Honu Kitchen & Cocktails

Last night I headed out to dinner with my fellow gluten free gal Victoria. We headed to Honu Kitchen & Cocktails located in Huntington. I had been meaning to try Honu for a while because Victoria had told me that she can tolerate some of the menu items there.

Honu Kitchen & Cocktails has great atmosphere. We were seated right away (which is always a plus) and I immediately started looking over the menu. They have a great menu in general and my eye went to the small plates and on a stick section of the menu. Originally I was going to get the Thai Chicken which Victoria said was similar to a chicken satay which is delicious! While browsing the menu, our waiter came over to tell us the specials (none of which were gluten free – which is OK) and we ordered our drinks. We decided on the Acai Margarita which they had promoted on Facebook. It is Cabo Blanco Tequila, Triple Sec, Acai Juice and fresh lime. It was delicious! It had a little bit of bite to it from the acai juice but it was still sweet (which is what I like in my cocktails).

I was sure I was going to get the Thai Chicken but then Victoria told me that their calamari was dusted in cornmeal! I was sold! I love calamari and since becoming gluten free, I have been unable to have it because it is always crusted in flour. Victoria went for the Chipotle Chicken salad – one of their seasonal salads which also sounded delicious and it was an entree size so it is perfect for dinner.

Our meals came and they were very good. They calamari is served with a spicy aioli which was perfect for the cornmeal crusted dish. It wasn’t super spicy but it definitely had a little kick to it which was great. I had a bit of the chipotle chicken salad which was also very good. Big pieces of chicken, not too heavily dressed and the vegetables were very crisp.

Overall Honu Kitchen & Cocktails was great and I will definitely be back again!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Homemade Cherry Limeade

Nothing says spring like a refreshing drink! Cherry Limeade can definitely hit the spot!

Homemade Cherry Limeade

Sweet and Simple!!

Ingredients

• Simply limeade (Simply is a GREAT line of juices and are great in SO many drinks)
• Lemon-lime seltzer water
• Grenadine
• Lime slices or wedges
• Maraschino cherries
• Crushed Ice

1. Mix 1 part limeade to 2 parts seltzer water.
2. Add grenadine to taste (about 1 tablespoon per pint of limeade).
3. Add crushed ice.
4. Garnish with lime and cherries.

Check out the Simply website here!

Strawberry Basil Sangria

Strawberry Basil Sangria

Hello Spring! A sangria is one of the best springtime/summertime drinks! The basil gives this drink that little extra something!

via Treehugger.com

Ingredients

• ½ lb of fresh strawberries
• 1 apple (fuji is my favorite but you can use any of your favorite sweet apple)
• 1 ounce of fresh whole basil leaves
• 1 bottle of your favorite white wine
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup of club soda
• 1 cup of white grape juice

1. Trim and thinly slice the strawberries.
2. Slice and dice the apple into very small bits.
3. Score the basil leaves with a fork. Simply just rub the basil leaves gently with a fork in order to release their flavor in the sangria.
4. Layer the fruit, sugar and basil in a large pitcher and let sit for about 10 minutes. This is just to let the sugar absorb the juices from the basil and the fruit. You’ll see it turn a bit red.
5. Add the club soda first and then the remaining liquids. Stir well and serve.

Strawberry Watermelon Lime Frosty

It’s April 1st! Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time for delicious drinks! (We’ll any time is a great time for delicious drinks – but spring yields some of the best fruits!) Watermelons, kiwis oooh so many yummy tastes!

Strawberry Watermelon Lime Frosty 

This recipe is so simple!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups frozen watermelon (in large diced cubes for easy blending)
• 3/4 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup coconut water - add slowly as needed to get blender moving – add more if needed
• 1 banana
• 2 limes, squeezed
• 1-2 teaspoon sugar (or more to taste)
• ice

1. Place all ingredients – except ice – in the blender
2. Blend on high
3. Add ice slowly
4. Blend until you reach the desired consistency
5. Pour into glasses and garnish with a lime wedge

ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Irish Kiss

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just about Green Beer. Korbel California Champagne created its own cocktail, the Irish Kiss. 

Irish Kiss

Ingreidents

• 4 oz Korbel California Brut Champagne
• 1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
• Green food coloring
• 1/2 cup of sugar

1. First, add two drops of green food coloring to 1/2 cup of sugar and mix well.
2. Rub a champagne flute rim with lime and dip it in your green sugar mixture.
3. Fill with champagne and liqueur.
4. Garnish with a lime or a kiwi

 

It’s Not Easy Being Green

As Kermit the Frog has said, “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” It may not be easy but it can be tasty! We’ve made green pancakes and delicious cupcakes and other delicious things. Now it’s time to share some green drinks. I know a lot of people are going out and having a good time on this beautiful St. Patrick’s Day. (it’s beautiful in NY). Wherever you go today and whatever you do be responsible! Drink responsible! Act responsible! We can all have a good time without going overboard.

The Midori June Bug

It’s a girly drink which is fine because I am quite fond of very girly drinks. This recipe is for one drink so make according to how many people you are severing.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Midori melon liqueur
• 3/4 oz Malibu coconut rum (or a coconut rum that you prefer) 
• 3/4 oz banana liqueur
• 1 oz sweet and sour mix
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• Ice

Shake ingredients together and pour into a festive glass with some ice.

Next I found a recipe that has all the colors in the Irish flag!

Irish Flag

Ingredients

• 1/3 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1/3 oz green crème de menthe
• 1/3 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur

1. First, pour the crème de menthe into a glass.
2. Next, slowly pour the Bailey’s Irish cream over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the Creme de Menthe.
3. Finally, slowly pour the Grand Marnier over the back of the spoon so that it floats on top of the Bailey’s Irish creme

I hope everyone enjoys there St. Patrick’s Day. Remember ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY! Don’t go out by yourself! Have fun!

Midnight Mojito

Here is a delicious cocktail with a deep dark purple color that almost mimics the midnight sky.

Midnight Mojito 

Ingredients

• Bunch mint leaves
• 12 fresh blackberries
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 oz White Rum (use your favorite)
• 1 oz lime juice
• club soda
• crushed ice

1. In a pitcher, place the mint leaves, blackberries and sugar and muddle well.
2. Add the rum and lime juice and stir well to combine.
3. Fill highball glasses with crushed ice and strain the drink into the glasses.
4. Top it with club soda.
5. Garnish with mint leaves and blackberries.

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Bubble Bellini

Another bubbly delight brought to you by Ciao Bella Sorbet. Seriously my favorite sorbet so far! (Until I go to Italy and then gain tons of weight from eating Italian sorbet…ahhh that’s the dream) anyway I’m rambling…here’s the recipe!

Bubble Bellini

Ingredients

• Bottle of Brut Rose Cava or your favorite Bubble
• Ciao Bella Sorbet (Prickly Pear or Blood Orange)

1. Freeze some wide mouth champagne or red wine glasses.
2. Fill half way with the chilled ‘Bubble’ (the cold glasses will make them foam up so pour slowly!)
3. Then delicately place one small scoop of the sorbet in to each glass

New Year, New Drinks

For our New Years Dick Clark’s Rocking New Years Eve with Ryan Seacrest viewing, I had my go to drink of Simply Raspberry Lemonade and Malibu Coconut Rum and it got me thinking. Sure I love my Raspcoconut Cocktail but what other drinks can I make with Malibu? I like Malibu because it’s gluten free and it is so versatile. Plus all the Malibu flavors are great. So with that, I started to think what would taste good and what I would like to share with you!

Twisted Pink

Ingredients

• 50ml (1 part)  Malibu
• 50ml (1 part)  Cranberry Juice
• 50ml (1 part)  Fresh Grapefruit Juice

1. Pour all the ingredients over cubed ice in a highball.
2. Stir to mix and chill. Then garnish with a twist and a wedge of grapefruit.

Sun Splash

• 50ml (1 part)  Malibu
• 50ml (1 part)  Pressed Pineapple Juice
• 50ml (1 part)  Pink Grapefruit Juice 

1. Stir all the ingredients on rock ice in a highball glass.
2. Garnish with a twist of grapefruit and a pineapple wedge.

Hot Apple Strudel

Yes. Apples and Malibu. So simple yet so delicious.

• 1 part Malibu
• 3 parts Apple Juice

1. Heat the apple juice and pour it over the Malibu in a long drink glass.
2. For extra flavor, garnish with a cinnamon stick

La la la YUM 25 Days of YUM! – Bar Drinks

Step up to your bar and mix up some delicious drinks. Tis the season to introduce flavors such as peppermint and coconut to your favorite holiday drinks to give them that extra cheer. Baileys and Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Coconut make regular hot chocolate extra special!

Baileys Hot Co Co Bay

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 oz. Baileys Original Irish Cream (25 oz. per bottle)
• 4 oz. Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Coconut (25 oz. per bottle)
• 4 oz. hot chocolate

1. Add Baileys Original Irish Cream and Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, and hot chocolate.
2. Shake and pour into glass

Baileys Hot Mint Chocolate

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Baileys Mint Chocolate Irish Cream (25 oz. per bottle)
• 1 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 4 cup(s) hot chocolate
• Whipped cream to garnish

1. Once hot chocolate is made, add baileys mint chocolate irish cream and green chartreuse.
2. Stir until liquids are well combined
3. Serve in your favorite hot cocoa glass

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Serves 4

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 quart rice milk or almond milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (3 ounces) (gluten free)
• 7 peppermint sticks; 3 crushed (1/4 cup), 4 left whole
• pinch of salt

1. Place cocoa in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in rice milk or almond milk until cocoa has dissolved. Add chocolate chips and crushed peppermint; simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and peppermint have melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Add salt. Ladle into mugs; serve each with a peppermint stick.

ENJOY!