Thursday Night Cocktail: Pink Grapefruit Martinis

Image and recipe via Rachael Ray

Makes eight cocktails

Ingredients

1 pink grapefruit

2 cups gin

2 cups pink grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp. dry vermouth

ice

Directions

Using peeler, cut 8 twists from grapefruit skin; reserve for garnish. Slice off remaining peel and white pith; discard. Slice fruit into segments. In cocktail shaker, muddle 1 grapefruit segment. Add 1/4 cup gin, 1/4 cup grapefruit juice and 1 tsp. vermouth. Fill with ice; shake until very cold. Strain into chilled martini glass;garnish with grapefruit twist. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Thursday Night Cocktail: Chocolate-Espresso Martini

Normally I shy away from chocolaty cocktails, but with Valentine's Day around the corner, I figured what the heck. 

Recipe & Image via Giada De Laurentiis at The Food Network

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 cup brewed espresso, chilled

2/3 cup Kahlua

2/3 cup vanilla-flavored vodka

Ice

Cocktail tools: cocktail shaker

Directions

Combine the chocolate and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and microwave in 20 second increments until the chocolate is melted. Give it a quick mix to fully combine the chocolate and the water. Set aside to cool slightly.

Dip the rims of 4 martini glasses into the melted chocolate and chill the glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a pitcher, mix together the espresso, Kahlua and vodka. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. In batches, add the vodka mixture and shake for 10 seconds. Strain the mixture into the chilled glasses and serve.

Cheers!!