Super Simple Cocktails!

I really like wine. And beer. Especially with my dinner at night. But there's something about sipping on a cocktail while I'm cooking that I absolutely love. What I'm making that night for dinner tends to dictate what I'm in the mood for, but I never want to spend too much time or energy making a drink when I have other things going on. I've come to the conclusion that when it comes to mixed drinks, the simpler, the better. So each of these is very easy to make and very tasty!

The Mojito

It's light, refreshing and screams of summer and made a previous appearance on this blog for good reason.

The one pictured has a handful of strawberries muddled in with the mint, but feel free to leave them out for a simpler and less fruity drink.

1-2 ounces of white rum

7-10 mint leaves

4 ounces of club soda

1 lime

1-2 tablespoons of sugar

Ice

Cut the lime into slices or wedges and place in the bottom of your glass. Add in the sugar, mint leaves and optional strawberries and muddle (I use the back end of a knife for this). Fill the glass with ice, pour in the rum and club soda and stir!

The Margarita

Goodness do I love a margarita. This is such an easy drink to make and so much better made with real ingredients than with the store bought mixes. 

1-2 ounces of tequila
1/2 ounce - 1 ounce of triple sec (The one pictured has the juice from an orange instead of triple sec for a healthier version, and grapefruit juice is also a wonderful option!)
1-2 limes
Agave or Maple Syrup (I used a hybrid... because it was cheaper than pure maple syrup :)
Course Salt
Ice

First take a wedge of the lime and wet the rim of the glass before dipping in the salt. Fill that glass with ice. In another glass (or  cocktail shaker) mix the tequila, triple sec (or juice), juice from the limes and sweetener. Pour over the ice in the salt rimmed glass!


My favorite: The Gin and Tonic

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this drink. LOVE! It's the easiest to make and tastes the best!

1-2 ounces of gin
4 ounces of tonic water
Juice from one lime

Mix everything and pour over ice!

Bensimon Shoes

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes that you absolutely love, and wear them until they are completely worn out with holes and stains and instead of just throwing them out you go buy another pair of the same ones because they are really that amazing?
Well, I had a pair like that when I was 5 and 6 years old. They were these amazing pink, sparkly cowboy boots with fringe down the sides and I'm sure if you asked enough people from my kindergarten class you would find someone who remembered them, because I wore them every. single. day. And when they wore out (or my feet grew too big), I made my mom buy me a new pair. I loved those shoes, and I still remember the day I went to replace my current ones at JC Penny's and they only had them in black. It was the end of an era.
Until now. I ordered these shoes last week and they came today:

They're Bensimon tennis shoes and they're honestly some of the most comfortable shoes my feet have ever slipped into. I can picture myself wearing them with jeans, dresses, skirts, and even swim suits at the pool and beach. I'm in love, and I have a feeling I'll be a lifelong fan, replacing them every few years when they get too raggedy to be seen in public with :)