This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.
I LOVE these NEW Hillshire® Snacking Social Platters – a collection of chef-curated meats, cheeses, and other snacks that come on a nifty serving platter ready to go! It’s like a charcuterie board, but you don’t even have to think about putting it together yourself, slicing cheeses, or arranging it to look pretty. The work is done for you!
I picked up both of these platters at my local H-E-B in the prepared foods section. Between the Calabrese Salame & Genoa Salame platter and the Genoa Salame & Prosciutto platter… I couldn’t choose! So I got both.
I love that each platter comes with five different ingredients. The dried cranberries and the dark chocolate pieces were such a fun touch that I never would have thought to add to a meat and cheese board myself.
And the packaging was super convenient. The crackers are kept separate from the other ingredients so they were super crunchy and fresh tasting.
The “flip and serve” aspect of the tray was also super appealing. Literally, just flip the package over and serve on the tray they come with! Genius!
Also, you have to have a cocktail to pair with these delicious platters. I love a good cocktail, but I’m not a fan of making them individually, especially when I’m hosting a party and want to spend time with my friends and family.
That’s why I LOVE that this rosemary greyhound is made in batch in advance! You can mix it all up in a pitcher, give it a stir, and have guests serve themselves and pour into ice-filled glasses.
Grapefruit juice, vodka, and homemade rosemary simple syrup (YUM) are mixed together and served over crushed ice. A sprig of fresh rosemary and a slice of fresh grapefruit make these cocktails look gorgeous, but they’re SO easy to make.
These batch-made rosemary greyhound cocktails with the Hillshire Snacking Social Platters makes for what is potentially the EASIEST prep ever for a party.
And you won’t need to spend a minute of time prepping, cooking, or serving while your guests are over, which means more time spent with people you love. You can even pop one open and enjoy it as a snack while prepping for your party, it’s delicious either way!
The cocktails could not be easier to make. However, they do take some preparation in advance in order to make the rosemary simple syrup.
Which, by the way, is one of my most FAVORITE THINGS EVER.
All you do is heat up equal parts water and sugar in a pot on the stove (but careful not to bring it to a boil, otherwise the sugar will crystallize).
Then, add a sprig of rosemary to the warm liquid and allow to sit for 20 minutes to an hour. The flavor of the rosemary will infuse into the syrup, providing a super flavorful addition to the cocktail.
Just mix the rosemary simple syrup, some vodka or gin, and some grapefruit juice together in a pitcher, and you’re done! (21+ only.)
As an alternative, you can use seltzer instead of vodka for a virgin version. And you can also top the cocktail off with a little bit of seltzer for some fizz (I don’t recommend doing this in advance, since the seltzer will go flat).
Or, you can take a whole different direction and make these Honey Blackberry Mint Mocktails.
If you prefer to make these cocktails in a single serving, it’s easy to do. Just mix 1/2 ounce simple syrup with 1 ounce of vodka and 2 ounces of grapefruit juice.
And if you want to play around with the amount you make in any way, the proportions are easy- it’s one part simple syrup to two parts vodka to four parts grapefruit juice. Easy peasy!
I recommend serving these rosemary greyhound cocktails over crushed ice. Crushed ice is great in cocktails that need to be watered down a bit, since there is more surface area on the ice that melts faster (which is why you NEVER want to use it in an old fashioned!). Because the rosemary and grapefruit flavors in this drink are strong, it’s best watered down a bit.
If you like the rosemary infusion in these cocktails, you’ll love it in this Rosemary Infused Potato and Cauliflower Mash. I’m a big fan of rosemary paired with sweet flavors, like in these Maple and Rosemary Glazed Sweet Potatoes and these Rosemary and Honey Roasted Almonds.
Looking for more cocktail inspiration? Try these easy classic Mint Julep Cocktails. For a non-alcoholic “mocktail,” try these Honey Blackberry Mocktails.
Rosemary Greyhound Cocktail (made in batch)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 cups vodka or gin
- 4 cups grapefruit juice
- crushed ice for serving
- seltzer water optional
- rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- To make the rosemary simple syrup, heat the water (1/2 cup) and sugar (1/2 cup) together in a small pot. Don't bring it to a boil- just heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add the rosemary sprig. Allow to steep for 20 minutes to an hour. Remove rosemary stem and discard.
- Combine the rosemary simple syrup, vodka (2 cups), and grapefruit juice (4 cups) in a pitcher. Stir together and chill.
- Before serving, stir together one more time. Serve over crushed ice in old fashioned glasses and garnish with fresh grapefruit slices and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Top with a little bit of seltzer water for some fizz, if desired.
Notes
- To make this a “salty dog,” make a salt rim on the glasses like you would a margarita.
- For an alcohol-free, virgin alternative, use seltzer instead of vodka. Stir it in right before serving so it doesn’t go flat.
- If you prefer to make these cocktails in a single serving, it’s easy to do. Just mix 1/2 ounce simple syrup with 1 ounce of vodka and 2 ounces of grapefruit juice.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Ellie L.
Lovely! Have you ever considered roasting the grapefruits in the oven before juicing them? I’ve done so with a different batch cocktail, where I roasted quartered limes, grapefruit, and bay leaves in the oven before I poured them into a pitcher with some gin and sugar, and mashed them up with a wooden spoon and let them macerate a bit. Then I strained the mixture and added sparkling water to taste, and it was lovely! The roasting sort of concentrates and also caramelizes some of the juice. I highly recommend trying it at least once!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh wow, I LOVE the idea of roasting the grapefruits!! Thanks so much for the suggestion, going to try that next time for sure.