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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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

2013 Oscar Inspired Sneekys

For those of you who are always looking to try a new sneeky, the Oscars are the perfect excuse. Attendees may not be able to drink during the show but you sure can while watching from the comfort of your own home! I LOVE these cocktails that are inspired by this year's Best Picture Nominees. I don't know about you guys but the Grey Goose Le Blanc inspired by Les Miserables is right up my alley! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! (Photos and recipes courtesy of Hello Magazine)

True Story Cocktail inspired by Argo

Mixing Hollywood and politics, a seriously sophisticated cocktail with fresh citrus, cherry notes and a splash of glamour.

Ingredients: 2 parts Grey Goose L'Orange 1 part Maraschino liqueur 2½ parts Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice 1 dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters™

Method: Combine ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with pink grapefruit peel.

Coco Django inspired by Django Unchained

The Oscar-nominated film's snow-covered mountains and a lead character's love of a quirky coconut drink are the inspiration for an exotic Grey Goose cocktail with a hint of spice and a fresh mint garnish.

Ingredients: 2 parts Grey Goose Le Citron 2 parts Coconut purée 1 part Falernum liqueur ½ part Freshly squeezed lime juice Splash of tonic water

Method: Build in a highball filled with crushed ice. Swizzle and top with a splash of tonic water. Garnish with a sprig of mint, clapping it first between your hands to release flavour.

Grey Goose Le Blanc inspired by Les Miserables

A fizzy aperitif cocktail with two French classics at its heart: Grey Goose vodka and Noilly Prat vermouth, which this year celebrates its 200th anniversary.

Ingredients: Two parts Grey Goose vodka One part Noilly Prat Dry vermouth One wedge of freshly squeezed lemon juice Splash of ginger ale

Method: Measure two parts of Grey Goose vodka and pour over ice in a wine glass Add one part Noilly Prat which adds a touch of spice Pour in a splash of Ginger Ale Squeeze the juice of a wedge of lemon directly into the drink, using a pick Stir and serve

Monsieur Le President inspired by Lincoln 

To celebrate an iconic American with a love of apples, a long, tall cocktail mixing Grey Goose with two American favourites: apple and cinnamon.

Ingredients: 1½ parts Grey Goose vodka ½ part Applejack ½ part Freshly squeezed lime juice ½ part Cinnamon syrup 3 parts Cloudy apple juice

Method: Build in a highball filled with cubed ice. Garnish with a long, elegant cinnamon stick.

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!

"Dad's Cough Syrup"

Todays “Sneeky” is from my dear friend and client Dawn Moore. Dawn wanted to call the sneeky the “Drunken Bee” or even “Dad's Cough Syrup” because when she had a sore throat as a little girl, her father used to warm a little whiskey and honey for her.

What I love about this particular fatherly care, is that it was being administered by a legendary western hero we don’t normally associate with a little hooch. Fact: Dawn’s father, Clayton Moore portrayed “The Lone Ranger” on the unforgettable TV show.

So, in an early nod to Father’s Day, here’s a little whiskey and honey. Medicinal, of course.

RECIPE Muddle some fresh Kentucky Mint – the kind used for Juleps - in the bottom of a pretty 6 oz. glass. Don't be shy with the mint.

Add ice and pour 3 oz. of a honeyed-bourbon (I used Wild Turkey's American Honey) followed by 2 oz. of an iced herbal (I used Tazo's Calm) tea – hibiscus, jasmine, chamomile or mint will all work - and stir.

For your nose, float a sprig of mint on the top and hoist a toast to your dad!

check out Dawn’s website @:www.mooreabout.com

Lulu's Mothers Day Cougarita Sneeky

The Cougarita Sneeky 1 jigger of Patron silver 1/2 a jigger of fresh grapefruit 1/2 a jigger of lime juice A splash of Cointreau Handful of fresh berries 1 stainless steel straw

Shake, shake, shake and pour over ice.

A Side Car Named Desire

Side Car Serves 1

1 1/2 ounce brandy 1/2 ounce Triple Sec 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well, and strain into a cocktail glass.