With the holidays here, the last thing you need right now is another task, another recipe, another thing to put on your to-do list. But this is worth it, honest. You can offer your guests Champagne, wine, or beer to drink--all perfectly acceptable though expected. Why not offer them a cocktail? Something festive, something appetite stimulating...something made with cranberries. Most likely you've got some extra berries sitting around anyway. Here are three cranberry cocktails to get your evenings started on the right note.
Cranberry Daiquiri
(6 servings)
Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cinnamon stick and 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel; bring to boil. Mix in 1/2 cup cranberries and cook until cranberries begin to pop. Cool; discard cinnamon. Pour mixture into jar; add 1/2 cup light rum. Chill. Strain syrup into pitcher; reserve cranberries. Add 6 tablespoons each dark rum, light rum, cranberry juice, and lemon juice to pitcher. Chill. Serve in Martini glasses that have been filled with crushed ice. Garnish with reserved cranberries.
Cranberry, Gingerly
(1 serving)
A spicy spin on the Cosmo: Shake 1/4 cup vodka, 2 tablespoons ginger beer, 1 1/2 tablespoons thawed cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a slice of crystallized ginger.
Cranberry Mojitos
(6 servings)
Using a wooden spoon, mash 1 bunch trimmed fresh mint (about 1 cup) with 1/2 sugar in bottom of large pitcher. Add 1 3/4 cups light rum and1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice; stir to dissolve sugar. Mix in 3/4 cup thawed frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate and two 10-ounce bottles of chilled sparkling water. Mix in 6 cups ice.
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