Let's face it, once buyers have made it successfully through the sales process in this market, many feel as if they have slayed Goliath, defeated Hercules, and successfully completed three consecutive Iron Man Competitions! Aside from rejoicing and doing backflips at the closing table, buyers can now begin planning one heck of a housewarming party to celebrate. In order to ensure that these home-buying champions can both host and enjoy a memorable celebration, here are some make-ahead, big-batch cocktail recipes that will delight tastebuds, please crowds, and allow our victorious friends to get out from behind the bar and relax in their new homes!
1. Sparkling Peach Sangria
Ingredients:
- 5 Fresh Peaches
- 6 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- 1 Bottle Moscato Wine
- 1 Bottle of Champagne, Prosecco, or Sparkling Wine
Directions:
- Remove the peach's pit and cut the flesh into wedges.
- Add the peaches, thyme, and moscato to a large pitcher.
- Stir together then let sit for at least 4 hours {or overnight so that the flavors can infuse}.
- Just before serving, pour in the sparkling wine and stir.
- Pour over ice and garnish with fresh thyme and a peach wedge.
- Enjoy!
2. Crowd-WorthyBloody Marys
Ingredients:
- 6 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 skinny slice onion
- 9 cups (72 ounces) tomato juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 3 tablespoons liquid from a jar of olives, pickles, or capers (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons horseradish
- 1-2 teaspoons Tobasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (24 ounces) cold vodka
- Ice
- For the optional garnish, some or all of the below:
- Celery stalks
- Olives
- Pickles
- Lemon slices
- Parsley
Directions:
- Place celery and onion in a mini food processor. Pulse to completely mince them.
- In the bottom of a pitcher, large mixing bowl, or large measuring cup, mix together tomato juice, Worcestershire, lemons, olive juice, horseradish, hot sauce, Old Bay, and salt.
- Pour some of the tomato juice mixture into the celery mixture and process again to really pulverize the vegetables.
- Return this mixture to the pitcher or bowl. Stir well. Transfer most of the Bloody Mary mix back to your tomato juice bottle and store in the fridge til you're ready to drink. You won't be able to fit all of the mix in the tomato juice bottle, since you've increased the volume with celery and whatnot, so store any extra in a bowl.
- When ready to serve, calculate how many ounces fit in your pitcher. Add the Bloody mix and the vodka in a 3 to 1 ratio, leaving room for ice. Serve in small glasses, with any of the optional garnishes in little cups on the side.
3. Hop Skip and Go Naked Punch
Ingredients:
- Six 12-oz. cans of beer
- 1 pint of Canadian whiskey
- One 12-oz. can of frozen lemonade concentrate
- 2 liters of lemon-lime soda (optional)
Directions:
- In a gallon container add beer, whiskey and frozen lemonade (and optional lemon-lime soda).
- Stir and serve over ice.
4. Makers Mark Fancy Bourbon Punch
Recipe by Matt Wallace, Mixologist, Seven Grand
Ingredients:
- 1 liter Maker's Mark Bourbon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Peels of 3 lemons and 1 orange
- Juice of peeled fruit
- 1 liter of strong tea (preferably green tea)
- 250 ml champagne (club soda can be used for a less fancy version)
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions:
- Combine sugar and citrus peels in the bottom of a punch bowl. Muddle together until sugar starts to clump together. Let sit for about 2 hours, (while not necessary, this does add a little complexity).
- Brew the tea for about 30 minutes, remove loose tea or tea bags, and allow to cool.
- Add the juice of the peeled fruit, tea, and bourbon. Stir.
- Top with champagne just before serving and stir gently. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and serve.
5. Mojito Punch
Ingredients:
- 2cups(500 mL)mint leaves
- 2cans (each 250 mL)frozenBacardi Mixers Margarita mix
- 3-1/2cups(875 mL)soda water
- 1bottle (750 mL)white rum
- 3limes, sliced
- 3cups(750 mL)ice cubes
Directions:
- In blender, pure mint leaves, margarita mix and 1 cup (250 mL) water.
- Strain through cheesecloth-lined sieve into punch bowl.
- Add soda water, rum, limes and ice cubes.
6. Fruit Pops and Champagne or Prosecco
Pick up a few boxes of your favorite fruit pops and a few bottles of your favorite champagne or prosecco. Place the fruit pops in wine glass and top with bubbles! This would be a great way to christen that beautiful new patio you fell in love with.
7. Victorian Gin Punch
Ingredients:
- 3lemons
- cupsugar
- 1750-milliliter bottlegin
- cuporange liqueur
- 1literseltzer, chilled.
Directions:
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel long strips of pith-free skin from the lemons. Place peels in a bowl, add sugar, muddle vigorously and allow to steep 2 to 3 hours.
- Juice lemons to obtain 3/4 cup.
- Pour lemon juice over peels and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Transfer to a 3-quart pitcher half-filled with ice.
- Add gin, liqueur and seltzer. Stir and pour into punch cups or short-stemmed glasses, and serve.
8. Ginger Punch
Ingredients:
- 1/4cupplus 2 tablespoons Orange Ginger vodka, chilled
- Juice of 1 lime, plus 2 lime wedges for garnish
- 1/2cupginger beer, chilled
Directions:
- In a small pitcher, combine the Orange Ginger Vodka and lime juice.
- Pour into 2 rocks glasses filled with ice and top with the ginger beer.
- Garnish each with a lime wedge.
9. Margarita Punch
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. Lemonade Concentrate
- 12 oz. Limeade Concentrate
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 cups water
- 2 ltr bottle of favorite lemon-lime beverage
- 2 limes - sliced thin
Directions:
- Combine concentrates, powdered sugar and water.
- Pour into freezer bags and freeze for at least 2 hours if using right away, or for many days, depending how far in advance you're are planning to serve this great stuff. If you would rather just add ice to the punch, you can skip this step.
- Place frozen punch in a large punch bowl. I let my punch thaw a bit and pour into a large glass jar with spout.
- Add slowly the soda and limes.
- If you want to spike the punch with a bit of tequila, feel free. smile.
- Serve in salt-rimmed punch cups or glasses.....YUM
- This recipe will serve 20 - 25 people, small servings.
10. Non Alcoholic Punch
Ingredients:
- 4 cans of frozen lemonade concentrate
- 1/2 gallon of cranberry juice
- 1 46oz of red fruit punch {Hawaiian punch recommended}
- 1 quart of chilled Ginger Ale
- 1 46oz can of pineapple juice
- 2 lemons {thinly sliced}
- Ice
As a homebuyer, whatever your drink of choice may be, remember that the most important part of the celebration is.....YOU. After all of the hurdles that you have jumped through, the offers that you have submitted, and the numbers you have had to crunch, it all becomes worth it when you can relax with your friends and family, a drink in hand, and say...."I'MHOME!"
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