Give someone the gift of homemade liqueur in a pretty bottle. Attach a recipe for a tasty cocktail and get ready to celebrate!

You Need:

- New or vintage bottles with stoppers
- Small-mouth funnel
- Cran-Raspberry Cordial, Limoncello or Irish Cream Liqueur (recipes below)
- Decorative or kraft paper, card stock and/or self-adhesive labels
- Regular or decorative scrapbooking scissors, or pinking shears
- Embellishments, such as dried citrus slices or small charms
- Ribbon or cord
- Hole punch
- Craft glue

To Make:

1. Wash bottle well with hot soapy water. Let dry completely, upside down if necessary to prevent condensation from building up inside.

2. Using funnel, pour in liqueur. Wipe rim clean. Seal with stopper.

3. For Cran-Raspberry Cordial, print or write cocktail recipe on paper; cut to tag size. Cut piece of decorative paper or card stock slightly larger than cocktail recipe, leaving enough room to punch hole in corner. Glue recipe to card stock and punch hole in corner. Glue on charm if desired. Let dry. Thread ribbon through hole and tie around neck of bottle.

4. For Limoncello, print or write cocktail recipe on self-adhesive label. Using scrapbooking scissors or pinking shears, trim label to make decorative edge. Peel off backing and adhere to bottle. Thread ribbon or cord through dried citrus slice; wrap decoratively around bottle and tie.

5. For Irish Cream Liqueur, cut kraft paper into wide rectangle. Using pinking shears, trim long sides to make decorative edges. Fold paper lengthwise so that 1 decorative edge comes almost to centre. Wrap paper around bottle; overlapping ends, glue at back of bottle. Print or write cocktail recipe n separate paper; roll into tiny scroll. Roll another smaller piece of decorative paper around scroll. Tie ribbon around bottle, securing scroll.

Cran-Raspberry Cordial

Makes: about 6 cups (1.5L)

Tart, sweet and brimming with fruity flavor, this infused vodka looks beautiful mixed into cocktails.

2 cups (500mL) each frozen cranberries and frozen raspberries
2 cups (500mL) granulated sugar
1 bottle (750mL) vodka

In a food processor, coarsely chop together cranberries, raspberries and sugar; transfer to 8-cup (2L) airtight jar.

Pour in vodka; seal and shake. Refrigerate for 2 weeks, shaking often.
Strain through double-thickness cheesecloth into large measuring cup, squeezing and twisting to extract juice. Pour into bottles and seal. (Store in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.)

PER 1OZ (30mL): about 70cal, 0g pro, 0g total fat (0g sat. fat), 9g carb, 0g fibre, 0mg chol, 0mg sodium. % RDI: 3% vit C.

Cran-Raspberry Slipper

Makes: 1 serving

1 1/2 oz (45mL) Cran-Raspberry Cordial
1 tbsp (15mL) lime juice
1/3 cup (75mL) chilled soda water
Lime slice

Fill old-fashioned glass with ice. Add cordial and lime juice. Top with soda water; stir just to blend. Garnish with lime.

PER SERVING: about 108cal, trace pro, trace total fat (0g sat. fat), 15g carb, 0g fibre, 0mg chol, 18mg sodium, 36g potassium. % RDI: 1% calcium, 1% iron, 12% vit C, 12% folate.

Limoncello

Makes: about 6 cups (1.5L)

Lemon, or limone in Italian, provides the refreshing, sweet kick in this simple liqueur. If possible, use organic lemons.

8 lemons
1 bottle (750mL) vodka
2 1/2 cups (625mL) water
2 cups (500mL) granulated sugar

Scrub lemons in hot soapy water; rinse well and dry. With vegetable peeler or zester, peel off rind, avoiding white pith. Place rind in 4-cup (1L) airtight jar; pour in vodka. Seal and let steep in cool, dark place for 5 days.

In small saucepan, bring water and sugar to boil; boil gently for 15minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

In large measuring cup, stir vodka mixture with sugar mixture; strain through coffee filter-lined or cheesecloth-lined funnel into bottles, discarding rind. Seal. (Store in cook, dark place for up to 1 year.)

PER 1OZ (30mL): about 33cal, 0g pro, 0g total fat (0g sat. fat), 4g carb, 0g fibre, 0mg chol, 0mg sodium.

Limoncello Cream Cocktail

Makes: 1 serving

2oz (60mL) Limoncello
1 tbsp (15mL) whipping cream

Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add Limoncello and cream; shake viguriously to blend and chill. Strain into sherry glass.

PER SERVING: about 181cal, trace pro, 5g total fat (3g sat. fat), 17g carb, 0g fibre, 19mg chol, 7mg sodium, 13g potassium. % RDI: 1% calcium, 6% vit A.

Limoncello Cream Cocktail

Makes: 1 serving

2oz (60mL) Limoncello
1 tbsp (15mL) whipping cream

Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add Limoncello and cream; shake viguriously to blend and chill. Strain into sherry glass.

PER SERVING: about 181cal, trace pro, 5g total fat (3g sat. fat), 17g carb, 0g fibre, 19mg chol, 7mg sodium, 13g potassium. % RDI: 1% calcium, 6% vit A.

Irish Cream Liqueur

Makes: about 5 1/2 cups (1.375L)

This easy-to-make liqueur has a glorious, silky texture. It’s delicious on its own, as a cocktail base or in coffee or Irish Mint Hot Chocolate (see below for recipe).

2 cups (500mL) whipping cream
2 cups (500mL) Irish whiskey
1 can (300mL) sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp (15mL) instant coffee granules
1 tbsp (15mL) chocolate syrup
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
1/8 tsp (0.5mL) almond extract

Using whisk or in blender, blend together cream, whiskey, condensed milk, coffee granules, chocolate syrup, vanilla and almond extract until coffee dissolves. Pour into bottles. Seal. (Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.)

PER 1OZ (30mL): about 89cal, 1g pro, 5g total fat (3g sat. fat), 6g carb, 0g fibre, 17mg chol, 17mg sodium, 48mg potassium. % RDI: 3% calcium, 5% vit A.

Irish Mint Hot Chocolate

Makes: 1 serving

1oz (30mL) Irish Cream Liqueur
1/2 oz (15mL) white crème de menthe
3/4 cup (175mL) hot chocolate
Whipped cream (optional)
Dark chocolate shavings

In mug, stir liqueur with crème de menthe; stir in hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream (if using). Sprinkle with chocolate.

PER SERVING: about 382cal, 7g pro, 16g total fat (10g sat. fat), 40g carb, 2g fibre, 29mg chol, 75mg sodium, 360g potassium. % RDI: 19% calcium, 7% iron, 11% vit A, 6% folate.

Excerpted from Create, Update, Remake
DIY Projects for You, Your Family and Your Home by Canadian Living. Copyright © 2011 by Canadian Living. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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