Vodka Infused with Mother Nature: Clean Drink Happy Hour Inspired by Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, “CLEAN DRINK HAPPY HOUR” presents Vodka Infused with Mother Nature. The ingredients we chose for our infusion consisted of pineapple, ginger and rosemary; a mingling of healthy vitamins, antioxidants, and flavors. Not only is our drink healthy but, it’s beautiful, Mother Nature never gets her color palette wrong!

Vodka Infused with Mother Nature (scroll down for video)

• 6 – Pineapples, skin removed and cut into cubes
• 1 cups sliced ginger, skin removed
• 1/4 – cup rosemary leaves only
• 2 – 1.75 liters of vodka

To prepare, take a 2 gallon glass jar and layer pineapple as the first layer followed by a layer of ginger and then rosemary. Repeat the process until the jar is filled to the top. Pour both bottles of vodka into the glass container to ferment for three days. The amount of time for the infusion is up to you. Taste test after two or three days. If it taste right to you, then it’s done.

What a perfect drink to make for a tapas party. We made this cocktail on Friday and let it ferment for two days. I invited friends and asked them to contribute tapas. I’m sharing all of their delicious recipes here.

Paleo Deviled Eggs by Lucy Pawlowski 

• 1 – dozen large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/2 –  cup mayonnaise
• 2 – tablespoons dill pickles, finely chopped
• 2 –  teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1/2 –  teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 –  teaspoon salt
• paprika, to garnish

Hard boil the eggs. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Empty out yellow yolks into medium bowl. Mash with spoon and add mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickles, salt and pepper. Mix/mash all these ingredients well and spoon into a ziplock bag or icing bag. Assemble egg halves on your serving platter and pipe the filling into each egg. Garnish with paprika and enjoy.

Watermelon Salsa by Scott and Lori Wilson

• 1-1/2 –  teaspoons lime zest (from about 1 lime)
• 1/4 –  cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
• 1 –  tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 –  teaspoon pepper
• 3 –  cups seeded and finely chopped watermelon
• 1 – cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 – jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 – small red onion finely chopped
• 8 –  fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 –  teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 –  teaspoon garlic salt
• Tortilla or pita chips

Stir together the lime zest, lime juice, sugar and pepper. Add the watermelon, cucumber, jalapeño, onion and basil. Toss gently. Chill the salsa until ready to serve and add the garlic salt just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

Hot Chicken Wings by Mike Edmonds

• Frozen chicken wings
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Adobo seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Red pepper flakes

Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. Spread frozen chicken wings evenly in dish. While oven preheats to 400 degrees, place the dish in oven to dry out the moisture. Take them out when the oven reaches 400 degrees and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 25 minutes. Take wings out and put in a colander to drain grease. Place them back in dish, unseasoned side up, and season that side. Then continue to bake for another 25 minutes. Let them cool.

Stuffed Mushroom Caps by Carlos and Doris Ferres

• 2 – tablespoons olive oil
• 24 – large (about 2-inches diameter) mushrooms, stems removed and chopped, caps reserved
• 1/2- cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 – garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 -cup grated Fontina cheese or crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 – cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 – cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
• 1 – large egg
• additional olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush 15x10x2 inch glass baking dish with oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushroom stems, fennel, tomatoes, and garlic. Saute until stems and fennel are tender and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes; transfer to medium bowl. Cool 10 minutes. Mix in cheeses, then basil. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in egg. Arrange mushroom caps in prepared dish, cavity side up. Brush mushroom cavities lightly with additional oil. Mound filling in mushroom cavities, pressing to adhere. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through, about 25 minutes, and serve.

Table Settings by Mother Nature

I took a beautiful bowl and filled it with water, then picked flowers around my yard and freely floated them in the bowl. Fresh cut Birds of Paradise flowers from my backyard in clear glass vase made the perfect natural party decor.