ice

Combine the rum cream and coffee liqueur, milk and strawberry syrup in a blender. Add the banana and crushed ice, continue to blend until smooth. Pour into glass and serve.

Perfect Manhattan

2 fluid oz bourbon
1/2 fluid oz sweet vermouth
1 maraschino cherry
1/2 cup ice

Put ice into a shaker and pour the vermouth and bourbon over it. Mix well, and pour into martini glass with the maraschino cherry.

Orange Pineapple Smoothie

1 (8 ounce) can canned pineapple chunks, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup white rum
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tray ice
4 maraschino cherries, garnish

In a blender, combine pineapple, orange juice concentrate with juice, rum, sugar, lime juice and ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, garnish with cherries, and serve.

Brandy Slushes

7 cups water
5 tea bags
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
4 cups apricot brandy
lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage

In a medium pan, bring water to a boil. Add tea bags, and remove pan from heat. Allow tea to steep, about 3 minutes. Remove tea bags, and let water cool completely.
In a large bowl, mix together frozen orange juice concentrate, frozen lemonade concentrate, apricot brandy and cooled tea. Freeze mixture 12 to 24 hours.
Ladle brandy shush into glasses, and top with a splash of lemon-lime flavored soda.

Margaritas

1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
6 fluid ounces tequila
2 fluid ounces triple sec

Fill blender with crushed ice. Pour in limeade concentrate, tequila and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Pina Colada

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup rum
4 tablespoons white sugar
8 cubes ice

In a blender, combine coconut milk, pineapple juice, rum, sugar and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses, and serve immediately.

Cosmopolitan

1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vodka
1/2 fluid ounce cointreau
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 fluid ounces cranberry juice
1 twist lime zest, garnish

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker with lots of ice. Shake vigorously for several seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Wild River Bloody Mary Mix

1 (46 ounce) bottle tomato juice
1 1/2 tablespoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

In a large jar or bottle, combine the tomato juice, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Secure the lid and shake, or stir to mix until well blended. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cherry Cola Cocktail

1/2 cup cola soft drink
1 1/2 tablespoons Spiced Cherry Syrup
1 ounce rum

Make the cocktail: Fill an 8-ounce glass with crushed ice and add the cola, cherry syrup, and rum. Stir and serve immediately.

Chapala

5 small chunks of watermelon
1 lime, chopped
1/2 oz. sugar syrup
1 1/2 oz. gold tequila
apple juice
ice cubes

Mash up watermelon, lime, and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice, then the tequila. Shake vigorously and strain into a tall, chilled glass 1 inch from the rim; top up with apple juice.

Kir Royale and Bikini Martini

Kir Royale:

Lime wedge, for rim
Superfine sugar, for rim
1/2 ounce creme de cassis
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice (optional)
5 ounce champagne

Wet the rim of a champagne flute with the lime wedge and dip the rim in sugar to coat. Pour the creme de cassis and lime juice, if using, into flute. Add the champagne and stir.

Bikini Martini:

1 fluid ounce coconut rum
3/4 fluid ounce vodka
1 fluid ounce pineapple juice
1 dash grenadine syrup

Combine rum, vodka and pineapple juice in a drink shaker. Shake firmly until frothy. Pour in a martini glass, add a touch of grenadine in the middle. Garnish with an orange wheel.

Blood-Orange Margarita

1 1/2 oz. gold tequila
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier or mandarin liqueur
1/2 oz. lime juice
1 oz. blood-orange juice
1/2 oz. sugar syrup
extra lime juice
superfine sugar
ice cubes

First, frost a cocktail glass with sugar: Dip the rim in a saucer of the extra lime juice, then a saucer of sugar, shake off any excess, and chill.
Next, add a scoop of ice to a cocktail shaker, then tequila, Grand Marnier or liqueur, lime and blood-orange juices, and sugar syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into the sugar-frosted glass.

Pomegranate-Apple Cocktails

3 cups pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
4 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 orange, sliced into rounds
16 kumquats, sliced into
1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup apple brandy (optional)

Combine all ingredients except half of the kumquats and the brandy in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in brandy, if desired.
For hot pomegranate-apple cider, reheat the spiced pomegranate mixture and divide among four mugs. Add remaining kumquat slices. Serve hot.
For pomegranate-champagne cocktails, divide 1/2 cup of the cooled spiced pomegranate mixture between four champagne flutes. Add 4 ounces of chilled champagne to each glass and serve immediately.

Bahama Mama

1/2 oz. Malibu
1/2 oz. Kahlúa
1/2 oz. each dark & white rums
pineapple juice
pineapple wedge
mint sprig
ice cubes
crushed ice

Half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the Malibu, Kahlúa, and rums. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass half-filled with crushed ice. Top off with juice; garnish with pineapple wedge and mint.

Watermelon Lime Aid

3 cups chopped seedless watermelon (6 lbs)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4)
2 to 4 Tbs sugar (Depends on how sweet the watermelon is.)
1/2 cup vodka (Optional, just add more watermelon and a tad bit more lime juice.)

Working in batches, puree watermelon in blender with lime juice until smooth. Add sugar, and blend to combine. Add in vodka, and serve with ice and mint leaves.