With the 68th Annual Golden Globes just around the corner, here are some fun and delicious cocktail recipes, reminiscent of the most acclaimed television shows & films of the year. The top 5 pick here are courtesy of today’s top mixologists. Enjoy!

1) Inception: It is only appropriate to provide fans of this convoluted thriller an equally mysterious and complex libation. Escape to another world with Lucid, the brand responsible for lifting the 100-year absinthe ban. Mesmerize your guests by serving this anise-flavored spirit in the traditional method and watch as it morphs from green to milky white before their eyes.

Lucid Dream Stealer
Traditional absinthe drip. Pour cold water over 1.5 oz. Lucid absinthe. Stir and enjoy.

2) Glee: Glee scored 5 Golden Globe nominations and the truth is – this show is a true fan favorite, due to its high energy musical numbers and campy style. For all the young kids in the audience, and maybe those who aren’t drinking tonight, we’ve got a great mock-tail that you can enjoy as you sing along to your favorite Glee hit.

New Directions Champion

1 oz. white cranberry juice
.5 oz. apple juice

Top with ginger ale and garnish with a cinnamon stick and fresh cranberries

An adult fan? For an extra layer of yum, add 1 oz. of Flor de Cana rum to give this cocktail a festive POP!

3) Black Swan: If this film’s dark, two-sided depth is for you, how about mixing up a cocktail to match? Made with Russian Standard Vodka and muddled blackberries, the delicious Russian Swan’s two-toned look is eerily reminiscent of Nina Sayer’s contrasting sides.

The Seductive Swan

Ingredients
1.5 oz Russian Standard Vodka
5 blackberries
3 oz Lemonade

Muddle four blackberries in bottom of a tumbler. Add ice, Russian Standard Vodka and lemonade. Garnish with remaining blackberry.

4) Mad Men: Of course, all about the classic cocktail – you must serve up your guests one of Don Draper’s favorites, a dry martini. Shaken or Stirred, this cocktail is sure to please – especially since it uses Russia’s number one vodka, Russian Standard.

The Standard Martini

Ingredients
2 oz Russian Standard Vodka
Splash of Dry Vermouth
Splash of olive brine

Shake ingredients gently over ice. Strain and serve in a chilled martini glass. Garnish with olives.

5) Social Network: What better way to toast the story of Mark Zuckerberg’s creation than with a drink as social as Facebook itself? Punch of course if the most social cocktails – perfect for sharing with friends. This punch blends Nicaragua’s best, Flor de Cana rum with some hot cayenne pepper – it’s a true taste of electric spark!

Zuckerberg Zinger

1 oz Flor de Caña 7 year-aged rum
1 seedless Watermelon
One good pinch of Cayenne pepper
4 Sugar cubes
1 oz Lime juice
1 oz Club soda

Method: Dissolve the sugar cubes in 1 oz. of club soda. Add and muddle several 1-inch pieces of watermelon. Finally, add the rest of the ingredients one at a time and stir as added. Chill.
Recipe can be multiplied to fill a traditional punch bowl.

Guest Blogger: Dorsey Velasquez

I loved every year when Christmas was coming near because I knew that the time for my favorite animated Christmas special was here. I always loved the old school Rodolph that played on our Specials on Directv every year. and my kids were finally old enough to sit down and enjoy it with me. I know that the old version was not as high tech as the ones that are played on TV today, but that is what I like about it. I found when it was coming on and planned an entire night around it.

I made hot chocolate, cookies, and had the entire family sit around the fire and the satellite TV in order to watch the special. My kids got sucked into the sweet story and the great animation just like I had as a child and we all enjoyed sharing the special together. I loved their look of wonder at watching it and asked when it would be playing again so we could experience the wonder of it together again. I cant wait to watch it again the next time it is on.

May This Season Bring You

Success, Good Times and Happiness!

For those of you who follows my parenting blog, you will know that my kitchen has been under renovation for the last 3 months. Blame it on the contractor for taking so long. Half of me want to scream “Give me my kitchen back” and the other half prefers to keep quiet as I want to ensure that they do a good job.

Now that the kitchen is almost 75% completed, I am thinking that I should cut cost this Chinese New Year and bake some cookies and cakes instead of purchasing them like what I used to do each year. So, I have made a shopping list for some baking accessories which I may need. Apart from the prince castle sauce dispenser which I honestly must have, I can’t help drooling at some of these items available for purchase online such as:

1. Castle cake tins williams-sonoma 

2. Train shaped cake pan

3. Chocolate marshmallow sticks 

4. Wilton Mini 6-Cavity Non-Stick Cake Pan: Bunnies (don’t you think the cookies would look so cute?)

5. Snowflake Shaped Bakeware Baking Pan

6. Wilton Nonstick Excelle Elite Heart-Shaped Cake Pan

Now, I’m going to throw some hints to the other half and hope he will agree to purchase some of these items. Wish me luck! I will also keep you guys updated with the “AFTER” look of my kitchen once they are done with the renovation.

Just for the holiday season, here’s some rockin’ cocktails inspired by the popular songs DJs will be playing to get listeners in the holiday spirit!

1. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

1 oz. LUCID® Absinthe
1 1/2 oz. Midori® Melon Liqueur
Splash of ginger ale
2-3 lime wedges
1 lime

In a rocks glass, muddle 2 lime wedges. Add ice, Midori Melon Liqueur and Lucid Absinthe. Shake vigorously and return to rocks glass. Add ginger ale and garnish with a lime spiral.

2. Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano

Get a little Latin flair going while trimming the tree and rock out with Flor de Caña® Rum’s hot spiced toddy.

3 oz boiling water
1.5 oz. Home-Spiced Flor de Caña® (spice recommendation: vanilla bean, nutmeg, cinnamon)
0.5 oz. teaspoon of butter
1 cinnamon stick
Fresh nutmeg for garnish

Instructions: In an Irish coffee mug, add boiling water, rum, and top with a small slice of butter. Stir with cinnamon stick and garnish with fresh nutmeg.

To make your own home-spiced, Flor de Caña rum:
Take 2 oz. Flor de Caña and pour into a mason jar. Add your favorite spices. Cover and let sit for 24 hours. Taste the rum daily and adjust accordingly.

3. Let it Snow by Dean Martin

1 ounce Russian Standard Vodka
½ ounce Acacia Honey
4 ounces Chilled Prossecco
dash of Reagan’s Orange bitters
1 Orange twist, for garnish

Directions: Pour honey and vodka into a mixing glass and stir until honey has dissolved. Then pour into a champagne flute and carefully top off with Prossecco. Finish with a dash of orange bitters and garnish with an orange twist.

4. All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey

1.5 parts Xanté
3 Parts freshly pressed apple juice or apple cider
A cinnamon stick
Heat the freshly pressed apple juice together with the cinnamon stick. Add Xanté before serving.

Yield: 10-12 scones

Ingredients

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of sugar
½ teaspoon of baking soda
2½ teaspoons of baking powder
¾ teaspoon of kosher salt
¾ cup of unsalted butter (cut into ½ inch pieces)
¾ cup of Brach’s Peppermint Star Brites (or similar candy), crushed into small pieces
1¼ cups of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ cup of heavy cream (for brushing)
¼ cup of Brach’s Peppermint Star Brites, crushed into tiny pieces, for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. With clean hands, work the butter into the dry mix until it is thoroughly incorporated and the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Add the crushed peppermint candy, and combine well, so that it is evenly distributed throughout the dry mix.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk and vanilla extract into the center. Combine the ingredients until all dry mix is wet, but do not knead!
5. Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and gather the dough together and, gently, pat down to about 1 ½ inches thick rectangle. Using a dough cutter, the scones into wedges, about 3½” by 4” by 4” and lay on a non-stick baking sheet. Gather remaining dough together, lightly, to cut out more scones, just don’t knead the dough too much.
6. Brush the tops of each scone, liberally, with heavy cream and sprinkle with the finely crushed peppermint candy.
7. Bake at 425 for about 12 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of The Alice Teacup’s Cookbook. It is available for purchase via http://www.alicesteacup.com/

Whenever I stay at Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur, I like to frequent this stall called “Famous Melaka Fried Oyster” which is actually located on the lower ground of The Gardens Mall. One single portion cost $6 but if you want a bigger helping, you can opt for the $9 one. Of course, I have to admit it’s not as good as the ones you can get in Singapore.

Here’s a look at the actual dish:

Sorry for the pathetic pictures, blame it on iPhone’s poor camera quality.

Did any of you managed to try any of the halloween themed recipes that I posted here? If you did, I hope you all had a blast with it.

Here’s wishing all of you:

Recipe courtesy of Duncan Hines.

This wonderfully moist cake has pumpkin, crunchy nuts and a creamy vanilla icing. Enjoy the warm and spicy aroma as you apply your own decorative touches.

Hands On Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Spice Cake Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 2 tubs Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• green, red and yellow food coloring
• 1 flat bottom ice cream cone

Baking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Combine cake mix, eggs, water and pumpkin in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.

4. Measure 1/4 cup frosting into small bowl. Tint with green food coloring. Place ice cream cone upside down on waxed paper. Frost with green frosting. Refrigerate.

5. Tint remaining frosting with red and yellow food coloring until frosting is desired orange color. Measure 3 tablespoons orange frosting in small bowl; add green food coloring to brown frosting.

6. Frost cake with orange frosting. Make eyes, mouth and nose with brown frosting as desired on pumpkin. Place green frosted ice cream cone in center hole of cake for stem.

Makes 12 to 16 servings

*Recipe courtesy of Duncan Hines.

So deliciously simple, it’s scary! That’s the secret behind this recipe for moist chocolate cupcakes with a sweet cream cheese surprise filling. Scare up some smiles from your little monsters with these frightfully fun treats.

Hands on Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 (8ox.) block of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 lg eggs
• 8 drops yellow food coloring
• 4 drops red food coloring
• 1 pkg. Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Devil’s Food Cake Mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Chocolate Frosting
• 1 tub Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• Chocolate decorating decors

Baking Instructions

1. Blend together cream cheese, 1 egg, sugar, 2 drops of red food coloring and 4 drops of yellow food coloring until smooth and creamy; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place paper baking cups in muffin cups.

3. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fill each muffin cup ½ full of batter. Place a dollop of cream cheese mixture in center of each cupcake.

4. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.

5. To decorate cupcakes — frost top of each cupcake with chocolate frosting. Tint ½ cup of vanilla frosting with 2 drops of red food coloring and 4 drops of yellow food coloring: set aside. Place remaining vanilla frosting into plastic resealable bag. Cut a pinpoint hole in one corner of the bag. Starting in the center, pipe frosting in circles on top of cupcakes, making each circle larger than the previous. Drag a toothpick through the circles in an outward, spoke like motion to create a spider web.

6. Place orange frosting into plastic resealable bag. For the head of the spider, pipe a small dollop of frosting onto frosting spider web. Pipe a slightly larger dollop beside the small dollop, for the body of the spider. Use chocolate decorating decors for the legs of the spider.

Makes 24 cupcakes