Homemade Bloody Marys

     It took a couple of rounds of drinks, but I finally am a fan of bloody marys. At first I was completely uninterested in the concept of vodka and tomatoes, but now I'm hooked. I've had a handful of store bought mixes, most of which are sub-par (except for the Stonewall Kitchen one, of course - which is absolutely delicious), so I decided I should try making my own.

 Superbowl Sunday was the perfect day to test it out, and it came out great!

      It's not too spicy but you get a good taste of the horseradish, and you can always add extra hot sauce to bump up the heat. The flavor is great, just your classic bloody mix, but it is way more fresh tasting than a store bought one - especially one of those plastic bottles that has a long list of unnecessary ingredients.

     I generally buy Titos, because it's a good smooth vodka that is gluten free, but you could use any kind you like. You could have a lot of fun with it by using different garnishes, such as olives, cucumbers, citrus fruits or even shrimp! We had soooo much other food and things going on for the Superbowl that I neglected any garnishes for this round. One day though I'd like to serve a big brunch for my friends and have a make your own bloody mary bar :)  Nothing wrong with a little Sunday day drinkin!

     Here we are enjoying some drinks to ease the nerves before the game.

     I recommend that you really should make it a day in advance to let the flavors set. That will make a big difference.

    For recipe purposes, below I have just written the recipe for the mix. I'll let you decide how much vodka you want (or need). Enjoy! 

Homemade Classic Bloody Mary Mix

Ingredients:

1 bottle of tomato juice (6 cups) - plain or try using Pepper V8 (also look into low sodium!)

6 tbsp fresh lemon juice

6 tbsp fresh lime juice 

2 heaping tbsp prepared horseradish
2 1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp hot sauce - or to taste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Taste test and alter ingredients if necessary.
Refrigerate overnight before serving to let the flavors blend.
Serve with a boat load of vodka, and any garnishes you prefer.