Veggies Are the Secret Ingredient Your Cocktail Is Missing

This recipe looks healthy, but tastes divine.

I love serving a specialty sneeky, even when a neighbor is just stopping by. It makes it seem like you went the extra mile! This arugula cocktail is green, so it looks healthy, but it's soooo delicious.

Arugula Sneeky

Serves 2

• 4 ounces gin, vodka or tequila
• 1 ounces fresh lemon juice
• 2 ounces fresh cucumber juice
• 1 ounces herb simple syrup, plus more to taste (recipe below)
• ¼ cup fresh arugula leaves

Fill a shaker halfway with ice. Add all ingredients and shake-shake-shake, then strain into two glasses over ice. Garnish with slices of cucumber and rosemary sprigs.

Herb Simple Syrup

• ½ cup each of fresh rosemary, mint and basil leaves
• ¾ cup agave syrup
• ¾ cup boiling water

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir, cover and let stand for an hour. Strain syrup into a glass container and store in the refrigerator. It's also great drizzled on top of fruit, or for sweetening iced tea or lemonade.

This story originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of House Beautiful.

Happy Cinco de Mayo: The biggest Sneeky Day of the year!

This is the biggest Sneeky Day of the year.  I love all of these recipes!  It’s a simple way to treat your friends to a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. You can't have a fiesta without the proper table attire, so I've put together this quick list of Cinco ready decor to make it easy for you! [show_shopthepost_widget id="30664"] Guacamole (makes 3 cups)

• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 3 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and jalapeno. With fork coarsely mash avocado; add to tomato mixture. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place plastic wrap directly on surface until ready to serve.

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SWEET AND SPICY TACO MEAT

• 1 MEDIUM RED ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
• 5 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC
• 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL OR BUTTER
• 2 LBS GROUND TURKEY
• 1 POUND GROUND BEEF
• 1 PACKAGE SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGES
• 2 BUNCHES SCALLIONS, THINLY SLICED
• 1 BUNCH CILANTRO, FINELY CHOPPED
• 3 TABLESPOONS CUMIN
• 2 TABLESPPONS LAWRY’S SALT
• 1 TABLESPPON GROUND PEPPER
• 1 TABLESPPON TOBASCCO
• 1 TABLESPOON CAYENNE
• 1 JALAPENO, FINELY CHOPPED
• 2 CUPS ORANGE JUICE

IN A LARGE SKILLET SAUTE ONION AND GARLIC IN 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL OR BUTTER, OVER MEDIUM HEAT, FOR ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES, STIRRING FREQUENTLY. ADD GROUND TURKEY, BEEF, SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGES AND COOK STIRRING UNTIL BROWNED. ADD SCALLIONS, CILANTRO, CUMIN, SALT, GROUND PEPPER, TOBASCCO, CAYENNE, JALAPENO, ORANGE JUICE AND COOK UNTIL LIQUID EVAPORATED. REMOVE SKILLET FROM THE HEAT.

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Infante -  sshhhhhh! (pictured above)

•  2oz reposado tequila
• 1/4oz orgeat
• 1/2oz fresh lime juice

Shake and strain over fresh ice. Spritz with rose water. Grate fresh nutmeg on top.

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Afternoon Sneeky

DO IT YOURSELF!

Any day can be valentines day. It's just thinking. Of your loved one or a friend or may be someone you don't know. I love Hershey kisses. I mean love. A sneeky and some Hershey kisses need I say more. I love this tray and the glasses because they can be used for many different things.

Happy Halloweekend!

Happy Halloween! It's that time of year to let your sweet tooth run wild! I'm serving up some unconventionally delicious fall treats. Enjoy! Inside Out Caramel Apples Ingredients 3 large Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples* 1 large lemon 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (alternatively, maple syrup) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate sauce (optional) Directions Cut your apples in half and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides, leaving the walls intact at about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the apples and allow to set. This will keep them from turning brown right away. In a sauce pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230F, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir continually until it stops bubbling. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe your apples down, removing the lemon juice as much as possible. If the inside of your apple is too wet, the caramel wont stick. Pour the caramel into the hollowed out apples until just below the top. Chill in the refrigerator until the caramel has set, about 20 minutes. Cut into slices** and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired. LEARN MORE Pumpkin Spice Popcorn Ingredients ⅓ cup popcorn kernels 3 tbs coconut oil 3 tbs brown sugar (optional: 1 tbs brown sugar for topping) ½ tsp pumpkin spice mix salt to taste Instructions In a medium to large saucepan, place 3 tbs of coconut oil and 3 (yes 3) popcorn kernels. While the oil is heating up, measure out the 3 tbs brown sugar and place in a bowl. Once the popcorn kernels start to pop, add in the ⅓ cup of kernels and continuously move the pan over the heat. After about 1 to 2 minutes stir in the brown sugar, cover, and continue to move the saucepan over the heat until the kernels start to pop. Move the saucepan rapidly over the heat (be careful) holding onto the lid until the kernels stop popping. Place in large bowl, wait for it to cool a bit, and top with pumpkin spice, salt to taste, and extra brown sugar (optional). Stir. LEARN MORE Ginger Rum Cocktail ·     Fresh ginger ·     ¾ oz lemon juice ·     1 oz apple juice ·     1 oz simple syrup ·     1 ½ oz Depaz Amber Rhum Muddle ginger, lemon and apple. Add Rhum. Shake with ice and pour over ice into highball glass. LEARN MORE Visit me online www.lulupowers.com

Watermelon Refresher

Happy Watermelon Day! Here's the perfect refreshing sneaky to keep you cool on a warm summer day. It also tastes great virgin so feel free to make it for underage friends as well!   Lulu's Watermelon Refresher

• 1oz Sparkling wine
• 1 oz Vodka
• 1 oz fresh juiced Watermelon
• 1 oz limeade
• 1  oz Soda water

Put all ingredients in a ball jar.  Shake,shake,shake and pour over ice cubes or a big watermelon ice cube

Cucumber Limeade

Find fresh cucumber juice at juice bars or health food stores. A juicer is a smart investment for preparing healthful fresh juices at home; one of the best is the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice extractor. • 1 (12-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate  • 3-1/4 cups fresh cucumber juice (from two large, peeled and chopped cucumbers)  • 3-1/4 cups club soda  • Ice  • Cucumber slices  • Vodka (optional)

In pitcher combine limeade concentrate with fresh cucumber juice and club soda. Fill shaker with ice; add 1 cup limeade mixture. Shake; serve over ice in tall glass; garnish with cucumber slice.

For one adult cocktail, add 3/4 cup limeade mixture and 1 to 2 tablespoons vodka to shaker. Shake; serve in a martini glass. Makes 10 cocktails.

Read full story here in Traditional Home

The First Lady Cocktail

"The Michelle"

This drink is in honor of Mrs. Obama and her overall fabulousness. Cheers to you Michelle,  amazing wife, mother, and philanthropist. 

• 4 ounces patron silver
• 2 ounces each fresh lime and clementine juice.
• 2 oz patron citronage
• A piece of jalapeño muddled with 1/8 cup cilantro leaves.

Put all ingredients into a shaker and shake shake shake.

Happy Hour Handbook

Autumn is officially upon us and the holidays are right behind, so I'm in full-on entertaining mode. Festive fall fetes and glamorous wintertime gatherings call for a cocktail spread that's in ship shape. Stock up on my essentials for a season's worth of happy hours, from sleek decanters and colored glassware, to my secret for hosting in small spaces (hint: it's all about the collapsable table!). You can find all of my favorites for holiday hosting and sneeky necessities on my Open Sky page.

Below you can find a few of my favorite holiday sneaky recipes!

Apple Cinnamon Sangria

When I think of Sangria It brings me way back to working for my mom (patty Powers) in her catering business in Weston, Ct.  When I was a kid we were taught how to do everything from opening a bottle of wine, to setting the table to even lighting my dad his daily cigar. Not quite of age yet I learned how to make a tasty batch of sangria.

2 bottles of one white wine and one of red (Don’t pick something too good because it will be getting mixed with all of the items below)

2 Granny Smith apples

2 mangoes

2 peaches

3 lemons

3 limes

2 cups apricot brandy

½ cup brown sugar

1 T cinnamon

Slice fruit and put in bowl or 2 gallon Ziploc bag with brandy, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Soak overnight.

Frostbite Spritz

3 oz champagne 1/2 oz Aperol 1/2 oz St. Germaine 1/2 oz Meletti amaro 1/2 lime squeezed

Pour champagne over ice. Add Aperol, St. Germaine, Meletti and lime.

Top off with: Frozen cranberries, a homemade ice cube, frozen grapes or a small candy cane

Lulu's Kir Royale

My clients love this festive and flirty drink. Garnish it with a few pomegranate seeds.

Serves 1 

1 tablespoon Chambord

6 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine, well-chilled

Pour the Chambord into a Champagne flute and add the Champagne.

Lulu’s Tip: I like to garnish this drink with a dressed-up ice cube. I use long ice cube trays that I find at IKEA. I fill them with filtered water, add pomegranate seeds and sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary, and freeze. They look beautiful floating in the drink. Another fun garnish is a sugared rim: simply moisten the rim of the Champagne flute with water, turn it upside down, and dip it in a bowl of superfine sugar.

Happy Holidays friends and remember, drink responsibly!