10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails

Raise a glass to the weekend with one of these 10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails...

If you ask me, the weekends were just made for brunching. For starters, you don't have to get up early to enjoy brunch. You can sleep in AND still get to enjoy the best of breakfast & lunch. And when I think of a weekend brunch, I also picture inviting a few friends over and sharing plates of bacon, pancakes, & made to order omelettes. In fact, there is nothing I love more than preparing a tasty brunch spread at home on a Saturday or Sunday morning and kicking back with a brunch-worthy cocktail.

I know that when most of us think of brunchy cocktails that Bloody Marys & mimosas usually come to mind. And while I have definitely included a few unique twists on both of these classic libations in this collection of weekend brunch-worthy cocktails, there are also a few boozy concoctions featured below that are sure to kick you out of that brunch cocktail rut. It isn't all about the vodka & champagne, folks! Tequila, gin, Kahlua, & even beer are the stars of some of the tasty cocktail recipes you will find below. 

Ready to get your brunch on this weekend? ;) Let's get you started with this collection of 10 Weekend Brunch-worthy Cocktails... 

Antipasto Bloody Mary

Inspired by a favorite Italian appetizer, this Antipasto Bloody Mary is a tasty twist on the classic brunch cocktail...

This post was created in partnership with Drizly as part of their Top Shelf Blogger program. All opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

When it comes to weekend brunches, I am a Bloody Mary gal all the way. Sure, I can sip on a mimosa or a screwdriver, but you put a Bloody Mary bar in front me and I am in heaven. I think that Bloody Mary bars have to be like the best ever addition to a brunch menu- am I right? 

While the bartender shakes up your Bloody Mary to your spice & heat preference, you can peruse all the delicious ways that you can top your cocktail. From the traditional olives & celery stalks, to thick cut bacon slices, pickles, cocktail onions, and more, you can create a cocktail and a snack all in one. And if you ask me those are the best Bloody Marys- the ones that come with a built-in snack. ;)

This Antipasto Bloody Mary recipe that I am sharing with you all today is inspired by my love for Bloody Mary bars and after one of my favorite Italian appetizers, an antipasto platter. 

Traditional antipasto platters are the Italian version of a charcuterie board. They are usually brimming with hard cured Italian meats like salami, pepperoni, & proscuitto, olives, various peppers, and fresh mozzarella. With this Antipasto Bloody Mary, you get the cocktail with a bonus personal sized antipasto snack skewered right on top.... 

Raspberry Limeade Gin Fizz

Fresh raspberries & lime with bubbly club soda & a little gin come together in this perfect for spring Raspberry Limeade Gin Fizz...

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #showmetheshine #CollectiveBias

Do you all feel that? Spring is finally in the air! :) And with spring comes weekend brunches and lazy afternoons on the deck taking in the sunshine and warmer weather. For me, spring also means serving a refreshing, sparkling cocktail that reflects the mood of the season. When you combine fresh raspberries and lime with bubbly club soda and a little gin, you just can't go wrong. That is unless the glassware you are serving this perfectly spring cocktail in is far from sparkling.  Nothing dampens a bright & cheery cocktail quicker than dingy glassware- Am I right, folks?

That is why I was so glad to have discovered Finish® Quantum Max™ tablets at my local Target...

10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials

You can have a functional, yet stylish home bar without spending a fortune with these 10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials...

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

I definitely think there is a misplaced belief out there that to have a well equipped home bar, you have to be willing to drop some cash. I am here to tell you all that notion is totally & utterly false. You can have a functional, yet trendy home bar without spending a fortune. In fact, you can purchase everything I have listed in this collection of 10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials for less than $100 with your Amazon Prime account! :)

Don't have 100 bucks to spend all at once right now? No problem! Start with the area of your home bar that will initially get the most use. If you are a cocktail lover, start with first five items I have listed below giving priority to the compact bar set with the cocktail shaker. Are you more of a wine drinker? Then skip the cocktail essentials for now and get started with the wine tool set. You can always build your home bar from there, adding on as you can afford it. 

I chose each of the bar tools & accessories I have listed below because they are A. under $20. B. available via Amazon Prime (hello, free shipping!), & C. stylish & trendy. I went with a lot of stainless steel in this collection of home bar essentials because it is always in style & holds up well to years of use. 

Now let's get your home bar equipped the budget friendly way, shall we? ;)

Foodie on a Budget: Arrabbiata Bloody Mary

It is Sunday, and Sundays mean brunch, right?  When I think of Sunday brunch, I think of Belgian waffles, fluffy omelets, crispy bacon... and bloody marys!  ;)

Did you ever think of making your next round of Sunday brunch bloody marys with pasta sauce?  Me neither until I was trying to come up with something clever to use my Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce.  Why not a spicy bloody mary? ;)

What you will need:

1 shot of vodka (or a little more... whatever ;) )

1 cup of Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata sauce

1/2 cup of water

juice from 1/2 a lime

a few dashes of celery salt

a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

You will note that I left hot sauce out of this recipe.  Hot sauce is really not necessary in this cocktail.  Trust me on this.  ;)

Basically toss all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with some ice.  Shake well, and then strain into a tall glass filled with ice.  I do stress to make sure you strain the drink.  Unless you like a little chew to your bloody mary.  Garnish with lime, olives, pickles, celery... whatever floats your spicy little boat.  This recipe makes enough for one large (think about 16 oz) bloody mary.  

Well, you know I have to ask.... Have you entered the Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Sauce giveaway yet?  Well, what exactly are you waiting for?  ;)

CLICK HERE to enter!

These all ^^^^ could be yours, my friend! :)

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bellini

Forget plain ole chocolate covered strawberries this Valentine's Day! Make this bubbly & decadent Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bellini instead...

The countdown is on, folks... Valentine's Day is just six days away.

Before you go scrambling to the store to pick up a heart shaped box of chocolates and calling for a reservation at an overcrowded restaurant, how about kicking back with a romantic cocktail instead? ;)

Forget all the hoopla and stay in! Seriously, you all. And be sure to make this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Bellini... trust me. It will make your Valentine swoon.

This cocktail is the perfect ending to a romantic dinner in or for a little breakfast in bed. Made with fresh pureed strawberries & your favorite chocolate liquor, and then topped with champagne in a chocolate rimmed champagne glass, you just can't go wrong with this one... 

Watermelon Mint Gin Fizz

Your favorite gin comes together perfectly with fresh watermelon, sweet mint, & some bubbly club soda to make this simple & refreshing Watermelon Mint Gin Fizz...

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

So I made a shocking revelation the other day as I browsing through some of my recipes on my blog looking for watermelon recipes for a collection that a food blogger friend of mine was working on- I didn't have a single recipe using watermelon on my blog! In my 5 years or so of blogging, I have never once posted a watermelon recipe?? 

Immediately my brain said WHAT?!?! I mean, how could that be? I love, love, love watermelon- especially during the summer months. 

I set out right away to remedy this food blogging injustice I had inadvertently committed and got to brainstorming. The result? A refreshing, tasty cocktail perfect for summertime! :)

My newest liquor obsession for summer has been gin. I had never really considered myself much of a gin drinker before, but there is just something about it's clean, crisp flavor that lends itself well to refreshing cocktails that are perfect for beating the heat. 

I paired my favorite gin with fresh watermelon, sweet mint, and some bubbly club soda to make these simple, yet gorgeous Watermelon Mint Gin Fizzes...

Pomegranate Mimosa Mule

Two classic cocktails come together into one delicious & bubbly concoction in this Pomegranate Mimosa Mule. Perfect for a midnight toast or a weekend brunch!

So it just occurred to me as I was sitting down to write this that this will be my last blog post on Frugal Foodie Mama for 2016. And what a year it has been for this blog! :) 

I found myself traveling 10 times this year- from our family trip to Gettysburg in March all the way to my solo trip to Amelia Island, Florida last month. 

I was fortunate to enjoy some fabulous long-term partnerships with brands such as Kroger, Hamilton Beach, Save-A-Lot, & Rice Krispies & to be able to share some amazing recipes with you all as a result of that. 

I met almost all of my blog and social media growth goals for the year (save my 10K goal for Instagram- I am a little over 8,000 right now ;) ). 

Every year I look back on what started as a fun little hobby for me, and I am amazed at how much it has grown and flourished. 

And while I know that quite of bit of that has to do with all of the hard work, blood, sweat, tears, and time I have invested in this, it also has A LOT to do with one other thing that I will forever be grateful for- you all. 

Those of you who come back week after week to check out my travel adventures and my newest recipe creations. Those of you who share my recipes & travel posts with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Those of you who have been with me since the start of this great blogging adventure of mine almost 6 years ago, as well of those of you who may have just discovered Frugal Foodie Mama this past month while searching for the perfect holiday recipe to make. 

So today on this next to the last day of 2016, I raise a glass to all of you with this bubbly & festive Pomegranate Moscow Mule. THANK YOU for being a part of this, for being part of my dream job and a part of Frugal Foodie Mama. 

Here is to another year of tasty, budget-friendly recipes and fun travel adventures that I get the pleasure of sharing with you all. Cheers! :)

5 Unique Things to Do In & Around Harpers Ferry

Get off the beaten path and do something a little different during your visit with these 5 Unique Things to Do In & Around Harpers Ferry.  And bonus? Most of these are free to do!

The first time I visited Harpers Ferry, West Virginia was in May 2011. My husband & I had just got married, and we decided that a weekend getaway to this quaint, historical town would make the perfect little honeymoon. 

From our very first visit there almost 5 years ago, I think it is safe to say that I fell in love with the town, the breathtaking scenery, and the historical charm of Harpers Ferry. I have been back three times since, and I have two more trips to the area planned for this coming summer. 

Harpers Ferry is located at the confluence of the Potomac & Shenandoah Rivers making for breathtaking views and scenery from just about any viewpoint in the town. It is also conveniently located within walking/driving distance of three different states- Virginia, Maryland, & of course, West Virginia. 

The town is rich in American history serving as the site of the infamous John Brown's Raid in 1859 and playing a key role in the Civil War, changing hands between the Union & Confederate forces 8 times in 4 years.

If you have never been to Harpers Ferry before and are planning a visit soon, here are a few things you need to know about the town ahead of time: