Spring Break 2012!

So this is my first stab at blogging about the things I do in and around my life! 

A famous person once said, "You can take the girl out of the bar but you cant take the bartender out of the girl...." and I must agree! For this reason I love to work on my mixologist skills whenever possible and such an opportunity presented itself recently! On a recent Friday some of my girls came over to try a new drink I found on pinterest, called a sparkling lemonade, but I am calling mine the Pink Elephant (in the room, hehe). So as the kids played quietly (yeah, right!) I squeezed fresh lemons and infused my own vodka!
This drink calls for:
Vodka (strawberry flavored, but I made my own)
fresh lemon juice
simple syrup (made by microwaving 1 C sugar and 1 C water until it combines and boils for @5 min.)
sparkling wine (nothing fancy....this is a recession! LOL)
some pretty glasses (lets keep it real ladies!)
pink elephant stirrers
ice

1. Start by making your simple syrup since this needs to come to a boil and cool back down. I mix 1 C sugar with 1 C of water and micro until boiling. I than micro 5 more minutes. Works like a charm! Make plenty and keep in frig.....just keep the 50/50 proportion.

My girl Emily patiently awaiting her cocktail.

2. For citrus juices I prefer to squeeze my own.....kind of snobby but the proof is in the pudding, or juice in this situation! I make sure to squeeze plenty of juice to ensure no one gets skimped:)

Don't mind the dirty sandals.....concentrate on the flavor infusion going on!

Good ole McCormick seasonings and flavorings! I used imitation strawberry.

3. The recipe called for strawberry flavored vodka. I, however only had vodka AND some imitation strawberry flavoring.....VOILA! Instant strawberry vodka! Better if you ask me!

4. The drink is a 2:2:2:2 ratio so pretty easy to remember.....2 oz lemon juice, 2 oz simple syrup, 2 oz strawberry vodka, top with 2 oz sparkling wine. I like lots of ice and my wine glasses were somewhat small (the real recipe used hurricane glasses) I used a 1:1:1:1. This made it easier, too, because I than just used a shot as my measurement.

Glasses with vodka. Add syrup and juice. Mix. Float sparkling wine on top.

5. Add fancy stirrer and drink!