Vodka Basil Gimlet

I love this time of year!  The weather is warmer, the breezes are beautiful, the trees are leafing out... It's perfect for a cocktail on the patio.  I am loving this drink right now.  The tart lime along with the fresh basil is a perfect compliment to some stoop sitting.

To make your own, you will need:

• 1 1/2 parts vodka
• 1 part Rose's lime juice
• 2-3 basil leaves per drink

Simply muddle one or two basil leaves at the bottom of a glass.  Top with ice, vodka, and lime juice.  Stir gently and garnish with a fresh leaf of basil.

What is your go-to summer drink?

Moscato Sangria Recipe

This was a tasty little concoction I made for our Mother's Day celebration.  It was super simple, and absolutely delicious!

You will need:

• Large bottle (1.5L) Barefoot Moscato
• 7Up or Sprite
• 2 cups green grapes
• 2 peaches
• 1 orange
• 1 blood orange

Chop up your oranges and peaches, and cut your grapes in half.  Add the cut fruit to a pitcher and top with moscato until the fruit just begins to float.  Let this sit in the fridge for 2-4 hours.  Then, when you are ready to serve, top with 7Up or Sprite.  Stir it up, and serve it up!

Seriously good.  Do you have a go-to sangria recipe?

DIY Expletive Coffee Mug

Because before coffee, an expletive is sometimes all you can muster.

To make your own, you will need:

• White coffee mug (IKEA is where I got mine)
• Pink and black acrylic enamel paint
• Straw
• Sticker symbols (I found mine in an alphabet pack at Michaels)

Stick your expletive in the center of your mug.  Then, add a dot or two of paint to the surface.  Use your straw  to blow the paint around.  I did a few test runs on a piece of styrofoam just to get a feel for it, but be prepared for the paint to behave differently on different surfaces.

Keep adding paint and blowing it around until you like the general look.  Then, remove the stickers carefully.  Scrape off any unwanted paint that seeped under the stickers.  Finally, bake according to your paint instructions.  This will typically include a dry time along with heating your oven with the mug inside- this keeps the temperature from going from one extreme to the other too quickly, which may cause the mug to break.

Allow it to cool, and then enjoy your bleeping mug!

Kate Spade Winner!

Congratulations to Stephanie Coffield, winner of the Kate Spade tumbler!

Birthday Giveaway!

For the past several years, I have hosted a giveaway for my birthday here on the blog.  Well, it's that time of year again!!  My birthday is in a little less than a week, and I am so excited to share the prize this year: Kate Spade's Like a Book insulated tumbler!

I am over the moon for this print.  I have an insulated thermos from Kate Spade that says "Cold Hands, Warm Heart" which I love.  So, when I saw this, I knew I had to spread the love!

Now, I also ordered myself an early birthday gift from Kate Spade- the Go All Out bangle.  They shipped the two together, and I couldn't keep myself from tearing into the packaging.  So, while you won't get the super cute Kate Spade shipping treatment, I promise to send this off to the winner with much love and adornment :)

To enter, all you need to do is like Holly Goes Lightly on Facebook, and leave a comment on this post saying that you did!

Good luck to all- the contest ends on April 2nd!

This contest is now closed

DIY Glitter Star Straws

The Oscars are this Sunday!  Are you planning on watching them?  I love watching the Oscars, but this year, we actually have tickets to see Pippin.  So I'm bummed to miss the awards show, but SO excited to see a live show!

If I were watching the Oscars, I would use these cute little straws for whatever beverage we served.  To make your own, you will need:

• Black and white paper straws
• Gold glitter paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Star stencil or cookie cutter

Trace the star on the back of the glitter paper.  Cut it out, and glue it to the paper straw an inch and a half or so from the top.

I displayed mine in a champagne flute.

Could this be any easier?  (The answer is no!)  What are you Oscar viewing plans?

Saturday Snapshot: Christmas Market

When I visited Germany during law school, I was lucky enough to go to a Christmas market.  As you know, I LOVE Christmas, so the market was an amazing thing to experience.  It just gave me warm fuzzies :)  Well, now Minneapolis has its own Christmas market, and I am happy as an elf buried in candy canes.

They had Glühwein, hot hard apple cider, and hot cider

Over the weekend, Minneapolis opened its brand new Christmas tradition: a Christmas market, open on the weekends leading up to Christmas.  It has gifts, music, and lots and lots of food.  While I'm sad that the Holidazzle parade the city used to put on is over, this Christmas market is a great replacement.  I can't wait to see how it develops over the years- and I can't wait to share some pictures from it over the next few weeks!

These candied almonds were amazing!

These cookies always look so pretty!

Have you ever been to a Christmas market?

Very Cherry Manhattan

My husband came up with this drink for me as a twist on a classic Manhattan.  I must say, it's pretty tasty!  I wouldn't mind if this became an evening ritual!

To make a Very Cherry Manhattan, you will need:

• Bourbon
• Sweet vermouth
• Cherry bark vanilla bitters
• Jar of cherries

Combine 2 parts bourbon and 1 part sweet vermouth over ice. 

Add a dash of cherry bark vanilla bitters, two cherries, and a tiny dribble of the cherry juice. 

Stir, and enjoy!  Best served with an episode of Mad Men.

Planning on making this over the weekend?  Snap a picture and send it to me: holly[at]goeslightly[dot]com and you could be featured on the blog!

Mulberry Mania!

I have discovered the mulberry, and I am in love! 

Mulberries are a mild fruit that grows on trees and looks a lot like a blackberry.  My brother has one over-hanging in his yard, so I went over the other day and picked a TON of these little berries.  Then, I set to work making as many recipes as possible.  They're all fantastic, and I highly recommend you check them out and give them a try yourself!

Sweet-Hot Mulberry Jam, from Fiery Foods and Barbeque Supersite
I think it would be pretty great without the chile powder, too!

Mulberry-Orange Muffins, from Pleasant House
These are SO good!  I'm going to make more this week :)

Mulberry Soda, from My Darling Lemon Thyme

Finally, the Mulberry Martini, my own invention :)

In a martini shaker, combine 1 ounce mulberry syrup (from mulberry soda recipe) with 2 ounces ginger vodka over ice.  Shake shake shake, pour into a glass, and top with lemon sparkling water.

Enjoy!

Orange Sorbet Moscato Float

This is perfect for hot days when you're entertaining!  The tart orange sherbet makes a perfect pair to the sweet pink moscato bubbly :)

Simply scoop the orange sherbet into a large wine glass and top with moscato!

Have a fantastic weekend!  Stop by tomorrow for a snap of our irises :)

Ginger Infused Vodka

This is a yummy, adults only, concoction :)  I've got step by step instructions for how to make the vodka, plus a yummy drink recipe for you!

For the ginger infused vodka, you will need:

• Vodka
• 2 mason jars
• 1 large knob of ginger
• Mesh strainer and/or cheese cloth

Peel and chop your ginger, then add it to your mason jar.

Top the ginger with vodka, put on the lid, and stick it in the fridge.

Shake the jar daily until a week has elapsed.  Then, pour the vodka over the cheese cloth or strainer (I used both... and would recommend a funnel because I had a lot of vodka on the counter!) into the other jar.

So simple!  The waiting is the hardest part :)

To make a great, refreshing summer drink you will need:

• Ginger infused vodka
• Lime flavored tonic or sparkling water
• Lemon
• Lime

Fill your glass with ice.  Top with 1 ounce of infused vodka.  Squeeze one thin lemon slice and one thin lime slice into the glass.  Top with sparkling water and serve with a lime wedge garnish.

Enjoy! :)