Pomegranate Champagne Cosmopolitan

A classic cocktail gets a romantic and bubbly makeover in this Pomegranate Champagne Cosmopolitan...

It is no secret that my husband and I are pretty much homebodies when it comes to popular holidays like New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day. We would much rather stay at home, cook a special dinner-in, and enjoy a bottle of wine or mix up a cocktail or two. 

Honestly, I would love to go out for a romantic dinner for two at a swanky restaurant, but when you factor in wait times & the bill that is guaranteed to be double the norm the romanticism kind of flies out the window for me. 

But cozying up at home with a home cooked or take-out dinner for two and a couple of beautiful cocktails is speaking my love language. ;)

Every Valentine's Day I try to concoct a new cocktail for my husband and I to celebrate with. This year I am taking a cue from a cocktail classic, the cosmopolitan. (Just curious- am I the only one who can't drink a cosmo without thinking of reruns of Sex and the City?)

So what makes my Pomegranate Champagne Cosmopolitan special? The addition of pomegranate vodka & bubbly champagne! :) 

The color of this cocktail just screams romance and Valentine's Day. And how could you ever go wrong by adding some bubbly to the mix? (Hint- you absolutely cannot. ;) )

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... 

The Metropolitan Cocktail

This citrusy Metropolitan Cocktail is a sophisticated twist on the classic cosmopolitan with an Italian flair...

This post was created in partnership with Spello Restaurant.

**Please Note: Spello is now permanently closed.

When it comes to Valentine's Day, I am all about the pretty cocktails. There is just something about starting with a romantic & sexy cocktail that sets the mood for the entire evening- am I right? ;) 

I recently had the opportunity and the pleasure to dine at the newly opened Spello restaurant in Mars, Pennsylvania during their soft opening for friends & family last week. The ambiance was upscale, yet not pretentious. 

The dinner menu is inspired by Chef Melnick's travels to Italy. It is impressive, yet not overwhelming. The emphasis is on the quality of their menu selections rather than the quantity. But that cocktail menu, you all...

The sophisticated boozy concoctions being served at the restaurant come from the creative mind of mixologist & COO of the restaurant group that owns Spello, Colin Smith. Smith has been a part of the restaurant & mixology scene in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area for over 24 years . 

The cocktail menu is higher end (you will find no well liquors here, folks), but is reasonably priced. Most of Spello's libations feature Italian spirits & liqueurs.

I would be lying if I told you all that I haven't sampled just about every cocktail on their bar menu because I have. (I may or not have photographed the entire cocktail menu for the restaurant. ;) ) But my favorite of Spello's boozy offerings is their Metropolitan cocktail- a citrusy blend of vodka, cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, Aperol, & sweet Italian Vermouth...

Sweetheart Sorbet Champagne Floats

Doesn't this champagne float just scream Valentine's Day?  This would be the perfect cocktail to wrap up this romantic Valentine's Day dinner I have been helping you all plan all week.  (Oh, you missed that?  Click here for my Herb & Apple Roast Chicken and here for my {Lighter} Strawberry Cheesecakes for Two.)

What is great about the sorbet that you make for this champagne float is that it is so simple to switch out the fruits... If you don't have cranberries switch them for strawberries.  Or trade the cherries for raspberries.  Anything goes as long as it is red! :)

What you will need:

1/2 cup frozen cherries, thawed, pitted, & halved (I bought mine frozen already pitted.)

1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen and then thawed)

1/4 cup sugar

Your favorite champagne or sparkling wine (or you could make this non-alcoholic & use a sparkling cider)

This Sweetheart Sorbet is incredibly easy to make.  It is easiest in an ice cream maker, but you can almost as easily make it in a glass pan in your freezer.  It will take a little longer the latter way.  I actually did the glass pan/freezer method when I realized I forgot to pick up ice for the ice cream maker that day.  Oops.

Add your cherries and cranberries to a blender or food processor and puree.  Using a wire mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the puree to catch any little seeds & skins.  

Pour the pureed cherries and cranberries into a small saucepan.  Stir in the sugar.  Heat over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour the sorbet mixture into a metal bowl and chill for 1 hour in the fridge.

Pour the chilled sorbet base into a glass pan and place in your freezer.  (If you have an ice cream maker, you can just dump the sorbet base into your chilled container & whirl away for about 20-25 minutes.)

It will take the sorbet about 3-4 hours to set completely using the glass pan method.  Every hour or so, take out the sorbet and scrape with a fork.  

When you are ready to serve your Sweetheart Sorbet Champagne Floats (perhaps with dessert, after dessert, or as dessert ;) ), place about 2 small scoops in the bottom of your champagne flute and then fill with your favorite champagne.  

I would suggest a more dry, not so sweet champagne with these floats.  The sorbet itself is pretty sweet and paired with a sweeter champagne, it may result in sugar overload.  

Are you planning on whipping up a Valentine's Day dinner for that special someone next week? ;)

Sweetheart Sorbet Champagne Floats

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 4-5 hours

6041899

Ingredients (Approx 6 floats)

• 1/2 cup frozen cherries, thawed, pitted, & halved (I bought mine frozen already pitted.)
• 1/2 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen and then thawed)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Your favorite champagne or sparkling wine (or you could make this non-alcoholic & use a sparkling cider)

Instructions

Add your cherries and cranberries to a blender or food processor and puree. Using a wire mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the puree to catch any little seeds & skins.

Pour the pureed cherries and cranberries into a small saucepan. Stir in the sugar. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Pour the sorbet mixture into a metal bowl and chill for 1 hour in the fridge.

Pour the chilled sorbet base into a glass pan and place in your freezer. (If you have an ice cream maker, you can just dump the sorbet base into your chilled container & whirl away for about 20-25 minutes.)

It will take the sorbet about 3-4 hours to set completely using the glass pan method. Every hour or so, take out the sorbet and scrape with a fork.

When you are ready to serve your Sweetheart Sorbet Champagne Floats, place about 2 small scoops in the bottom of your champagne flute and then fill with your favorite champagne.

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Herb & Apple Roasted Chicken

I know some of you all are trying to plan a romantic dinner at home this Valentine's Day, so this week I will be bringing you 3 recipes- 1 main course, 1 dessert, & 1 tasty cocktail (oh, and a bonus dessert recipe next week!).  Just add a side or two and some fresh baked bread (store bought or homemade if you really want to go all out) and you will have your entire Valentine's Day dinner plan ready to go before the end of this week! ;)

First recipe up?  A delicious, juicy, flavorful (and crazy easy) Herb & Apple Roasted Chicken.  Let's be honest- there is just something impressive about a pretty, tasty whole roasted chicken, right? 

What you will need:

1 5-6lb whole chicken

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp of dried rosemary

1 tsp of dried tarragon

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 medium apple, quartered

1 medium onion, quartered

2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and then roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse your chicken with cold water, inside and out.  Then pat dry your entire chicken with paper towels or a clean dish cloth.

In small bowl, mix together the olive oil, all the herbs, and the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Stuff the cavity of your chicken with the apple, onion, and garlic cloves.

Now rub your olive oil/herb mixture all over the skin of your chicken.  

Place the chicken in a roasting pan breast side up and roast in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.    To ensure doneness, you can check the temperature near the thigh of the chicken.  It should read around 190 degrees.  Also, the liquids should run clear when you pierce the inside of the thigh with the thermometer.  

Let your chicken rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving.  This ensures that the juices have time to rest and settle back into the meat before cutting.  

I apologize for not having at least one more photo of the finished product.  I was lucky to just get the one that I have above.  If you look real close you can see that the breast has already been cut into.  I swear my husband is like the dad from A Christmas Story. ;)

This Herb & Apple Roasted Chicken was juicy and so flavorful.  Trust me.  Your Valentine's date will be very impressed with this as your main course. 

Herb & Apple Roasted Chicken

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 1, 30 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

• 1 5-6lb whole chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp of dried rosemary
• 1 tsp of dried tarragon
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 medium apple, quartered
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and then roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse your chicken with cold water, inside and out. Then pat dry your entire chicken with paper towels or a clean dish cloth.

In small bowl, mix together the olive oil, all the herbs, and the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Stuff the cavity of your chicken with the apple, onion, and garlic cloves.

Now rub your olive oil/herb mixture all over the skin of your chicken.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan breast side up and roast in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. To ensure doneness, you can check the temperature near the thigh of the chicken. It should read around 190 degrees. Also, the liquids should run clear when you pierce the inside of the thigh with the thermometer.

Let your chicken rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving. This ensures that the juices have time to rest and settle back into the meat before cutting.

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Announcing the Winner of the Spiked! Spiced Rum Recipe Challenge...

Good morning all and happy TGIF!  We had another fantastic round of Spiked! recipes for November.  You all seriously wowed us yet again!  

This month's Spiked! ingredient was Spiced Rum.  Recipe submissions could be anything using a Spiced Rum except for a cocktail or drink.

So, without further adieu here are the Spiked! American Spiced Rum Recipe Challenge runner-ups (in no particular order)...