The Perfect Bloody Mary Mix

It's a "good thing". Hint - its a Martha Stewart recipe with some minor adjustments. For Easter brunch - what better accompaniment than a refreshing spring cocktail? Sure sure... mimosas are delicious, too - but come on.. those need no recipe. Orange juice and Champagne. But with family in town (one who would probably enjoy a drink at every meal), a boyfriend who loves bloody mary's, and a dad who loves tomato juice... I figured it'd be fun to start a new tradition of a brunch cocktail for the holidays!
I remembered watching an episode last fall of the Martha Stewart Show, where she was coming up with homemade gift ideas - one being a bloody mary mix. I thought - that's a great gift idea! But, at the same time - it's highly perishable. So if I were to make it as gifts, they'd have to get it the day I made it, and then use it within 4 or 5 days. No thanks! So instead, I tucked it away for future use... and it came to me this weekend. I like it because it doesn't come off a grocery store shelf, its made from ingredients you most likely have on hand, and you can adjust the heat level. Thats the big thing for me - I can't handle heat! So here is your recipe...

Bloody Mary Mix
adapted from Martha Stewart
serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 4 cups tomato juice
• Juice of 2 large lemons
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
• Celery salt, to taste
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Unflavored vodka, to taste
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Celery sticks, for serving and munching

Directions:

1. Place tomato juice in a large container with a tight-fitting lid. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, pepper, and Tabasco; shake vigorously. Taste, and adjust for seasoning; the mixture should be quite spicy.
2. Pour 1 part vodka and 3 parts Bloody Mary mix over ice in a shaker. Shake well. Pour into glasses. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over drink (do not subsequently stir or shake drink), discard used wedge. Garnish with a large stick of celery (reserve extra stalks for munching) and a large lemon wedge. Top with some fresh cracked pepper and celery salt.

So to adjust the heat - of course just adjust the tabasco amounts. The only things I changed from this recipe were the addition of the celery salt, the cracked pepper on top, and NOT squeezing fresh lemon juice on top of the drink... oh and I used maybe 1/4t tabasco - and let Brandon use an additional teaspoon in his glass alone. So really - this is a highly enjoyable drink. I never used to like them due to the heat factor, but always wanted to - and now I can. Thanks, homemade bloody mary mix!

enjoy!

submitted by Lauren!