My Go-To Simple Cocktails! - Margarita, Sangria and more!

It’s no secret, I love fruity cocktails…it’s funny I don’t share them more! Since it’s my BIRTHDAY weekend, I thought I would make a list of my favorite go-to drinks. I’m turning the big 3-2 and cannot wait to celebrate with a relaxing weekend with my crew.

All of these use simple ingredients and can be made for a single glass or a crowd.

Some essential cocktail items:

Muddler: for mojitos
Blender: either small smoothie or larger
Shaker, Hand Juicer
Fresh ingredients!

I’m not super picky about brands of alcohol…I’m sure I should be! Here are my go-to (and budget friendly!) choices. Costco has the best prices if you’re looking to stock up a larger bar.

Tequila: Margaritaville or El Toro (has a red hat). Both under $15– I prefer gold for mixing in drinks.
Gin: Seagrams or Gordons. Of course, Van Gogh is the best–but SO not budget friendly.
Rum: Bacardi Silver or Malibu for flavors.
Vodka: despite what I thought in college, UV vodka comes in something besides blue (ummm, thank God). I love their grapefruit, marshmallow and other flavors. SUPER budget friendly too!
Wine. It’s no secret that I love Aldi wine. They have a red blend (Intermingle) which is my favorite. They have quite a variety of red and whites. If you’re local, GB Russo’s is a MUST. They have a bargain area and aisles at various price points.

Pomegranate Margarita Slushie. Quick and easy–perfect even in the winter!

I seriously make this 5-Minute Sangria for EVERY gathering I attend. It’s always a hit. Shhhh, no one has to know how easy it is!

Since it’s citrus season, this Skinny Paloma is perfect. I use a little hand juicer to get all of the juice out of a grapefruit, holding it over a strainer to collect seeds. To keep drinks light, I like to use liquid stevia, instead of sugar or simple syrup. The squeeze ones from Skinny Girl or Stur are a lifesaver–and they come in various flavors!

I haven’t always loved gin…until I started making this Blackberry Smash. Now I’m hooked. Zevia is a great alternative to sugary pop. This drink actually won runner up in the BlogHer Food drink contest last fall and was served at the bar all weekend during the conference.