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I've got a treat for you today . . . I'm being joined by Chelsie Jangord, the in-house chef at Dandies Marshmallows who is here to share some yummy wedding cocktail recipes with marshmallows. Whether you torch them, infuse them, or use them as a garnish, marshmallows are ready to take your wedding cocktails to a whole new level. Are you ready?

In exchange for sharing these recipes, Dandies sent me some bags of their marshmallows and right away I made some s'more truffles to enjoy with my girls and hubby. These marshmallows are the first Non-GMO Project Verified marshmallows on the market and they are completely free of artificial ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, wheat, gluten and corn. They are also produced in the company’s dedicated facility, which is free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree-nuts. Because of this, they are actually the only marshmallows I've been purchasing for my girls as my oldest has both a gluten and nut allergy. Dandies {available in big and mini sizes} are air puffed, which gives them the light and fluffy, delectable taste and texture of conventional marshmallows.

Now, it's time for those Cocktail Recipes . . .

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Blackberry Cream Soda

Ingredients
1 shot of Blackberry Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
1 shot of gin
Topochico or soda water
1 big dollop of Marshmallow Fluff
{recipe for fluff here: http://dandiesmarshmallows.com/recipes/marshmallow-fluff}

Instructions
Fill a glass with ice. Pour in 1 shot of blackberry simple syrup and shot of gin, stir. Fill the rest of the way with soda and top with a dollop of marshmallow fluff. Enjoy!

* To make the simple syrup: puree a pint of blackberries in a blender. Combine in a pot with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Once the liquid thickens and resembles syrup, remove from heat and strain to remove seeds. Let cool.

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Ginger Peaches and Cream

Ingredients
1 shot of bourbon
1/2 shot of peach schnapps
Ginger beer
Bourbon-bruleed Dandies Marshmallow, for garnish

Instructions
Fill a glass with ice. Add 1 shot of bourbon and ½ shot of peach schnapps. Top the rest of the glass with Ginger Beer and stir. Garnish with a Bruleed Dandies Marshmallow.

* To make Bruleed Dandies Marshmallow: Place a marshmallow on a skewer, dip in bourbon and roll in sugar. Using a kitchen torch or flame from a gas stove, toast the marshmallow until the sugar turns into a burnt crust.

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Lemon Meringue Pie Martini

Ingredients
1 Tbsp simple syrup
1 shot of lemon juice
1 shot of vodka
1/2 shot of Amaretto liqueur
1 dollop of Marshmallow Fluff
{recipe for fluff here: http://dandiesmarshmallows.com/recipes/marshmallow-fluff}
Crushed graham cracker

Instructions
Fill a martini shaker with ice. Add simple syrup, lemon juice, vodka, and Amaretto liqueur. Shake vigorously for one minute. Dip the rim of a martini glass into lemon juice and then into crushed graham cracker. Pour strained alcohol into the martini glass and top with a dollop of marshmallow fluff. If you have a kitchen torch, torch the fluff for some extra flair!

Which Signature Cocktail is calling your name?

If you haven't entered the current giveaway yet, now is your chance as the end is drawing near. Be sure to enter to win Marilyn’s Keepsakes’ Personalized Tube Stem with Crystal Stones Champagne Flutes. They feature a glass stem that encloses crystal stones and they even come with free engraving. Giveaway ends on Monday night so hurry on over to enter. 

And, to get your weekend started, I have exclusive news to share with you {along with two signature cocktail recipes}.

The official launch of two new SMIRNOFF flavors from the Confections portfolio kicks off on Monday . . . but, I have the scoop right here before they're publicly released.

"Adding to SMIRNOFF’s deliciously indulgent Confections line, Wild Honey and Cinna-Sugar Twist both create the perfect treat for dessert lovers. SMIRNOFF Wild Honey Flavored Vodka blends the pure sweet taste of golden honey with a wild side of floral fruitiness, while SMIRNOFF Cinna-Sugar Twist Flavored Vodka combines an indulgent, irresistibly sweet and smooth taste." 

SMIRNOFF True Temptation
 • 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF Wild Honey Flavored Vodka
 • 3 oz. lemonade
 • 2 oz. club soda
 • Glassware: Highball
 • Garnish: Lemon wheel
 • Preparation: Shake and serve over ice; top with club soda

SMIRNOFF Lucky Lemonade
• 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF Cinna-Sugar Twist Flavored Vodka
• 2 oz. lemonade
• 3 oz. apple juice

Glassware: Stemless wine glass
Garnish: Lemon wheel
Preparation: Shake and serve over ice

Today is an exciting day on the blog as I'm thrilled to introduce you to a brand new monthly contributor on Brenda's Wedding Blog. Please meet Michelle who will be joining us each month with a brand new signature cocktail recipe. Michelle is from a small town in Upstate NY whose personal passion is for DIY projects, cooking and wellness. Please join me in welcoming Michelle and enjoy today's signature cocktail which is perfect for the warmer months heading our way. I will now turn the blog over to Michelle . . .

The wonderful thing about cocktails is that you can literally make anything you want, once you know what ingredients go together. You can be as creative as you like with cocktails. Often, at parties and weddings, we can come across cocktails, which are interesting and unique, and we can't wait until the next wedding and the next wonderful unique cocktail we might encounter. Some of the fun of going to a wedding is sampling these new concoctions. But, with a little creativity you don't have to wait. You can invent your own signature cocktail.

One essential ingredient for cocktail enthusiasts is simple syrup. You could make a bottle of simple syrup yourself at home and store in the fridge for anytime you want to make cocktails. It adds a delicious sweetness and thick consistency to some cocktails. To make your own simple syrup, you need two parts water, one part sugar. Bring your water to the boil on the stove. Add the sugar and dissolve, stirring all the while. Remove from the boil as soon as the sugar is dissolved. Allow it to cool and then bottle it and keep in the fridge. Below is a sample recipe for an Orange Sunrise Cocktail you could easily make at home. Don't be afraid to experiment with your cocktails and add whatever you like to this recipe, a small leaf of mint, or maybe try brandy instead of tequila.

Ingredients:
6 oz. orange juice
1 tsp simple syrup
1 1/4 oz. tequila
1 tsp grenadine
1 slice of lime

Method:
Combine orange juice, simple syrup and tequila. Pour 2/3 over ice in a glass. Mix grenadine with your remaining mixture and slowly pour into the glass. Add anything else you think might work with your signature cocktail and garnish with a slice of lime.

There you have it: a simple recipe for a delicious cocktail. Play around with drinks and different ideas and see if you can create your own creative characteristic cocktail. Why not hold your own cocktail party and let your guests invent their own drinks? Or hold a dinner party and serve up some of your creative concoctions? So get inventing and most of all, have fun.