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Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
275 | Calories |
8g | Fat |
13g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 275 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 8g | 10% |
Saturated Fat 3g | 16% |
Cholesterol 19mg | 6% |
Sodium 957mg | 42% |
Total Carbohydrate 13g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
Total Sugars 5g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 88mg | 439% |
Calcium 126mg | 10% |
Iron 1mg | 7% |
Potassium 412mg | 9% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
The bloody Mary is a great drink, but there are times when you really want to do it up. Garnished with a mini grilled cheese sandwich, bacon straw, and a dill pickle, this restaurant-worthy bloody Mary definitely does the trick. It's like that iconic tomato soup and grilled cheese duo—just in a drinkable and edible form that's a lot more fun. This is a perfect cocktail for brunch, game day, or whenever you have a few friends over for drinks (snacks included).
Though it has a number of elements, the recipe is very easy. You'll start by making a pitcher of bloody Mary mix—complete with the vodka and seasoned to your taste—and let that chill while you work on the garnishes. Bacon straws are a simple project—don't be disappointed if every straw doesn't actually work—and grilled cheese is always easy to make.
Ingredients
For the Bloody Mary Mix:
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2 cups vodka
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4 cups tomato juice
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1 tablespoon horseradish, or to taste
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5 dashes hot sauce, or to taste
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1 dash Worcestershire sauce
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
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3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
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8 mini grilled cheese sandwiches, for garnish
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8 mini dill pickles, for garnish
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8 bacon straws, for garnish
For the Bacon Straws:
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8 slices bacon
For the Grilled Cheese:
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4 slices bread
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4 slices cheese
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2 tablespoons butter
Steps to Make It
Make the Bloody Mary Mix
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Gather the ingredients.
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Add the vodka and tomato juice to a pitcher. Stir well.
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Add the horseradish, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon (about 3/4 ounce). Stir again and adjust any of the seasonings to taste.
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Refrigerate while you prepare the garnishes and until its time to serve.
Make the Bacon Straw
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Preheat the oven to 375 F. Twist small pieces of foil into the shape of a dowel, about 10 inches long and the diameter of a drinking straw (the shape doesn't have to be perfect).
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Wrap one piece of bacon around a foil dowel, spiraling down as you go and overlapping the previous layer of bacon. Repeat with all of the bacon and use a toothpick to secure any loose bacon that won't stay in place.
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Place a wire rack on a baking sheet with sides to trap the bacon grease. Lay the bacon wraps on the rack and bake for 25 minutes, or until crispy.
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Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Twist the foil as you gently slide the bacon straw off.
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Make the Grilled Cheese
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Build a grilled cheese sandwich by buttering the sides of two pieces of bread and laying two slices of cheese on the unbuttered side. Repeat with the second sandwich.
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In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sandwiches for a few minutes on each side until the bread is crispy and golden brown.
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Let the grilled cheese cool for a few minutes so the melted cheese sets up. Cut each sandwich into four squares.
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Assemble the Crazy Bloody Mary
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In each serving glass, add ice cubes and fill with the bloody mary mix.
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Skewer the grilled cheese and pickle, placing it and the bacon straw in the drink. Serve and enjoy.
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Recipe Variations
There are numerous ways to dress up your bloody Mary. Let your imagination and what's in your fridge guide you.
- Don't want to make bacon straws? Fry up strips of bacon as flat as possible and stick one upright in each glass as garnish.
- Rather than grilled cheese, skewer a mini hamburger—complete with the bun and cheese—instead. Use a bite-sized slider recipe to make the smallest burgers possible (about 3 inches in diameter).
- Hang a cocktail shrimp off the side of the glass or add it to the skewer.
- Other garnish ideas include a lemon or lime slice, celery stalk, pickled asparagus spear, bell pepper wedge, or stuffed olives.
- Rim each glass with salt or a salt and chili powder mix. Some people like to use spice mixes like Old Bay or Tajin.
- Add pickle juice ice cubes. An equal mix of water and pickle juice adds just the right amount of flavor and will freeze as quickly as regular water.
- Turn this into a green bloody mary by using green vegetable juice instead of tomato. You can also use Clamato juice to give it a bloody Caesar spin.
- Rather than vodka, pour tequila, whiskey, or gin. Each has been proven to make an excellent bloody Mary.
- Skip the liquor entirely to make a nonalcoholic version.
How Strong Is a Crazy Bloody Mary?
This bloody Mary is a little stronger than most, but it's not bad. The recipe mixes up to be about the same as a glass of wine, or 12 percent ABV (24 proof). If you'd like to knock that down a bit, pour just 1 1/2 cups of vodka.
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