Review: Holiday Drinks with Cascade Ice

I'm not normally a sugary-cocktail kind of girl. I like the classics, of course: gin/vodka and tonic, margaritas (over ice, no salt) -- but I generally avoid things like cosmos or anything electric-colored. Two reasons: 1) the calories will destroy any attempt at healthy eating, and 2) the sugar/carbonation gives me tummy aches.

I was sent some samples of Cascade Ice sparkling waters to try these little bottles of zero-calorie, sugar-free flavored sparkling water, and of course I love to oblige. They're gluten-free, sodium-free, carb-free...vice-free, really. Sounded good on paper. I have to confess, though, that I really hate the flavored carbonated water you can get at grocery stores. They always taste super artificial and sweet.

Not these little guys, though. I gave the coconut-flavored water a try after a workout, and I gotta say, it's lovely. It actually tastes like coconut. It's light and refreshing without being too sweet or too bubbly. I bet with a couple tablespoons of coconut milk, pineapple juice, and a splash of rum, you'd have a super delish and skinny pina colada. The margarita mix is a fabulous substitute for the nasty mixer you buy at the store, and the cosmopolitan mixer is one even I would combine with vodka.

If you want to avoid alcohol all together, these would make awesome mocktails  - especially for a baby shower. Just pour over ice (I'm sipping some sparkling lemonade as we speak).

Here are some recipes I'd like to try to for the holidays:

Cascade Ice Pink Grapefruit Pineapple Punch
8 oz Cascade Ice Grapefruit
1/2 cup sugar-free pineapple juice
1 cup ice
(optional: maybe some vodka and some pomegranate seeds for fun)

White Wine Spritzer
8 oz Cascade Ice Sparkling Lemonade
4 oz Pinot Grigio
1 sprig mint

Or try my tinto de verano recipe with the sparkling lemonade!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Give thanks and drink up!

-Katie

this post was sponsored by Cascade Ice. All opinions are my own.

Sips on Saturday: Grilled Peaches & Gin

Summertime is the perfect time for gin. I LOVE gin and tonics (and I've been told that I'm essentially an old lady because of that...but see if I care.

 Incidentally, it's also peach season. I thought it'd be a tasty marriage, and I was right. It's a jazzed-up classic with a little extra sweetness, a little floral-fruity note. Grilling the peaches brings out their flavor and adds a little caramel flavor in the background. Perfect for a hot St. Louis summer.

Ingredients:

1 peach, sliced into wedges

1 lime, sliced into wedges

Tonic water

Gin

Sugar

Optional: lemon verbena, mint

 

Procedure:

Sprinkle peaches with sugar. Grill for a few minutes per side or until you get some gorgeous marks.

 

Meanwhile, rub a lime on the rim of a glass and dip in sugar, just for a little extra something sweet.

Add the lime, a couple grilled peaches and some ice into the glass. Add your preferred amount of gin, tonic, and any optional herbs.

Happy Saturday, readers. 

Sips on Saturday: Tea time

It's 3 o'clock. Here in 'Merica, that means close to nothing. But in England, it's just about time for tea.

I happen to love tea time. Not because I actually observe it every day, but just the thought of taking a moment out to have a little snack and hot cup of tea in the middle of the day seems so charming and refreshing.

For tea time today, I had a soft boiled egg with toast, artichoke pesto {I used store-bought}, and my sister-in-law's homegrown tomatoes. To drink, Earl Grey with sugar and milk.

Soft-boiled eggs are a lot easier to make than I thought. And man are they delicious like whoa. The whites are firm and the yolks are soft and a tad bit runny. They're sort of like poached eggs, only it's harder to screw it up.

Just bring a pot of water to a boil, plop the eggs in for 7 minutes exactly, then transfer them to an ice bath for 10 minutes. Always salt and pepper them.

Yep, I'm a fan.

Also for your consideration for tea time {or coffee time}:

Easy iced caramel mocha frappes:

1 packet Starbucks Iced Coffee mix, cold water, ice, maybe a touch of Kahlua, and whipped cream

Spicy Ginger Soda with Rum:

1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 stub minced ginger (about 2 inches long), 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes. Kill the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes. Strain.

Combine the syrup with tonic water. Serve with rum.

Tea time isn't just for tea, you know… at least in my book. 

And yes, I realize it's not technically Saturday — 

but every day is Saturday when you're unemployed {one of the perks}!

-Katie

DIY: Things to do with leftover wine corks

Justin and I drink a lot of wine. We like to get the cheapy bottles at Trader Joe's for $3-4. Sometimes when we're feeling snazzy we'll go for the $6 ones.

What we're left with, over time, is a LOT of wine corks.

I always get these ideas to be really crafty and clever with them, and there are so many things on Pinterest that I could do, and it makes me feel much more handy than I really am.

I'm really not that crafty. The most impressive thing I've ever done in that capacity is paint our nightstands.

not bad for an amateur, right?

So instead of making bathmats or wall murals, I jazzed up an old serving tray we had laying around.

Pretty neat, huh? All I did was hot-glue the corks onto the tray, then poured Modge Podge all over it. It took a few days to dry out, and it made the room smell pungently of glue, but still, it worked!

I feel so creative, like maybe all along there was a Martha Stewart hidden inside me. 

I mean, just look at my craft.

This might be the start of something, readers.

-Katie

Sips on Saturday: Tinto de Verano

Tinto de verano is a summery delight wildly popular in Spain. Simple and refreshing, tinto de verano is half red wine, half lemony soda. To jazz it up, add some frozen grapes to your glass or a slice of lemon.

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients
Red wine (we get the $4 bottles at Trader Joe's)
Lemon soda from Whole Foods
Lemon slices (optional)

Mix together in a cold glass and enjoy.

Before …

After!