Spicy Salty Ranch Water

 Ranch Water recipes have been popping up a lot here lately.

This one showed up in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  I'm sure I know a couple of people who would enjoy this.

Spicy Salty Ranch Water

Ingredients:

2 jalapeños (1 thinly sliced, 1 frozen)

1 12-ounce glass bottle Top Chico, very well chilled

2 ounces blanco tequila, very well chilled

1 lime (2 tablespoons juice)

Pinch of sea salt

Lime wedge

Tajin, for garnish

Directions:

Grate frozen jalapeño onto cutting board.

Add tequila, lime juice, pinch of salt, a few slices of jalapeño, and some of the grated jalapeño to a glass of Topo Chico.

Use a lime wedge to wet the glass rim.

Sprinkle with Tajin.

For those who like their margaritas with a zing, I think you will like this ranch water recipe as well.

Enjoy, and please remember to drink responsibly!

Ranch Water Drink Recipe

 Southern Living  came out with an article on May 19th, 2025 stating "Meet your new favorite cocktail".

I hate to tell them, but it's been mine for a year and a half now.  Glad they've caught up. 

Here's my version of Ranch Water.

Ingredients:

1 ounce your favorite tequila

3/4 ounce lime juice (fresh squeezed lime is best)

4 ounces of seltzer water

ice

Directions:

Fill tall glass with ice.

Add tequila, lime juice and seltzer water, in that order.

Stir lightly.

I usually use the Polar brand of seltzer water.  However, I was only a few cents shy of getting free shipping on Amazon, so I added this 1L bottle of Happy Belly Seltzer Sparkling water.  It is so bubbly, it's great!

Back to Southern Living, and their "Best Texas Ranch Water" recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 oz. blanco tequila, such as Espolon or Casamigos (about 2 shots)

• 1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice (about 1 shot)

• Topo Chico, chilled

• Fresh lime wedge for garnish

Directions

1. Add ice to glass:

   Fill a rocks glass with ice—really, whatever glass you have on hand is fine.

2. Add tequila and juice:

   Add tequila and fresh lime juice to glass with ice.

3. Add sparkling water:

   Top with Topo Chico. Add fresh lime wedge to the rim of the glass. Enjoy!

4. As you notice, it's pretty close to the way I've made it with a little more tequila. 

5. Enjoy and please remember to drink responsibly!

Candy Cane Martini Drink Recipe

What better way to liven up your holiday party than with a holiday themed drink recipe! 

This Candy Cane Martini drink recipe includes Tito's vodka and crushed candy canes. 

This one is really simple to make.

Ingredients: 

2.5 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka 

¼ oz Grenadine 

¼ oz Simple syrup 

2 drops Peppermint extract 

Candy canes (crushed) 

Instructions: 

Place candy canes in a strong sealable bag and break into small pieces.

Wet the rim of the martini glass lightly with water and press into candy cane pieces. 

Add vodka, grenadine, simple syrup, and peppermint extract to a shaker with ice. 

Shake and strain into the martini glass with a crushed candy cane rim. 

I received this Candy Cane Martini drink recipe from Meijer.com.

Evan Highball

 This highball drink recipe is Evan Williams version of the classic highball drink.

EVAN HIGHBALL

Ingredients:

2 ounces Evan Williams bourbon

Ginger Ale to taste

Lemon wedge

Directions:

Build over ice in highball glass and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Now how simple is that!

Give it a try, and please remember to drink responsibly!

Irish Spiked Brownies

Who's ready for some spiked brownies just in time for St. Patty's Day? This Brownie recipe comes to us from Martin's Supermarket.

Ingredients: 

Brownies 

1 cup Guinness draught stout 

1 cup sugar 

1/2 cup & 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 

4 large eggs 

1 1/2 cup chocolate syrup 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp Kosher salt 

Cream Filling 

3 cups powdered sugar 

1/2 cup & 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 

1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur 

Chocolate Glaze 

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels 

1 Tbsp Irish whiskey 

3/4 cup unsalted butter 

1 Tbsp light corn syrup 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 13 x 9-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, letting the sides overhang; spray with cooking spray.

2. Prepare Brownie: In small sauce pot, heat stout to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes or until reduced to about a cup. Remove from heat; cool.

3. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-low speed, beat sugar and butter 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula after each addition. Add chocolate syrup, vanilla extract and stout; beat until combined. Add flour and salt; beat just until combined. Pour batter into prepared dish.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of brownie comes out clean; cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate brownie at least 1 hour or overnight.

5. Prepare Cream Filling: In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat powdered sugar and butter 3 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping sides occasionally; turn off mixer. Add Irish cream; beat on low speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Evenly spread filling over surface of brownie; refrigerate while preparing glaze.

6. Prepare Chocolate Glaze: In large bowl, add chocolate morsels and whiskey. In small saucepot, heat butter and corn syrup to boiling over medium heat; pour over chocolate mixture and let stand 2 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth; evenly spread glaze over surface of filling layer.

7. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Use foil to lift brownie out of dish. Cut brownie lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each crosswise into 6 bars.

Baileys Sweet Darkness Drink Recipe

 Baileys Halloween drink recipe for you is called "Sweet Darkness".

Sweet Darkness Drink Recipe

Ingredients:

2 ounces Baileys Cream Liqueur

1/2 ounce Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka

1/4 ounce cinnamon syrup

1 shot of espresso

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.

Shake well and strain into your favorite martini glass.

Enjoy, and please remember to drink responsibly!

Jack Daniel's Halloween Drink Recipes

 Here are a few Halloween drink recipes for you, from Jack Daniel's whiskey. Enjoy, and please remember to drink responsibly.

Poison Apple - this one is easy.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounce Jack Daniel's Tennesse Apple whiskey

4 ounces cranberry juice

Instructions:

Pour Jack Daniel's Tennesse Apple whiskey over ice in your favorite old fashioned glass.

Top with cranberry juice.

Headless Honey

Ingredients:

2 ounces Jack Daniel's Tennesse Honey whiskey

Ginger Beer

Instructions:

Fill a highball glass or a small mason jar 3/4 with ice.

Pour Jack Daniel's Tennesse Honey over ice.

Top with ginger beer.

Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Jack the Sipper - this one sounds delicious!

Ingredients:

2 ounces Jack Daniel's Old No.7 whiskey

1 ounce black cherry juice

1/2 ounce dark brown sugar syrup

Instructions:

Pour ingredients over ice starting with Jack Daniel's whiskey.