Frozen Santoni Spritz in the Ninja Slushi Professional Drink Maker

I told you a while back that the Frozen Aperol Spritz has been my drink of summer.  Total Wine loves to see me coming for Aperol and Prosecco.  I had read an article a while back that said if you enjoy Aperol, to try Santoni. Santoni Aperitivo is a bittersweet Italian liqueur featuring botanicals, rhubarb and olive leaf.  Aperol is sweetest and lightest of these styles of bitter aperitifs.  Campari has the deeper more intense bitter flavor.  Santoni sits in the middle of those two.  A traditional Santoni Spritz is 2 parts Santoni, over ice with 4 parts Prosecco.  Garnished with an olive.  AN OLIVE.  In a spritzer.   Since I enjoyed the Frozen Aperol Spritz so much, I went straight for a Frozen Santoni Spritz without even trying the liqueur first.  The first drink I had was slightly more bitter than the Aperol I was used to.  I thought I had made a mistake.  Upon a few more sips, I realized the flavor is very good.  But it seemed like it was missing something.  I always garnish my Aperol Spritzes with an orange slice, so I thought I would stick to tradition and throw in a couple of Castelvetrano olives.  IN A SLUSH.  So here I am drinking what looks like a cherry Icee from 7-11 with the bitterly botanical flavor with olives floating around.  And you know what?  There's a reason Italian food is some of the best in the world.  Italians simply know what they are doing with flavor.  The addition of those olives with a touch of their brine completely changed the flavor of the drink.  If you don't like Aperol, then you probably will not enjoy a Santoni Spritz, but if you do like the flavor of Aperol or Campari, then most definitely give this a try.  If you don't have a slushi maker, then just make a traditional spritz that isn't frozen.  The sophisticated flavors and beautiful red color make this drink unusually refreshing. 

This is actually really good.
*IF* you like Aperol or Campari.
If you hate Aperol, you probably 
won't enjoy this as much as we did.

The traditional garnish is an olive.
The flavors compliment this liqueur
so much.  It's really a tasty drink.

I'll say it again...The Italians REALLY
know how to put delicious flavors together.

Despite looking like a cherry ICEE,
this grown-up drink is full of 
botanical flavor.  Truly a sophisticated sip.

FROZEN SANTONI SPRITZ IN THE NINJA SLUSHI DRINK MAKER

(1) 750 ml bottle Prosecco
1 cup Santoni Aperitivo Liqueur
2 cups Club Soda
1-2 tablespoons olive brine
Castrelvetrano olives for garnish

Combine the Prosecco, Santoni, club soda and olive brine in the drink machine.  Choose the spiked slush setting and one frozen, garnish with a couple of Castrelvetrano olives and enjoy.

For a TRADITIONAL SANTONI SPRITZ:

Pour 2 parts Santoni Aperitivo over ice.  Top with 4 parts Prosecco or sparkling wine.  Garnish with olives.

 

Frozen Aperol Spritz in the Ninja Slushi Professional Drink Maker

I'm obsessed with this drink.  I've made this at least 4 times this summer.  At first I thought a frozen cocktail could not get any better than the Frozen Club Special, and then I mastered the Frozen Hillstone Crisp Martini.  That was definitely last summer's drink of choice.  This year will go down as the summer of the Frozen Aperol Spritz.  This is so easy to make, I just dump everything into the Ninja Slushi Professional Drink Maker and let it do all of the work.  The bright, bittersweet taste of Aperol is a flavor unlike anything else.  It highlights the orange juice perfectly, for a not-too-sweet cocktail.  When I say you can enjoy these all afternoon I mean it.  You probably shouldn't.  That is on you.  I'm just saying when you see what a bright summery-colorful drink this is, not to mention the refreshing flavor, you might be tempted to have more than one.  I will be having more than one.  All summer long on my patio.

The drink of summer 2026!

My absolute favorite way to use the
Ninja Slushi Professional Drink Maker.

The color is so vibrant and the taste
is even better.

Can you tell I've made these
several times already?

I love a regular Aperol Spritz, but
something about this frozen version
is even better.  Especially on a hot
summer day.

FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ in the
NINJA SLUSHI PROFESSIONAL DRINK MAKER

1 750ml bottle Prosecco wine
1 cup Aperol liqueur
1 cup club soda
1 cup pulp-free orange juice
orange slices for garnish

Combine the liquid ingredients into a large pitcher and carefully pour into the slushi machine.  Select the "spiked slush" setting and allow the drink to freeze.  Once the slushi is frozen, dispense into a glass and garnish with an orange slice and enjoy.

Banana Cold Foam for Coffee

We are coffee drinkers around here!  Mr. Devilish Dish even makes his own homemade vanilla syrup for my coffee in the morning.  So when the Devilish Nephew's sweet wife sent a text and said, "Do either of you know how to make cold foam for coffee?" we were ON IT.  Typically I just make a latte in the morning or a vanilla cold brew, but I'm no stranger to a good cold foam so Mr. Devilish Dish and I went to work.  We immediately bought some bananas so we would have some ripe, flavorful ones to work with.  After a little trial and error, we had perfection.  I'm not gonna lie, this is delicious.  Probably not my morning drink of choice before work, but a little banana cold foam on top of a small afternoon pick-me-up cold brew is an afternoon snack all on its own.  A really tasty treat to add to our home coffee bar menu.

Such a tasty topping for your favorite
coffee beverage.

BANANA COLD FOAM FOR COFFEE

1 very ripe banana
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of sea salt

In a small blender or food processor, combine the banana, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth.  You can save this in the refrigerator for later and re-froth when ready to use, or use immediately.  To serve, pour a glass of your favorite cold brew coffee and top with a few tablespoons of the banana cream foam.  

NOTE: We used a hand-held frothing wand to get this extra foamy and frothy.

Enjoy,

 

EGGS-Presso Martini Easter Gift

I have four "big kids" now.  Little Devil has her very serious boyfriend, who is part of the family.  He has his name on a Christmas stocking so he is stuck with us now.  The Devilish Nephew has the most awesome wife.  It's kind of fun being empty nesters with adult kids.  Now we can hang out and enjoy a cocktail with the same folks we were once yelling at over late homework and dirty laundry.  OF COURSE I have little Easter Baskets made for the tiniest devils.  They are 3 and 5.  I hope I live long enough to have an espresso martini with them someday, but for now I am obsessed with the little guys, so they can stay tiny and hunt Easter eggs for many more years.  Sometimes I do grown up baskets or gifts for the big kids, and this time I saw these super cute glasses with Easter eggs on them, and I thought that would be a cute container for a grown up "basket." Then I saw a reel someone made putting together the canned espresso drink with a bottle of vodka wrapped up like a carrot.  The only thing missing was the opportunity for having a bad pun and calling it EGGS-Presso instead of espresso.  So I got inspired to make my own version for my big kids.  This is a great co-worker treat or hostess gift too, and I've included the little tag you can print to make your own.  Happy Easter!

Easter "baskets" for my "big kids"

Here's everything you need.
It's listed below.

Put the green shred in the bottom of
each glass to look like grass.
Add a can of espresso drink.

Place the individual vodka bottle
upside down and gather the orange
tissue around it.

Tie it off at the larger end so it 
looks like a carrot.

I trimmed my tissue paper at the
top because it was pretty big and I was 
too lazy to cut my tissue squares into
smaller sizes.

Grab some Easter-themed candy
to throw in.  I went with eggs since my
glasses had eggs on them.
AND it's an EGGS-presso Martini.

Add the vodka carrot and your candy 
to the glass. I'm not gonna lie,
my stuff BARELY fit in here.  I'm glad
I chose the Ketel vodka because it 
was a longer, skinny bottle.

Here's my tag.  You can right click 
on this and save it to your computer.
Size it to your liking and print it onto
cardstock.  Cut it out and punch a tiny
hole and tie it onto your carrot.

Aren't these just the cutest?
Blue eggs for the boys and pink
eggs for the girls.

Cheers! Happy Easter.

EGGS-PRESSO MARTINI GIFTS

You'll Need:

Easter-themed glasses or other container (I found these at Hobby Lobby - I literally googled "easter glasses near me)

Starbucks Mini Espresso in a can (I found these at the grocery store)

Mini bottles of vodka ( I found these at Total Wine - I went with Ketel because I think it's better tasting vodka, and I liked the shape of the bottle)

Easter candy (small eggs or chocolate rabbits) (Found at the grocery store)

green shred or easter grass (Hobby Lobby)

orange tissue paper (Hobby Lobby)

green ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

cardstock to print the tag
hole punch
twine or thin string to tie the tag on

Let me know if you make these.  Send me a pic, I want to see it, or TAG ME if you post to your social media <3

The Cowboy Colada

It's World Whiskey Day.  I'll admit I am not much of a whiskey drinker.  Mr. Devilish Dish and his pals imbibe on occasion.  They have their bourbon and whiskey collections and fancy ice cubes and such.  You'll usually catch me with a glass of champagne or something tasty like the Hillstone Crisp Martini or the Hemingway Daiquiri.  But Mr. Devilish Dish is quite the charming bartender and we do pride ourselves on a very well-stocked bar so I'm always game to try any of his cocktail suggestions.  And slap the name COWBOY on anything and you practically have my heart.  I was incredibly surprised at how tasty this cocktail is.  Think the flavors of a fresh Pina Colada, but with the warmth and depth of a good whiskey.  And a little bit of heat from jalapeno.  That's right.  Jalapeno-infused whiskey is the base for this cocktail.  It's a little bit of smoky spice in your otherwise traditional tropical cocktail.  An unusual combination for both your fruity drink folks and AND your cowboys!

A surprising mash-up of whiskey 
and pina colada!

A cool, refreshing drink.  
Slightly sweet....

but the added depth, warmth and spice
from jalapeno-infused whiskey.

A cowboy drink by the fireplace.

Enjoy this unusual,
but delicious cocktail for
World Whiskey Day!

COWBOY COLADA

12 ounces good quality whiskey
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce cream of coconut
1/2 ounce simple syrup
jalapeno slice for garnish

Pour the whiskey into a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Add the sliced jalapeno and let sit overnight.  Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the pepper slices and any bits or seeds.  Store the infused whiskey in a cool dark place until ready to use.

For the cocktail:

Fill a low-ball glass with crushed ice.  Place ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and add 1 1/2 ounces of the jalapeno-infused whiskey, pineapple juice, cream of coconut and simple syrup.  Shake.  Strain and pour over the crushed ice.  Garnish with a slice of fresh jalapeno. 

 

Espresso Martini - National Espresso Martini Day

 I have to admit until recently I've never been much of a coffee drinker.  Or a martini drinker for that matter.  A couple of years ago I convinced Mr. Devilish Dish to drive over an hour to buy an old wooden hutch off of Facebook Marketplace, load it in the truck and drive it back another hour to a friend's house that specialized in re-doing old furniture.  Long story short, we had this hutch painted to match our kitchen cabinets.  Then we cut it in half and hung the upper portion on the wall to store and display dishes.  The bottom half was nice and deep and ideal for storing large bowls and platters, and on top, our ice machine sits perfectly.  Now Mr. Devilish Dish did all of this work because I promised him this piece of furniture would be his "coffee bar" when really I wanted it for storage purposes.  After much patience, he FINALLY said, "I was told this would be a coffee bar." And coffee bar it has become.  It's now home to the ice machine, Ninja Slushi machine, and espresso machine.  Plus every little toy and gadget that goes with an espresso machine.  And when you have all of the things to make coffee drinks, you learn to love coffee, which now I finally do.   Mr. Devilish Dish is not only quite the bartender, he's quite the barista too.  He can make just about any coffee drink you can imagine, to include making his own homemade vanilla syrup.  My favorite might be when the bartender and barista collide and you get the perfect Espresso Martini.  You can totally substitute cold brew concentrate if you don't have your own personal barista around the house.  This classic delicious drink is great any time of day.  It provides a little pick me up, but it's also a great after dinner cocktail if you enjoy a little coffee with your dessert.  It's National Espresso Martini Day, so be sure and enjoy one no matter what time it is.

Such a tasty cocktail.  
Good thing it's National Espresso Martini Day!

The ingredients.  Mr. Devilish Dish
used his homemade vanilla syrup in this,
but you can use regular simple syrup too.

Look at that crema on top.  
Enough to float the coffee bean garnish.

Did you know traditionally you garnish 
with three beans to represent health,
wealth and happiness?
I got an extra one :)

It's National Espresso Martini Day
so ENJOY!

ESPRESSO MARTINI

2 ounces good quality vodka
1/2 ounce coffee liqueur (Like Kahlua, St. George Nola, or Mr. Black)
1 ounce espresso freshly brewed (or cold brew concentrate)
1/4 ounce simple syrup
Garnish: coffee beans

Add vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with coffee beans

3 Cocktails You HAVE to Try!

Since the surgery on my hand last year, Mr. Devilish Dish and I have stepped up our bartending game.  It helps that we love to travel and love good food.  We're always down to try a regional beverage when we're on vacation, and even when I know I'll probably wind up ordering a Diet Coke, I never miss the opportunity to peruse a new restaurant's cocktail menu.  These three cocktails happen to be things that peaked my interest on social media.  Once I tried them and deemed them worth sharing a quick search of the internet proved these aren't new cocktails.  Just new to me cocktails.  And more than likely given new names by a new generation.  Which makes them even more fun.  We definitely claim the CLUB SPECIAL, here in Oklahoma and I knew west Texas lays deed to the RANCH WATER.  I'm willing to bet a lot of folks claim these cocktails as their own.  While I'm not sure of all of their origins, I am sure they are tasty, refreshing and worth sharing!

No matter what you call these, they are tasty!

The Beermosa, also known as 
the Man-mosa, or an Arizona Mimosa.
This is refreshing, and a tasty twist
on a traditional champagne mimosa.

The Diet Cokagne.  One of my favorites
as I LOVE champagne and I love Diet Coke.
If you're one of those people that enjoys a
Diet Coke with lime, then that slight 
sweet/tart flavor of the champagne is similar
when added to the Diet Coke.
Super refreshing.

Also known as a Diesel, Colabier,
or Colorado Kool-Aid, this version
uses Diet Coke where traditionally the 
beer is blended with regular cola.
The Coors Original Banquet Beer, brewed
in Golden, Colorado is a must for a 
Colorado version!

ARIZONA MIMOSA

6-8oz light beer
2-4oz no-pulp orange juice

Pour the chilled beer into a pint glass or beer mug, then top with cold orange juice.
Garnish with an orange wheel if desired.

DIET COKAGNE

4-6 oz Diet Coke
2oz dry champagne or sparkling wine
ice

Fill a highball glass or champagne flute with ice.  Fill the glass about 2/3 full with cold Diet Coke.  Top off the remainder of the glass with champagne.  Garnish with a lime slice, lemon twist or maraschino cherry.

COLORADO DIET COKE

6-8oz light beer
6-8oz Diet Coke (or regular Coke if desired)

Pour the cola into a tall beer glass or pint glass.  Slowly pour in the beer.  Mix if desired.  Serve with ice if desired.

Drink Responsibly,

The Hemingway Daiquiri

There was no dry January around here.  Mainly because we are foodies and empty nesters and I'm in the era where I love to hang out with Mr. Devilish Dish.  He's really into cooking lately, and I'm still recovering from the busy holidays so I'm happy he is enjoying the meal preparation.  I do wash the dishes, but most of the time while he cooks, I sit on a bar stool at our counter and keep him company.  He does this thing where he throws a dish towel over his shoulder and says, "What can I get you to drink Ma'am?"  He's just too cute and funny to resist.  In addition to honing his cooking skills, he has really honed his bartending skills too.  My two favorite cocktails he makes for me are the Hillstone Crisp Martini and this daiquiri.  I love anything fruity or floral so it makes sense that I love this flavor profile.  This daiquiri isn't your typical poolside frozen drink.  This classy cocktail is a tempting combination of rum, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit juice.  Shaken and served in a coupe glass, it's a sophisticated cocktail, originally created in the 1930s for Ernest Hemingway, who desired a more spirit-forward version of the classic daiquiri.  This is crisp, slightly tart, and a beautiful pink hue.  It's an ideal drink for spring and summer, or a special occasion.  Or in my case, to forget the dreary cold days of winter, and looking forward to sipping this on the patio during warmer weather.  The gorgeous pink hue makes it ideal for a Valentine's or Galentine's party too, so enjoy now, and bookmark this recipe so you can make again when warmer weather arrives.

My new favorite cocktail:
The Hemingway Daiquiri

The ingredients:  Simple and fresh.

A beautiful presentation in 
a coupe glass.  This would be so 
cute to serve at Valentine's Day,
not to mention how much this will be served 
during the summer!

A cute "pretend" bartender helps lol.

THE HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI

2 ounces white rum
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: lime wheel

Add the rum, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.  Strain into a couple glass.  Garnish with a lime wheel.

Enjoy Safely,

"VALENTINE: Every Hour is Happy With You" Cocktail Gift

Last Valentine's Day was pretty lame because I was on week 6 of a 16 week recovery of hand surgery.  I've mentioned in posts past that Mr. Devilish Dish and I passed the recuperation time by watching reruns of "Bar Rescue" and creating cocktails.  Aside from the excruciating pain, and frustration of only having one hand to blow dry my hair, I have to say those few weeks were time well spent with my husband.  He took great care of me and went to great effort to keep me comfortable, sane and entertained.  In addition, we learned a lot about the art of cocktail making and when Valentine's Day rolled around I knew I wanted to get him the handful of tools I realized we were missing in our bar set-up.  We needed a cocktail mixing glass, a cocktail strainer and he asked for sugar cubes.  I also found a company that sells the most unique cocktail mixers, bitters and more.  El Guapo is located in New Orleans, which is dear to our hearts because my brother-in-law is a chef there.  I had already ordered gifts for him from this company in years past, and I knew their LOVE POTION BITTERS would be the perfect addition to a cocktail themed Valentine basket.  I also added a bottle of their Cajun Grenadine which features the famous Ponchatoula strawberries.  And of course no Valentine is complete without some chocolates so I added some of his favorites in there too.  Considering I put the entire thing together with one hand, I was pretty impressed with this little gift.  Even if I wasn't able to tie a bow on it.  And the best part, is I do love a Valentine Pun, so I was able to add a little homemade card that said, "Valentine: Every Hour is Happy With You." Which turned out to be very true, because My Valentine is the one that helped me get through that mess of a surgery recovery. 

Valentine: Every Hour is Happy with You!

These bitters are so unique,
and fit with my theme perfectly.

I filled the cocktail mixing glass
with a variety of his favorite candy.
(And mine too.  I ate that Reese's.)

Did you know that traditional grenadine
is made from pomegranate? THIS certified
Cajun version features Louisiana strawberries. 

Here's the whole basket.  Good thing
it didn't need a bow, because I couldn't 
tie one with one hand.

Hope this gives you some Valentine inspo!