The first few weeks of school are winding down, and along with that goes most of our motivation. The daily ups and downs of classes and studying can really start to wear you down, and even take away the motivation to go out on the weekends. With football season now in full swing, the thought of even getting dressed to go out the night before a game is exhausting.
Cue girl’s night in! Get some romantic comedies or lovey-dovey dramas (The Great Gatsby, anyone?!), some cute nail polishes, and lots of brownie mix. But if you’re anything like me, you like to add a little extra spice to your girl’s night. Luckily, there are thousands of cocktail recipes to turn your night from a high school sleepover to a college-approved evening.
The “Diva” Martini
One of my favorite restaurants in my hometown, Bar Louie®, features a delicious (and quite expensive) pineapple and pomegranate martini that I’m definitely obsessed with. It’s a high-quality tasty feminine drink that goes down smooth. Now you can of course substitute the more expensive liquors for cheaper substitutes, which are purely up to you!
Skyy Pineapple Vodka: 1.25 ounces
Pama Cordial liqueur: 0.75 ounces
Pineapple Juice: 1.00 ounces
Pomegranate Syrup 0.50 ounces
Pour all ingredients in order into 14-ounce mixing glass and then add ice. Place a mixing tin on top and hit one time to create a seal. With the bottom of the glass facing you, shake it just enough to mix the alcohols. Hit the shaker one more time to loosen the glass, and then serve!
Pink Lemonade Punch
If you’ve ever been to a pool party with fraternity boys, chances are you’ve had what’s called a Pink Panty Dropper (with good reason, too; most frat guys don’t hesitate to poor ridiculous amounts of alcohol in the mixture). But as Southern ladies, we don’t like to get too crazy on our girl’s night in. The women at Southern Living™ are always there for us though, with their classy take on the frat party classic.
One 12-oz can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
Three bottles of beer (don’t use dark beer! You can also use light beer for lower calories)
¾ cup of your choice of vodka, chilled
Just stir together the ingredients and serve in fun wine glasses!
Best Party Sangria
Just because the leaves have begun to fade doesn’t mean it’s time to stop drinking your favorite sweet drinks. After all, after a week of roaming around campus in the sticky September heat a cooling beverage is definitely needed. My older sister has been making this sangria for years, and it never fails to delight.
1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon, cut into wedges
1 Orange, cut into wedges
1 Lime, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
Splash of orange juice or lemonade
2 shots of gin or triple sec (optional)
1 cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)
1 small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 cups of ginger ale
Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Now this drink needs to be made the night before—for the best taste you’ll need to chill it overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving.
As always, remember to drink responsibly. Girl’s night should be one to remember, not one you forget!
The Diva–recipe & image
Pink Lemonade Cocktail–recipe & image
Best Party Sangria–recipe & image
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