My Big Sister's Bloody Mary

I have a big sister.  Her name is Denise.  Its impossible to describe her without taking up your entire night.  In a nutshell, Denise has admitted "I cant find my 'off switch'."  Its true.  I've witnessed this personally.  When she's having fun,  there is no tomorrow.

Like any good big sister, Denise has taught me many things:

On food:  Eat what you want, as long as its delicious.   Denise lives on Lay's potato chips and maintains adorable tiny-ness.  Its hateful.

On kids:  Love them until it hurts, but at 7 PM, its bedtime.   Even in summer when the sun is still shining and neighbors are splashing away in their pools... When the clock strikes 7:00- To bed for the kids and the margaritas start blending. 

On men:   Let them chase.  When we were young, Denise would sometimes go missing at 7PM on Saturday nights, leaving my poor Dad to say to her dates "No. I'm sorry, she's not here... No. I don't know when she'll be home."   Terrible.  Denise has been married to my amazingly awesome, brother- in- law, Joe for 28 years.    (Yes, Joe got the Saturday night "I'm sorry" from my Dad)   Persistence.

On fashion:  If you try too hard, you look like you've tried too hard.

On having fun:  Ok. There is a tomorrow, but there's always spicy Bloodies!

Denise was happy to share her ingredients, but to nail her down to measurements was an exercise in futility.   Here's my take on Denise's recipe for two:

• 3 oz vodka
• 3 oz V8 juice
• 1/2 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp horseradish
• 1 tsp olive juice
• juice of one lemon
• hot sauce,  3 shakes (we like Outerlimits Jalepeno Lime)
• celery salt (A MUST!)

Fill a shaker with ice, half way.  Add the above ingredients and shake until combined and cold.  Pour into glasses filled with ice.  Garnish as you like with olives, celery, lemon, lime, etc.

Denise insists on celery salt on top.  I got yelled at ( a little) for not showing it in my pictures.  She said "make sure you say celery salt!"  So.. celery salt. 

ENJOY! and CHEERS!

xo & a pinch from Denise,

Kelly

Denise &  me with our Nanny at Christmas, 1972.