My craving for cranberry juice peaks as the daffodils start poking through the snow each spring.
Its refreshing tartness was my beverage of choice after both of our girls were born in the early springtime, and I can’t help seeking it out this time of year. Sometimes I mix it with lemon-lime soda for a bubbly spritzer. But mostly I drink it straight-up, in all its bright puckery goodness.
When I was asked by Simply Orange Juice Company to host a little gathering featuring the new Simply Cranberry Cocktail, I was all over it…
- Because, first of all, I am a huge fan of the Simply Orange® brand. Their pulp-free orange juice with added calcium and vitamin D is a regular at our house. And you’ll often find their limeade or one of their lemonades in the refrigerator throughout the summer. I’ll admit that I’m drawn to the simple clear carafes they’re packaged in, but most of all, I just love their bright not-from-concentrate taste. Simply Cranberry Cocktail is made in a similar fashion, blended with not-from-concentrate cranberry juice and no added preservatives.
- And, second of all, I wanted to have some fun! My mind started buzzin’ with fresh ways I could celebrate spring with Simply Cranberry Cocktail!
Preparing for the gathering…
My parents and my husband’s parents were staying with us, in town to watch our oldest daughter perform in a 70′s variety show. So we threw a little pre-show party, attended by our out-of-town family and a couple of my bestest girlfriends and served up some small spring desserts and Simply Cranberry Cocktail.
Flowers are always welcome in my home, especially when I entertain. If at all possible, I will always cut something from our yard or garden before buying flowers at the store. It’s just who I am. I like the more casual feel it lends, plus this approach always guarantees a centerpiece that’s appropriately in season. I was so happy that our daffodils were blooming in full force, because the rest of our yard was definitely still in winter sleep mode!
I put together a menu consisting of refreshing drinks showcasing Simply Cranberry Cocktail, along with a few of my favorite spring sweets. I selected desserts that were small in size (because I love it when I can try a little bit of everything!) and could be eaten without a fork. I wanted the feel to be casual, and the bevvies and sweets to be beautiful and bursting with the brightness of spring.
The Menu:
* Lime Baby Cakes
* Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
* Spring Brownie Bites with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream
* Cranberry Strawberry Sangria
* Cranberry Lemonade Punch
(A great tip for keeping drinks cold: The day prior to serving these drinks, pour Simply Cranberry Cocktail into ice cube trays and freeze. You’ll have a beautiful way to keep your beverages cold without diluting them!) 
We have a 3-season porch that begs us to gather in it as soon as the snow disappears. It provided the perfect spot to serve up some spring. I love the bright flavors and colors of these Lime Baby Cakes (one of my mom’s favorite desserts ever!), Fudgy Spring Brownie Bites with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream (I HAD to serve some chocolate!), and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars (What speaks spring more than strawberries and rhubarb?!).
Wouldn’t these desserts make for a beautiful spring bridal or baby shower?!
The Simply CranberryCocktail, with its perfect blend of sweetness and tartness, was offered in its own carafe, for those who wanted to enjoy some cranberry cocktail straight-up or in a spritzer. I also served Cranberry Lemonade Punch, with a base of Simply Cranberry Cocktail and my favorite homemade lemonade, in a punch bowl swimming with pretty lemon slices. Some orange soda and ginger ale provided lighthearted bubbles, and it quickly brought smiles to all who tasted it.
(See the yellow curling ribbon at the base of the glass? It’s my favorite way to keep everyone’s drinks straight when I host a party. I simply curl up pieces of different colored ribbons and wind them around the bases of the glasses a couple times. These colorful drink charms are not only fun, they’re also inexpensive!)
Ingredients
- 2 c. water
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 T. grated lemon peel
- 1 c. fresh lemon juice
- 32 oz. (4 c.) Simply Cranberry Cocktail, chilled
- 12 oz. (1 can or 1-1/2 c.) orange soda, chilled
- 32 oz. (4 c.) ginger ale, chilled
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Preparation
First make a lemonade syrup. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice, stir, and remove from the heat. Let cool completely. If desired, strain the mixture. I like all the little lemon tidbits in my drink, so I do not strain it. Thoroughly chill the lemonade syrup.
In a punch bowl or other large serving container, combine the Simply Cranberry Cocktail with the chilled lemonade syrup. Add the orange soda and ginger ale. Give it a stir and add the lemon slices right before serving.
Note: To keep this drink cold, I like to make cranberry juice ice cubes a day or two before serving this punch. Just pour Simply Cranberry Cocktail into ice cube trays and freeze. Be sure to give them at least 24 hours to freeze completely. Add the frozen cranberry cubes to the punch bowl or to individual glasses to keep drinks cold without diluting them.
Source
from a farmgirl's dabbles
I also served Cranberry Strawberry Sangria, which tastes much like a lightened up strawberry margarita, with the tartness of cranberry sweetened by fresh strawberries. Adding a few sprigs of fresh rosemary to the pitcher is a beautiful and tasty trick I gleaned from Molly McNeil, who mixed up the most incredible sangria last summer for a MN Food Bloggers party. I cannot wait to pick fresh sweet strawberries at our local u-pick this summer and make another batch of this sangria!
(If you’re not a margarita fan, simply swap out the tequila for some rum or vodka.)
Ingredients
- 48 oz. (6 c.) Simply Cranberry Cocktail, chilled
- 1 bottle (750 mls) fruity rose' wine, chilled
- 3 oz. orange liqueur
- 2 oz. tequila blanco (or substitute rum or vodka)
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, divided
- 1 lemon, divided
- 1 orange, divided
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 T. sugar
Preparation
In a very large bowl, preferably with a spout, stir together the Simply Cranberry Cocktail, rose', orange liqueur, and tequila. Puree half of the strawberries. Then juice half the lemon and stir that juice into the strawberries. Add the pureed strawberries to the cranberry juice mixture. Then juice half the orange and add that juice, too. Thinly slice the remaining half lemon and orange and add the slices to the cranberry juice mixture along with the sprigs of rosemary. Gently smoosh the rosemary along the side of the bowl with the back side of a spoon for just a bit, to draw out its earthy flavor. Slice the remaining strawberries, sprinkle the sugar over them, and set aside (cover and refrigerate if you're not serving the sangria for awhile). Pour the sangria into a serving container(s) and chill completely. Add the sugared strawberries to the sangria right before serving.
Source
from a farmgirl's dabbles
I’m loving this new Simply Cranberry Cocktail!
It’s refreshing, bright, perfectly tart, and just the thing for a cranberry juice lover like myself. Be sure to look for it this spring in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store; it’s kept chilled from the time it’s blended!
And…I’m so happy to give you the chance to win a
$100 Visa gift card!
The good folks behind Simply CranberryCocktail have offered up this great prize for my readers.
Yay!
What is your favorite way to make a party or get-together at home more festive?
Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/7/2012 – 6/6/2012
Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Disclosure: Thank you to the folks behind Simply Cranberry Cocktail for providing me with Simply Cranberry Cocktail to serve my guests and the $100 Visa gift card for this giveaway. I have been compensated for this post by BlogHer, but as always, all text, opinions, and photos are my own. For more information on Simply Cranberry Cocktail, please visit their website and facebook.
“Simply Cranberry™” is a trademark of Simply Orange Juice Company.
Good people, good food, good drink and good conversation all contribute to a fun get together.
These photos are brilliantly beautiful, Brenda! I think good music, good food and a glass of wine with conversation with friends makes any party special. Great giveaway!
Cassie recently posted..One Year Ago
I make things festive by usually sticking to some sort of theme!
I like making things festive by having a theme for my parties. It’s always fun when everyone brings food based on one centralized them.
I also love fresh flowers! But I really enjoy adding a interactive element to parties. We had a hot dog buffet party last year with all the fixings for people to personalize their dogs. For the kids birthday party, I covered the kitchen table with butcher paper for them to color on and then had everyon make their own personal pizzas and the kids decorated cookie cakes.
We have tablecloth’s and napkins for every occasion. We like to try to put a little bit of the “theme” in each room.
Lively music makes things more festive!
tweet–https://twitter.com/#!/mami2jcn/status/199663635864367105
Good people enjoying good food
i tweeted. https://twitter.com/#!/onitnaram/status/199670335975587840
Good music, good food and fresh flowers make party more festive
https://twitter.com/#!/ElenaIstomina/status/199671627842195456
Good food, great friends and a lovely home
I like having a theme! It could range from simply spring to under the sea!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar recently posted..Huevos Rancheros Wraps
Fresh flowers always make things more festive here!
We make punch and dessert – these are special occasion (party) things for us….
I think fresh flowers around your party area make things very festive!
What a fun party you had – love all the gorgeous pictures and your tip for the curling ribbon drinkmarkers!
Kristen recently posted..Because I’m the Mom {Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits}
I know it sounds rather simple, but sometimes amidst all of the craziness — remembering to smile and have fun can be the most important thing one can do at a party!
Laurie Jesch-Kulseth @ Relishing It recently posted..Rhubarb and Cardamom Tart
So very true, Laurie!! For you —->
You really know how to throw a fancy party! Everything looks so beautiful! As for the party, I like to make mimosas to make things more festive. Alcohol, especially pretty alcohol, makes everything better
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious recently posted..California Eggs Benedict
Ooooo…agreed. Mimosas definitely lend festivity!
What a fun party! Theme parties are always fun, and I love entertaining outside – it’s a quick way to put people at ease!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..raspberry loaf cake with chambord glaze
One of our favorite ideas for parties is a cooking theme! Everyone brings three unrelated food items to the party and everything in our pantry, freezer, fridge are all available. We devise fun ways to divide a group of 10-12 people into teams of two. Then we have another fun way to assign the “course” to each team. Then the cooking begins! We have a large kitchen and have had two of these parties. They are a blast – we vote on 5-6 categories at the end of the meal and everyone wins prizes-sometimes silly, sometimes cool but always fun. There are so many laughs and such great food that we have decided to do this several times a year.
My idea of a fun party, is one with lots of finger food, refreshing drinks. Pleasant music, and nice friends will make the gathering complete.
I twitted
https://twitter.com/#!/roso1946/status/199834309505462272
I have a set of cobalt blue/lime green/dark purple plastic dishes/glasses and flatware that I found last year on a summer closeout. I bought polka dot place mats to match, and I always get lot of compliments on how my tables look with these accessories.
I love to fill the house with fresh flowers and votives to make parties more festive!
Leftovers!
I love to have music that goes with the theme of the meal.
I like to use candles and music to set a festive mood!
Grilling and make a fabulous dessert!
I like to make it casual and serve a lot of good food.
Good food, good friends, a great combo for a great party! I like to theme the food to the party, even if it’s just the dips for a football game get together.
I tweeteed https://twitter.com/#!/1MommaMary/status/199903154534481922
I love entertaining and I think a theme definitely makes a party more festive. From decorations to food, everyone usually enjoys themselves at one of my theme parties. Add in some great friends and/or family, lots of laughter and voila~ it’s a great party!
Lots and lots of kids!! Who doesn’t enjoy watching children gaze at the beautiful decorations, color and all the yummy treats!! We always have themed parties and it just adds to the excitement and really gets your creative juices flowing!!
Thanks for this opportunity!!
I like to make party or get-together at home more festive by using lots of bright colors and party lights and COLORFUL GLITTER! I use glue to help the glitter stay in place…which make cleaning up easier.
I love cranberry juice too! Simply Cranberry Cocktail sounds delicious, so I’ll be trying it soon.
I tweeted. https://twitter.com/#!/Cinbat03
Inviting family and friends is the most important
Doing as much set up and food prep ahead of party day as possible. A stress free welcoming hostess/host makes for a great gathering.
I like a beautiful table when entertaining; pretty cloth and napkins along with pretty dishes brighten the meal or refreshments.
My favorite way to make a party at home is to plan a fun menu, invite my sisters and brothers over (I have 2 of each) with their significant others and we play board games and catch up!
EIOBoard is my twitter name (Donna Bardocz) and here is what I tweeted to get in your giveaway:
Celebrate Spring with Simply Cranberry {giveaway} bit.ly/IIOItX (via @farmgirlsdabble)
I like to make special snacks/appetizers that fit whatever reason we are celebrating or that I have really wanted to make. I think what makes it extra special is having a simple special drink. This can mean that I make it up from what I have or follow a recipe. Thanks for the chance to enter.
My favorite way to make a party or get-together at home more festive is to have lots of good finger type foods, pretty flowers, and make the party easy so that everyone feels at home and comfortable. I don’t like stuffy or a more formal type of entertaining.
Hey Brenda, I did not know how to add the URL of my tweet, so please do not think I tried to enter again–just wanted to do it correctly so I got credit for my tweet!
You’re just fine…thank you for reading and entering!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Lots of flowers.
Some food, drinks, music, and good company
Desi recently posted..Apple, Bacon, and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese Croissant {Crazy Cooking Challenge}
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/ElissaM
Elissa recently posted..Curried Egg Salad