My Current Obsession

If you've had any sort of contact with me in the past 3 weeks (Facebook, Twitter, blog, passing conversation, spying on me, etc.), then you probably know what I'm going to write about here.  What else could it be?

Wine Slushies, of course!

Until a couple of weeks ago, I never even attempted to make any type of blended ice-based beverage.  I have a KitchenAid food processor and an immersion blender, but no real ice-crushing blender type thing.  I'm not sure what I imagined would happen if I tried to put ice in my food processor.  Maybe it would explode the plastic bowl?  Shoot out the top?  Break the blades?

But on an especially hot day I decided to risk my food processor's fate and now my drink menu will never be the same.  I made a mint, lime and white wine slushie and it was the best thing ever.  And I don't even like wine.

I really have nothing against wine, it's just that it usually doesn't taste good to me.  And I don't drink to get all sloshed anyways, so I've never seen the point of drinking it.  I'd rather drink some lemonade or a ginger ale (Cooking with wine is another story.  I most definitely see the point in that).  Plus, I don't know enough about wine to get all snobby about it, so I feel a little lost when picking it out.  Luckily the little liquor store across from Mississippi Market only carries one variety of organic white wine, so I don't have to pick which one is best suited to meld with delicate slushie flavors.  I just get my slushie supply and some N/A beer for Mike and get out of there.

Back to the slushies.  So far I've made some rockin' variations on my original flavor and most of the fresh ingredients have come from my garden.  Mint, lemon verbena, strawberries, these all make amazing slushie flavors.  I've also done my own little frappaccino type thing, but I really like the wine/fruit/herb flavored ones best.  So go to your blender, processor, grinder, or wooden mallet and crush some ice.  It's time for a slushie.

Strawberry Wine Slushie
1 cup very ripe strawberries
2 very full cups of ice cubes
2 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice/sugar
1/2 cup white wine

Put the strawberries, ice cubes and sugar in your food processor/blender.

Turn it on a setting so high that it looks and sounds like you left your hand and probably some rocks in there.  Keep blending until it's very smooth.  Add the wine and blend again.  Pour into a super fancy glass, like a canning jar.  Go sit outside and watch the squirrels steal all the seed you just put out for the birds.

Mojito Wine Slushie
Idea totally stolen from the Hummus Place in NYC

2 very full cups ice
Juice from 1 lime
A big handful of mint
2-3 Tbsp. evaporated cane juice/sugar
1 cup white wine

Put the ice, lime juice, mint and sugar in the blender or food processor and blend it up until totally smooth and very green.  Add the wine and blend briefly (this last step has potential to overflow the food processor if it's too liquidy).  Sip it slowly if you possibly can or you'll get a serious brain freeze and a big fat buzzzzzzz.