Umbrella-worthy Drinks for Summer

July 27, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

We’ve had a lot of fun posting and sharing with you this summer. Although summer is not over yet, and here in Texas we still have many hot days to get through before we feel the first cool breeze of fall, we thought we would take time to look back at past posts and share with you our all-time umbrella-worthy cocktails. What is an umbrella-worthy cocktail? It is a cocktail that is especially good to drink beach or poolside that is not too heavy, can cool you down, and doesn’t look bad with an umbrella accessory. Ready to see what drinks we picked? Well, here you go….

The Royal Hurricane

If there ever was a drink that was meant to be adorned with a cute umbrella, it was this one. High on flavor, freshness, and overall summer appeal, The Royal Hurricane is a hit at any pool party or sunset cruise.

Italian Mojito

The Italian Mojito has a great flavor with a zip of mint to help any hot summer day feel a little bit more refreshing. Serve with crushed ice to up the umbrella factor.

La Branca

Let’s party like they do in the Mediterranean and enjoy life like the Italians. Whether you are gazing out at the blue waters of the Mediterranean or the water in your local lake, this yummy alternative to the usual margarita is sure to put some flair into your afternoon.

Paloma

Rhonda’s go-to drink on a hot summer day. It’s so easy to make and so refreshing. You can’t go wrong with a Paloma. It will make you feel like you are on a beach in Mexico watching an amazing sunset over the Pacific.

Day Drinking

The very name of this easy, light cocktail just begs for a cute umbrella. As a close friend to the Paloma, no need to stop at just one.

Spiked Watermelon Lemonade

Just looking at this drink you know it is going to be a crowd-pleaser. It is refreshing, sweet, and has summertime fun written all over it!

Grown Up Berry Lemonade

Who doesn’t crave refreshing lemonade on a hot summer day? Make sure the kids know that this one is for mommy. It is easy to make on short notice and long on summertime satisfaction.

Some Like It Hot

This drink turns up the heat, but satisfies on a hot day. If you are into spicy drinks, this one is calling your name. Don’t forget the umbrella!

Tequila Watermelon Fizz

The Tequila Watermelon Fizz is a very easy drink to make on the go at the lake or the beach. It is light on ingredients and even lighter on calories. No guilt here while you are sipping this in your bikini by the pool.

Strawberry Basil Margarita

The Strawberry Basil Margarita has been our cocktail of the summer. What tastes more like summer than some strawberries combined with the zip of fresh basil? It is truly a treat for all of your senses.

Try one. Try them all. What is your go-to umbrella-worthy drink? We would love to hear about it.

Disclaimer: Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and always drink responsibly.

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Easy Espresso Cake

July 21, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

We hope that you enjoyed your celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 with our yummy cocktail, The Moon Walk. You haven’t tried it yet? No worries, there is still time to commemorate the historical event with a friendly cheers to NASA.

This week we are sharing with you a terrifically easy dessert that is perfect for a family reunion or last-minute get together. You will be surprised when you see how easy it is to make this cake, and astonished with its rich, moist flavor. We got the basic recipe from our friend Cara when she visited us for dinner one evening. We Blind Pigged it up and bit, and now it is one of our go-to favorites. In fact, we (Rhonda) has made it 3 or 4 times this summer.

To make this delicious dessert you will need a few basic ingredients: 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 box of instant vanilla pudding, 1 box of instant chocolate pudding, eggs, chocolate chips, water, oil, and Cafe’ Borghetti espresso liqueur. This recipe is a popular recipe that you may have used before, but the secret ingredient is the Cafe’ Borghetti. The espresso liqueur elevates the chocolate flavor of the chocolate pudding and chocolate chips. It creates a richness that is divine!

Mix all of the ingredients together with your electric mixer. Place in a greased bundt pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pan and top with chocolate sauce. We drizzled Kerrygold Chocolate Sauce over the top of the cake for added flavor and flair. For the chocolate sauce you need cocoa, sugar,half and half, butter, and Kerrygold Irish Cream or Cafe’ Borghetti.

If you are viewing this post via email, make sure to visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a complete downloadable recipe for Easy Espresso Cake.

So easy. So tasty. So fresh! This will quickly become your go-to dessert. Try it today and let us know what you think.

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July Bonus Post: A Walk on the Moon

July 16, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

There is something that you may not know about The Blind Pig household. It is full of history and science buffs, so we couldn’t let the month of July pass without a toast to our fateful heroes of 50 years ago for taking a wild ride in July of 1969 and landing on the rock closest to Earth. Cheers to you, Buzz, Neil, and Mike! As we composed this post we couldn’t help humming the the tune of Rocket Man by Elton John.

To commemorate the golden anniversary of one small step and a giant leap, we found a cocktail! Are you surprised? The Moon Walk fits all of our usual criteria of easy, tasty and fresh. This drink is so basic and easy we bet that Rhonda’s Aunt Marilyn even has all of these ingredients on hand.

Is that a cocktail glass in Neil’s hand?

To make this delicious drink you need your favorite vodka, fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup and fresh mint leaves. Place the mint leaves in a shaker and muddle for a few seconds. Add the vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake over ice and pour into a martini glass.

If you are viewing this post via email, check out our full downloadable recipe at www.theblindpig.blog for The Moon Walk.

We garnished our Moon Walk with a full moon sphere ice ball and an American flag for a drink that is truly atmospheric.

Are you commemorating the lunar landing at your house? We would love to know how! Maybe while you are watching the lunar specials on tv, you can salute our American heroes with a toast.

Disclaimer: Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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Lighten Up Your Summer

July 13, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

One of the best parts about summer is slurping down delicious summer cocktails. With plentiful amounts of fresh fruit, berries, and herbs available the options seem endless. However, the added calories are not welcome to our waistlines. As you are probably aware, cocktail calories can add up quickly. We are always on the lookout for cocktails that are refreshing and let one imbibe a bit without the added calories. We have shared some low calorie cocktails with you in our posts for Day Drinking and our Skinny Agave Margarita. This week we have another umbrella-worthy lo-cal alternative that everyone can enjoy whether you are watching your waistline or not.

The Tequila Watermelon Fizz has only 64 calories per serving. Yes — 64!!!! While your friends are slurping down a Mambo Taxi from Mi Concina at 700 calories a pop, you will be slim and trim in your swim suit by the pool. To make the Tequila Watermelon Fizz you need your favorite tequila, lemon seltzer water, fresh limes and watermelon cubes. We cubed our watermelon and placed it in the freezer for a couple of hours. The frozen watermelon chunks served as a beautiful garnish, flavor enhancer, and as ice cubes for keeping our drink chilled. Place an ounce of tequila in a rocks glass. Add frozen watermelon. Top off with chilled lemon seltzer water. Add a lime wheel for garnish. We made this refreshing cocktail on the fourth of July and upped the festive look with blueberries.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for the full recipe for Tequila Watermelon Fizz.

Since this cocktail is so light and refreshing, it would taste great with any added fresh herbs, such as, thyme, rosemary, basil or cilantro. If you want to get really crazy, throw in some freshly sliced jalapenos. Let us know about your favorite combination. We would love to hear from you! Thanks to Rhonda’s friend, Amy, who shared this drink idea with us.

Disclaimer: The beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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Let Freedom Ring with a Strawberry Basil Margarita

July 6, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

Hey Blind Pig Friends, how was your Fourth of July? Ours was very low key. We stuck close to home and hung out by the pool. While soaking up the sun we got a hankering for some Strawberry Basil Margaritas. Our garden has been overflowing with herbs this summer thanks to the extra rain that we have been getting this season. It is a shame to let all of those herbs go to waste without capitalizing on the fresh twist that they can add to cooking and mixing cocktails. We know that Strawberry Basil Margaritas are not our own invention and are not anything new on the up and coming bar scene, BUT since this is our blog we thought we would remind you about a crowd pleasing summer cocktail. We included our “Umbrella Worthy” stamp of approval on this recipe, as well.

To make this delicious drink you will need fresh basil, fresh strawberries, Monin Strawberry Flavored Syrup, agave nectar, fresh limes and your favorite tequila. When making margs we always start from our basic Skinny Agave Margarita recipe. However, since we used the Monin Strawberry Syrup, we backed off of the agave nectar slightly.

Place the tequila, strawberry syrup, agave nectar, and lime juice in a shaker over ice and shake for 20-30 seconds. Pour into margarita glass filled with ice — we used sonic ice! Take a basil leaf and clap it between your hands. This releases the flavors and aroma of the basil. Place in cocktail. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries, and enjoy!

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a full printable recipe of our Strawberry Basil Margarita.

This cocktail is so yummy, so fresh, so tasty! It is a great cocktail to serve at any neighborhood cookout or if you are just chilling by the pool. What is your favorite by the pool drink?