Classic Margarita

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I had never made a fresh margarita from home before. Not once in my 32 years. Not without the mix you buy from the store, most of the time involving a blender to make them frozen. 

Last month, I had planned a Mexican themed night in. I thought it would be fun to make fresh classic margaritas to enjoy with dinner. After a trip to the liquor store, I was ready to test them out. It took a few test runs but I finally was able to create a pretty darn good margarita. It was fresh, crisp and delicious. Just what I needed on that Friday night. Now the ingredients are kept on hand to enjoy whenever I want! 

CHEERS! 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1 ounce cointreau 

1/4 ounce agave nectar (more or less depending on your desired sweetness level)

ice

to garnish: lime wedge & rim salt

Directions: 

In a cocktail shaker, pour lime juice, tequila, cointreau, agave and a few cubes of ice. 

 Shake well until combined. 

Taste to make sure it's sweet enough. Add more agave if not. 

For a salted rim- run the juice of a lime around the outside of the glass. Dip the rim in a shallow dish filled with rim/ sea salt. Add a lime wedge if desired. 

Fill glass with a few more ice cubes, pour margarita mixture over and enjoy! 

Strawberry Lime Water

There is something about fruit infused water that makes the hot summer days bearable.  

I'm always in search of new recipes as soon as the 90 degree days hit.  

I've made tons of water infused recipes before and this is one of my favorite. 

For this pitcher, I squeezed 4 limes in first.  After that, I fill the pitcher with water.  

To top it off add fresh mint leaves and strawberries cut in half.  I used about 7 large strawberries.  

Enjoy!

Raspberry Lime Water

I've been craving fruit water recently.  With the high temperatures and wanting something sweet, it seems to be the perfect solution.  The first one I tried was raspberry and lime.  I used a carton of raspberries and two limes.  It was a little too sour for me, so next time I'll just use one lime.  

Have you tried any fruit water recipes, if so please share your favorites! 

Candy Cane Punch

Recipe found on Pinterest.  Originally from Taste of Home. 

My mom and I made this punch for our annual Christmas Eve party.  My picture is definitely not as pretty as the Taste of Home picture, but the punch was definitely just as delicious.  I'm sure of that.  This will be a traditional drink on Christmas Eve from here on out! 

Ingredients

• 2 jars (10 ounces each) strawberry jelly
• 2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided
• 2 quarts peppermint stick ice cream
• Miniature candy canes, optional

Directions

• In a large saucepan, melt jelly with 2 cups soda.
•  Chill the jelly mixture and remaining soda. 
• Just before serving, place 6 cups ice cream in a 
• punch bowl.
•  Gently stir in jelly mixture. 
• Add remaining soda. Add remaining ice cream by scoopfuls. 
• Garnish with candy canes if desired. 
• Yield: 3-1/2 quarts. 
• 
  

10

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

A few weeks ago we had some pretty chilly temps here in FL.  Right when I got home for work (on the one day it was cold) I made sure to light candles, bring out the blankets and made some hot chocolate.  I didn't just want the usual hot chocolate and I remembered this recipe from Pinterest.  It's from one of my favorite sites, Cookies and Cups.   Took only a few minutes to make and was a great spin on the old boring hot chocolate! Enjoy!

Amazing Iced Coffee

I found this picture on Pinterest.  It immediately caught my attention and I decided I needed to make it.  I clicked on the link and went to the recipe.  After reading the directions, I decided it looked too complicated to make.  You see, the reason my blog is titled SIMPLY made with love is because I don't like complicated recipes that take lots of time.  But...a friend of mine posted the same recipe on Facebook.  She said it wasn't too hard and worth it.  So I went to the store and bought the ingredients.  I followed all directions.  It was HONESTLY a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I used fat free condensed milk and low fat evaporated milk.  I used the same water container to put the coffee concentrate.  Worked like a charm! I liked it better with mocha added and can't wait to add different flavored syrups! Enjoy!


Iced Coffee Concentrate.  

Ingredients-

• 1 gallon water (I buy a gallon of drinking water)
• 1 lb bag of your favorite rich coffee (course ground if ya can get it)
• Coffee filters or several layers of cheesecloth
• a fine mesh strainer.
• a large bowl
• pitcher (big enough to hold a gallon)

Directions-

1. Pour gallon of water into your large bowl.
2. Dump the entire bag of coffee into the water/bowl.
3. Stir to make sure all grounds are saturated with water.
4. Walk away, for 12 hours or overnight.
5. line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter or several layers of cheese-cloth, set the strainer on top of your pitcher.
6. Pour (or ladle) your coffee mixture into the strainer. (this part takes awhile...  I often had to walk away while it filtered into the pitcher)   If using coffee filters, you might have to replace them 
7. several times during the filtering process.
8. Once all the coffee concentrate has been filtered, stick it in the fridge (it will last for a month!)

Sweet Cream

Ingredients-

• 1, 12oz can of evaporated milk
• 1, 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions-

1. mix both cans together, refrigerate.

Fill a glass with ice.  Fill it a little over half way with the coffee.  Fill the remainder with the cream mixture.  Mix and ENJOY!

Sunshine Swizzle Punch

One of my best friend's is getting married in a few weeks, which means bridal showers and bachelorette parties to prepare for.  I love using my punch bowl and always volunteer to bring punch to any event.  If you know me, you know I don't like making the same recipe twice.  So, even though I've tried some great punch recipes, I wanted to find a new one.  I stumbled across this one on the Kraft foods website.  Guests at the shower loved this punch.  It was sweet but not too sweet.  I had a request to have it posted ASAP, so here it is!  Enjoy!

*Punch is in the corner of the pic.  I'm so mad at myself for not taking a better picture!!

What You Need
2 pkt. (makes 2 qt. drink) or 4 pkt. (makes 1 qt. drink each) CRYSTAL LIGHT Lemonade Flavor Drink Mix*
3 qt.  (12 cups) cold club soda
1 can (12 oz.) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 qt.  (4 cups) raspberry sherbet
Make It

EMPTY drink mix into large punch bowl.

ADD club soda and limeade concentrate; stir until concentrate is completely dissolved.

SCOOP sherbet into punch just before serving.

*NOTE: CRYSTAL LIGHT Packets come in two sizes. Please note packet size before preparing recipe.

Party Punch

I made this punch for a baby shower I threw.  It was the drink of the afternoon.  Everyone asked what was in it and it's so simple to make.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

2 liters of Raspberry Soda

1 carton of Raspberry Sherbet 

1-2 sliced Limes

Directions: 

Pour soda into punch bowl.  Empty carton of sherbet into the bowl.  Slightly mix.  Top with slices of lime.