Galentines Day Cocktails & Donuts

If you've been a reader of this blog for any period of time, you may know already that I LOVE Galentines Day... aptly named by Leslie Knope of Parks & Rec - a day to love on your ladies celebrated the day before Valentines Day. For me... I like to keep the essence of this day all month long - why keep it held up on 1 day alone?! With the help of the ever - fabulous MissFoodieProblems, we've made a bit of a tradition to put together some fun inspiration + cocktail recipes (cuz, duh) for you guys so you have some ideas on how to love on your gal pals this Feb (and all year long!)

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This year, we enlisted the help of some of our fav friends to bring our vision to life! We wanted this year's emphasis to just be about having FUN. And what is more fun than cocktails, donuts, and balloons?! RIGHT?!

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Every year, we've come up with some sort of theme... beyond just loving on your friends. One year we did a specific brunch theme with TONS of recipes for you guys. Last year we brought in Kasey Dreier to teach us all about loving on OURSELVES and wrote love letters to ourselves. She then led us in a meditation that literally left us all in tears (in the best way possible). This year - I was just struck with how hostile our world has become. Everyone is up in arms about EVERYTHING. No one is listening with grace - everyone is just TALKING. Talking on the news, on twitter, forwarding Facebook articles spreading hate. So this year - while I love my girlies and I 100% still believe in spending the day decorating donuts and drinking cocktails with your besties... maybe the theme this year is, we all just work on being kind to EVERYONE. Especially the people that look and think differently than you do. Imagine what the world would be like if we stopped talking and listened. And responded with kindness. Just a thought. I'm challenging myself to be more kind in 2019 and I challenge you to as well.

Now, let's get to the cocktails, shall we?? These are so easy to make and your friends will be so impressed! No need to make all three! This is about inspiration - not perfection!

The "MissFoodie Rum Spritz"

What you'll need:

  • 2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 8 fresh mint leaves

  • 1/2 a lime, quartered

  • 1/4 cup mango, pineapple, or passion fruit juice

  • 1/4 cup coconut water

  • 2 ounces rum

  • sparkling water, for topping

  • 2 strawberries, sliced

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium size pot. Remove from the heat, add the hibiscus flowers and 1-2 teaspoons honey. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and discard the hibiscus flowers.

2. In a tall glass, muddle the lime and mint leaves. Add a handful of crushed ice, the mango juice, coconut water and the rum, gently mix to combine. Pour sparkling water over top to about 3/4 the way up the glass. Add the sliced strawberries and top with hibiscus tea. DRINK.

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"500 Days of Winter Daisy" - Strawberry Rosemary Margarita

What you'll need:

  • 1/2 pint fresh strawberries

  • 1/2 c. blanco tequila

  • 1.5 oz. triple sec

  • 1 lime juiced (about an ounce)

  • 1 tbsp honey raw if you have it

  • 2-3 rosemary sprigs

  • ice

  1. Fill each glass with crushed ice or several ice cubes.

  2. Chop strawberries into very small pieces and put in cocktail shaker. Place 2 sprigs of rosemary in cocktail shaker and muddle the rosemary into the strawberry pieces to release the flavors and oils. Pour the liquid ingredients into the shaker and shake! Pour over ice and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or strawberry.

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"Not So Plain Jane" Gin & Tonic (Makes 2!)

What you'll need:

  • 1 lime

  • 1 bottle of sparkling tonic (I used the 18oz 4 pack from Trader Joes)

  • 3oz of Gin

  • 1.5oz Triple Sec

  • 1 tsp acai powder (or blended frozen acai)

  1. Slice lime and squeeze all juice

  2. Pour lime juice and everything else into a shaker, shake and then pour over ice. Top off with tonic

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Corey is sipping on the MissFoodie Rum Spritz... named after her :-)

It's cool to be Kind and do jam out & dance

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Corey made this incredible balloon arch ... all I did was bring this chair haha

I SOOO hope you loved this inspiration for Galentines Day! I hope all you ladies get a chance to love on each other and celebrate friendship this month - if you do - be sure to tag @TastefulTatters so I can cheer you all on!

Shoot Production & Design: Tasteful Tatters & MissFoodieProblems // Photography & Video: Joe+Kathrina // Florals: Plain Jane Posey // Venue: Whimsy Pasadena // Stylist: Ilana for: Shop Blondee

Cocktails, Lifestylecocktail recipes, galentines, valentinesComment