Mojitos! Cheers!

During the long rainy fall and blustery winter that Oregon serves up for about 5 months straight I like to cheer myself up with a summery drink! I crank up the heat, turn on ALL the lights in the house and make some fresh mojitos to go along with our dinner. It's a great pick me up to trick your body for a couple minutes into feeling festive instead of cold and damp. Keep in mind, I am not in any way making traditional mojitos these are my version of what I got on a cruise in Mexico =D

Here's what you need:

Fresh mint (I grow ours but you can also find it in your produce aisle with the herbs)

Limejuice (unsweetened)

Lime

Rum

Brown sugar

Club soda

Ice

First I "muddle" the brown sugar and mint, this for me is a fancy term for using the end of my ice cream scoop in a bowl to squish up the mint leafs with sugar releasing all their yummy oils and flavor. Next I add 2 shots of rum (I like to use Captain Morgan's Private Stock spiced rum) swish it around to pick up all the sugar and mint then dump it into a cocktail shaker (you can stir vigorously too) add a handful of ice and top off with 2 shots of lime juice. Shake until it's nice and chilled and equally mixed. Then pour into your serving glass, top off with a little bit of club soda and a lime wedge or mint leaf to garnish.

For the brown sugar I use 2 tbs to a shot of rum, but we like our drinks a little on the sweeter side =)

Enjoy!