SIGNATURE COCKTAIL: MARTIE'S POMEGRANATE LEMON FIZZ MARTINI

This is my own signature cocktail and it is also one of my favorite cocktails. Mixed with three of my favorite ingredients, you will make this one again and again when you have guests coming for dinner, cards, movie night, or girls night festivities.

POMEGRANATE LEMON FIZZ MARTINI (THE MARTIE-NI)

This lemon and pomegranate martini cocktail will become a go-to in your recipe file.

Makes 4 cocktails; serve in a chilled martini glass

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces Absolut Citron vodka

4  ounces PAMA pomegranate liquor

 2 ounces Limoncello (or substitute fresh lemonade if you want to lighten it slightly)

Splash of club soda

Lemon for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Add ice and ingredients except the soda in a cocktail shaker. Chill your glasses well. Rub a bit of lemon peel around the inside of the rim of the glass. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into your chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a twist or a slice of lemon and add a splash of chilled club soda.

COCKTAIL RECIPE: THE DOUBLE BUBBLE

If you are hosting the girls after work on Friday and you've got nothing in the house or you need a quick cocktail that will make all of your guests happy, just pick up some sparkling Italian soda  and Prosecco. You can find the Prosecco at any wine store and the sparkling soda at Target, Whole Foods, or World Market. I love the Target brand---and it is only $2.50 a bottle. It comes in several different flavors but I used the blood orange for this recipe. This is also a wonderful way to stretch your wedding budget. If you want to have a Champagne toast but don't have the budget, serve my Double Bubble cocktail instead. You'll pay less for the Prosecco and you will stretch it by adding the sparkling soda. Select a flavor that works well with your menu or select a color that matches your color palette.

A two-bubble cocktail: The Double Bubble. Use chilled Prosecco and chilled Italian Sparkling Soda.

The Double Bubble Cocktail

For 1

3 ounces sparkling Italian soda *use your favorite. I love the Blood Orange.

1-2 ounces Prosecco

ice

This refreshing cocktail is my spin on the traditional Mimosa but you serve it on the rocks. Fill your glasses with ice. Pour the sparkling Italian soda over the ice and float the Prosecco on top. Garnish with a twist or a slice of orange.

For a crowd, I add one bottle of Italian Sparkling soda and one bottle of Prosecco to a chilled glass pitcher right before serving so I don't lose my bubbles.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK NO-COOK ICE CREAM

Growing up, making homemade ice cream in the summer with fresh fruit was one of our weekend traditions. I love making homemade ice cream for a little get-together but I don't always have the time to make and chill the custard. This is one of my very favorite ways to make homemade ice cream in a hurry since you don’t have to cook the custard. Fresh and delicious!

You can make ice cream without cooking a custard with this Strawberry Buttermilk no-cook recipe.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM    (NO COOK ICE CREAM)

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: no cook but 10-15 minutes to spin the ice cream

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 pinches kosher salt

3 cups buttermilk

3 cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the berries and let them sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Reserve ½ cup berries and set aside. Pour in buttermilk and cream. Add a ¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice. Use an immersion blender to puree. Add the reserved berries. Freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.