Mojitos & Tater Tots

Friday I was in the mood for some homemade mojitos and store bought elementary school quality tater tots. But I wanted to share this desire & joy with others. So Saturday morning I decided I was going to have an impromptu party.
I’ve been wanting to do something along the lines of Apartment Therapy’s Open Door Family Dinner idea where there is little to no planning. So I figured on a very simple menu, mojitos (and a lemonade for the kids and non-drinkers) and tater tots. That was it, and that’s all I promised the guests when I started calling around noon. I kept most of the guest list kinda close to house as there was an alcoholic small-bites theme, so if someone was really hungry or got tipsy, their front door was only a few feet away.
It was a good neighborly bunch for such short notice on a Saturday night. I invited some new neighbors, as I had been meaning to do something to welcome them for the longest while. I don’t remember how many people I called and visited to extend invitations to, but there were 2 kids and 7 adults who came and it was a nice manageable number. The being close to home part was good, as someone was up past her nap time and got a little tired.
I may try the open door gathering thing again. Worrying about everyone’s schedules tends to keep me from asking friends out and planning gatherings. I guess if I just leave it up to fate I don’t get fixated on trying to get things right.
As a bonus for reading the post here is the recipe for the party items

Tater Tots

Store bought tater tots
Ketchup

Buy bag from Giant.
Follow directions on bag.
Serve in big bowl with spoon and have squeezable ketchup on the table.

Mojitos

Big bunch of spearmint (about 1 cup or more)
10-12 limes
1.5 cups of sugar
1.5 cups of water
1/2 cup or more of white Rum
Splash of Meyers Dark Rum
Ice
1 bottle of Tonic Water w. Quinine

1- On stove top mix the sugar and water in sauce pan, stir on mid/high heat. Let boil for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. This is your simple syrup mix.
2- Squeeze the juice of the limes in pitcher or other container.
3- Toss in mint
4- Muddle mint with wooden spoon or a proper muddler (you might want to remove the mint after this, something I failed to do, but whatever…)
5- Pour in rums
6- Pour in simple syrup (the sugar water mix). Make more if needed. Depending on taste.

To serve in glass, put in ice cubes, pour in mixture up to halfway, fill with tonic water.

Organic Strawberry Lemonade

Organic Lemonade (you may find it at Whole Foods or Timor)
Strawberries from Bloomingdale Farmers Market

1-Hull strawberries and place them on tray where they are not touching each other.
2- Place in freezer and freeze
3- Take frozen strawberries and place in pitcher 1/4 of the way
4- Fill with lemonade
5- Sit in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap (if pitcher has no top) until guests arrive.
Strawberries act like ice cubes and as they melt, they release their juices into the drink.