2013 - The Ultimate Home Bar

6 Drinks to Try Out at Holiday Parties

Cocktail & Drink Recipes, Holiday Tips & Ideas

It’s party season, so you should try new foods and drinks. If you have your own bar at home, put your creativity to work and surprise your guests! Use your bartending skills to mix delicious cocktails and party drinks for every taste. Show off your sweet bartender moves and use your favorite recipe book to prepare something special. Here are six drinks to try out at holiday parties:

Peppermint White Russian

This classic cocktail is ideal for holiday parties. It contains vodka, peppermint mocha kahlua, and milk. Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher and then serve in small glasses. You can also add crushed candy canes or peppermints for a more festive look.

Hot Buttered Rye

Warm up your guests with this festive whiskey cocktail! Topped with fresh nutmeg and maple cream, it has a fabulous taste that will make a lasting impression on your friends. The Hot Buttered Rye is made with heavy cream, rye whiskey, maple syrup, hot water, freshly grated nutmeg, and ginger liquor.

Pomegranate Martini

The Pomegranate Martini has a delicious flavor that will get you in the holiday spirit. Its festive look will wow your guests. This pretty red-hued drink contains vodka, sugar, fresh lime juice, pomegranate juice, Cointreau, and lime slices. Serve this cocktail in chilled glasses and garnish with lime.

Eggnog Martini

This fabulous drink will bring your party to life! It boasts a rich, creamy texture and a sweet taste that will cheer you up instantly. To prepare eggnog martini, you need sugar, ground nutmeg, cornstarch, whole milk, egg yolks, pumpkin-pie spice, and brandy. Your guests will love this special holiday drink!

The Blizzard Cocktail

This festive cocktail is made with rum or Irish whiskey, hazelnut liquor, Irish cream liqueur, Grand Marnier whipped cream, and hot coffee. Mix whiskey, Irish cream, hazelnut liquor in a glass coffee mug. Add coffee and top with whipped cream. This terrific cocktail recipe was created by Charles Corpion from the Four Seasons.

Glogg

The Glogg is a traditional Scandinavian winter drink made with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, vodka or brandy, wine, sugar, raisings, orange, ginger, and almonds. You can use different types of wine, including pinot noir wine, burgundy wine, and port wine. This special drink can be made a day ahead and kept at room temperature until your guests arrive.

There are hundreds of other drinks that you can try during the holiday season. The Cinnamon Apple Manhattan, the Ginger Snap, and the Butterscotch Bliss are a must have for your party. Stock your home bar and show your guests how good you are at mixing drinks!

Best Holiday Party Starters

Cocktail & Drink Recipes, Holiday Tips & Ideas, Parties & Entertaining

Are you looking for some quick and easy appetizer recipes for your holiday party? From pizza crackers and mushroom puffs to chocolate covered almonds, you can try hundreds of different recipes. Some appetizers take only a few minutes to prepare, while others contain less than five ingredients. If you have unexpected guests, these holiday party starters will save the day. Here are a few simple recipes that you can try:

Italian Cheese Tray

With a little creativity, you can turn most groceries into impressive party foods. Do you have some cheese and bacon in the fridge? Use them for preparing a spectacular cheese tray. You can also add olives, sliced ciabatta bread, prosciutto, grapes, and nuts. Arrange all ingredients on a serving platter.

Pizza Crackers

Pizza crackers are perfect for holiday parties and can be prepared within minutes. It’s a fast, healthy way to satisfy a taste for pizza and impress your guests. These appetizers can be made with mozzarella cheese, multi-grain crackers, garlic powder, onion, tomato sauce, basil and other herbs. Add cheese, tomato sauce, and herbs on crackers. It’s that easy! You can also use bacon, olives, pickles and other basic ingredients.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Surprise your guests with a delicious ice cream! All you need are some frozen bananas, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. Bananas have a naturally sweet flavor, so you don’t have to use sugar or artificial sweeteners. Blend all ingredients, add the mixture in colorful glasses or plastic cups, and keep them in the fridge for a few hours. Even those who want to lose weight can enjoy this delicious treat!

King Crab Appetizers

These holiday party snacks take more time to prepare, but have a fantastic taste and a rich texture. The main ingredients include shredded Cheddar cheese, refrigerated biscuit dough, crab meat, cream cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and green onion. These crab tartlets take 10 minutes to prepare and another 20 minutes to cook. You can keep them in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.

Easy Egg Rolls

Egg rolls are the perfect party food! These Asian inspired appetizers are made with oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, egg roll wrappers, scallions, and garlic. You also need oil for frying. These snacks are quite easy to prepare and look delicious! For extra flavor, you can add mozzarella cheese, salmon, prosciutto, bacon, tuna, deli meat, and various spices.

Summer Cocktail Recipes for a Memorable Party

Cocktail & Drink Recipes, Parties & Entertaining, Stocking your home bar

Summer cocktail recipes are refreshing and full of flavor. If you need to cool off, nothing could replace a breezy summer drink with mango, strawberries, gin, and lemon. Those who have their own home bars can try hundreds of different recipes such as the Strawberry Daiquiri, Gin and Tonic, Pina Colada, Classic Spanish Sangria, Jackson Punch, and Cherry Smash. Your guests will love these summer cocktail recipes! Enjoy these refreshing drinks during parties, reunions, family dinners and other special events!

Summer Cocktail Recipes with Alcohol

Have you ever tried a Watermelon-Tequila Cocktail? This flavorful drink is made with watermelon, granulated sugar, water, blueberries, fresh lime juice, fresh mint leaves, and tequila. Prepare the sugar syrup and then puree the watermelon in a blender. Mix lime juice, mint leaves, blueberries, and sugar syrup in a large pitcher. Add tequila and watermelon juice. Refrigerate for two hours and then serve with ice.

One of the most popular summer cocktail recipes is the True Manhattan. This classic drink has a refreshing taste and a sophisticated flavor. It contains whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Use a maraschino cherry for garnish. Substitute dry vermouth for the sweet to make a Dry Manhattan.

For a memorable party, try the Jackson Punch. This raspberry-imbued refresher has a rich texture and a fabulous taste. It’s one of the most loved summer cocktail recipes out there. To prepare this drink, you need the finest cognac, aged rum, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, raspberry syrup, water, and ice. Use half an orange wheel and fresh raspberries for garnish. This cocktail is more difficult to prepare than other summer drinks, but it has a great taste that will wow your guests.

Summer Cocktail Recipes without Alcohol

If you want to surprise your kids with a delicious drink, try the June Bug. This refreshing cocktail is made with ginger ale, orange juice, grenadine, and orange sherbet. Blend all ingredients and pour into cocktail glasses filled with ice.

The Iced Fruit Punch is one of the most flavorful summer cocktail recipes for a memorable party. This delicious drink can be prepared in a multitude of ways. You can choose juices in different flavors and colors, freeze them in ice-tray molds in festive shapes, and serve them in colorful glasses. This summer cocktail requires ginger ale, seltzer water, and six cups of assorted fruit juices. It has only 75 calories per serving, so it’s ideal for those who want to stay fit and enjoy the party.

Top 5 Best Holiday Drinks for Your Winter Party

Cocktail & Drink Recipes, Holiday Tips & Ideas, Stocking your home bar

Festive drinks are a must at any holiday get-together. This is the best time to try new cocktail recipes that will cheer your guests and get them into the holiday spirit. Start with the traditional eggnog, which should be on everyone’s Christmas list. Impress your friends with a candy cane martini, some hot spiced wine, or a sparkling punch! Make sure you try the best holiday drinks of the season:

Eggnog

There are many different ways to prepare eggnog. This delicious drink will relax your guests and keep holiday traditions alive at parties. The traditional recipe is made with eggs, milk, sugar, cream, rum, brandy, or whiskey. You can also prepare low fat eggnog, vegan eggnog, brandy eggnog, cider eggnog and other popular alternatives.

Party Punch

Throwing a get-together? Serve your guests with fruit punch, sparkling punch and other crowd-pleasing refreshments! There are hundreds of punch recipes to choose from, including raspberry sherbet punch, champagne punch, margarita punch, and hot apple cider punch. The punch bowl can be adorned with festive decorations to fit the occasion. Many punch recipes are alcohol free, which makes them perfect for kids.

Candy Cane Martini

This simple martini recipe is ideal for the holiday season! It’s like a drinkable candy cane. All you need are a few basic ingredients like vodka, crushed candy canes, and peppermint schnapps. Mix everything in a shaker, add ice, and garnish with candy canes. Sounds delicious, isn’t it?

Cranberry Cocktail

Cranberry cocktails are perfect for your winter party and other special events. One of the most popular recipes is made with red wine, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Serve with poached cranberries for extra flavor. You can also add a pinch of coarse salt, lemon zest, vanilla beans, and seltzer. Everyone loves this cocktail, so make sure you try it!

Mulled Wine Sangria

Looking for the best sangria recipe? You’ll love the sweet flavor in this version of the classic Spanish drink. The Mulled Wine Sangria recipe contains red wine, fresh orange juice, cinnamon, sliced oranges, club soda, and frozen strawberries. You can prepare a large amount of sangria and put it into a punch bowl. This delicious festive drink is a must for your holiday party!

There are lots of cocktail recipes for the holiday season. Use your creativity to prepare wonderful drinks that will wow your guests. The holidays are a great excuse to try new cocktails and test your bartending skills!

How to Decorate Your Home Bar for Christmas

Holiday Tips & Ideas, Home Bar Themes

As winter holidays unfold, you might want to decorate your home bar for Christmas. If you’re having a party, your guests will appreciate your efforts. Holiday decorations will make your bar more attractive and get you into the holiday spirit. The best part is that most decorations are inexpensive, so you can easily change the way your bar looks without spending a fortune. Use seasonal napkins, garlands, Christmas stockings, and edible decorations for kids.

There are lots of ways to decorate your home bar for the holidays. You can change the color palette, paint your bar, or add themed decorations to its shelves, walls, and surrounding furniture. If you have a classic home bar, create a stylish Christmas centerpiece with red roses in silver vases. Place it on the countertop along with other decorations. Use garlands with bronze and silver ornaments to create a warm atmosphere.

Christmas candles and wreath decorations are a must have for your home bar. Hang a cedar wreath chandelier on the wall behind your bar. If you’re going to serve snacks and appetizers, use festive tableware. Decorated with traditional trims and sparkling accessories, your bar will look completely different. Depending on its style and design, you can use vintage Christmas decorations or modern accessories.

Place festive baskets and bowls on your bar top and fill them with candy canes, pine cones, bows, and holiday treats. Prepare a hot chocolate jar for your guests. If you’re too busy to go shopping for decorations, put out holiday candies in stemmed glassware. A crystal bowl of ornaments is the perfect centerpiece for your home bar.

When choosing your decorations, use colors that match the overall theme of your bar. You should use accessories that work with your existing decor. If you have a stainless steel bar, add decorations in shades of gold and silver. For a dark wooden bar, go for traditional Christmas colors like red, green, and white. You may also use one color to make a statement, such as gold or silver. Red, green, and blue decorations are ideal for a bold, eye-catching display, while silver and bronze add sparkle.

Put your imagination to work and create a Christmas wonderland without breaking the wallet! If you’re on a tight budget, make your own decorations. Don’t forget to buy festive drinks to warm up your guests and make them feel like home. Hot chocolate butternut, ginger snaps, and holiday punches are perfect for special occasions and Christmas parties.

Cocktail Tables Can Add a Touch of Elegance to Your Home Bar

Bar Furniture, Bar Tables, Home Bar Designs & Planning

Cocktail tables, also referred to as coffee tables, can add a note of elegance to your home bar. These stylish pieces of furniture are designed for holding glasses, snack bowls, ashtrays, wine bottles, and bar accessories. From rectangular cocktail tables to glass tables and oval tables, there are thousands of models to choose from. The coffee table is one of the most popular pieces of furniture in the world.

Cocktail Tables Come in All Shapes and Styles

Circular tables take less space than rectangular tables. They are made of wood, glass, plastic, metal, or recycled materials. If your home bar is located outdoors, choose a metal table. The best selling models feature shelves for storage, tempered glass tops, solid wood legs, and intricate details. You can also buy a small cocktail table constructed of acacia wood with a rustic finish. It would make a great addition to outdoor bars.

A coffee table is basically the same as a cocktail table. However, traditional cocktail tables are square or rectangular in shape, while coffee tables are circular or round. Both tables are equally useful for your home bar. If you’re going to place the table in your entertainment room, choose one with a sturdy construction. Delicate surfaces often end up getting scratched.

When shopping for cocktail tables, consider their size, style, material, color, and finish. Think about the location where you’ll put the table. Decide what kind of material you want. The most popular models are made of oak, walnut, or maple. They have a lacquered or silky finish, large open shelves that provide room for storage, and classic features. A solid wood table will last for years to come. Acrylic or glass tables come at a higher price, but are long lasting.

Cocktail Tables Have a Timeless Design

Choosing the perfect cocktail table is not as easy as it may seem. It’s important to pick one that matches your home bar design as well as your overall decor. Cocktail tables are not only elegant and stylish, but functional too. If your bar is placed in a small room, you can choose a table made of clear glass as it gives the impression of space.

Do some research and compare different models. Coffee tables are designed for long term use, so you should pick one that reflects your taste and personality. Use the Internet for inspiration and see what other home bar owners have chosen.

Archives for 2013

Summer Cocktail Recipes with Alcohol