Originally posted on December 23, 2016
It’s that time of the year again, where holiday cheer is in the air and a warming spirit floats throughout the crisp winter air. Christmastime is one of my favorite holidays. I get to go home and spend quality time with family, listen to Christmas tunes for a month straight, and go through the struggle of purchasing gifts for everyone since no one ever knows what they want. Snow falls relatively often in northern Illinois and if we’re lucky, we may get a white Christmas. Every December when I return to my family’s home, the beautiful Christmas tree is sparkling bright and has been decorated to the nines by my mom. On Christmas morning, I am awoken early by my little sister who is eager to open gifts (mind you, she’s almost 21 now ). The scent of bacon wafts through the air as my father cooks us a mouthwatering breakfast for the occasion; my German Shepard is running around like a crazy person, excited to open his gifts which he can already smell through the wrapping paper.
Christmas brings the family together. It is a holiday of giving, of gratitude, and of love. It is the Christmas love that warms our hearts and souls during the coldest season of the year; it is the Christmas spirit that brings us out of the dark winter nights. I have looked forward to Christmas since my first memories of the holiday. Memories of Santa Claus and reindeer pulling a sleigh, memories of leaving cookies out before going to sleep on Christmas Eve… Memories of home. For this special holiday that holds a deep place in my heart, I wanted to create a recipe that reminds me of home, my family, and Christmastime, thus I bring you the Merry Merry Bloody Mary. The Merry Merry Bloody Mary is infused with fresh herbs and garnished with a plethora of green and red ingredients to please your holiday taste buds. The mix should be prepared one day ahead of time so the flavors have ample time to fuse together. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and enjoy Merry Merry Bloodies with your family this holiday.
Ingredients
Makes 4 Pint-Glass Sized Bloodies
Mix
- 20 oz tomato juice (I used R.W. Knudsen’s Tomato Sriracha Juice but their regular tomato juice is wonderful too– and organic! )
1/2 lemon squeezed
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dashes of hot sauce (amount is imperative on the heat index of your liking)
1.5 tbs black pepper
1 tbs crushed red pepper
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp dried rosemary
4 oz fresh marjoram leaves
4 oz fresh basil leaves
4 oz parsley
Ice
vodka
Garnish Ideas (trying to keep 'em red or green in lieu of the Christmas spirit!)
Green olives (I used Castelvetrano olives)
Red peppers (I used pepperazzi peppers)
Pepperoncini peppers
Jalapeno peppers
Salami
Cheese (I used a maple bacon gouda)
Novelty candy canes (the wasabi candy canes are actually really tasty!)
Grape or cherry tomatoes
Lime wedges
Celery
Cinnamon sticks: can be used for aesthetics by tying the candy cane to the celery stalk with a ribbon and letting it hang outside the glass
Directions
Preparing the Mix
Measure 20 oz of tomato or tomato Sriracha juice in a liquid measuring glass.
Squeeze lemon juice into the liquid measuring glass.
Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, black pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic salt, and dried rosemary to the mixture.
Pour the new mixture into a sealable container (I used an old glass tomato juice bottle).
Place the fresh marjoram, basil, and parsley in the sealable container.
Shake the container so the mixture and fresh herbs are mixed together.
Place in refrigerator until you are ready to make the Merry Merry Bloodies.
Constructing the Merry Merry Bloody Marys
Place a strainer over a bowl or container large enough to hold the Bloody Mary mix (it may be beneficial to use a container with a pour spout for ease)
Take the sealable container out of the fridge and pour into the strainer.
Strain out the fresh herbs so only the liquid Bloody Mary mix is left in the bowl or container.
Fill 4 pint glasses with ice.
Pour 1.5 oz vodka into each glass.
Pour the Merry Merry Bloody Mary mix into each glass.
Garnish with red and green garnishes taboot.
Enjoy your Merry Merry Bloody Mary and have a Very Merry Christmas!!!