Pineapple Upside Down Cake Martini

We had a birthday party for our dear friend, Lori, and my friends, Betsy and Rhonda and I had a group effort dinner party for her.

Rhonda was in charge of MARTINIS!!

She came with two winners... this one, and a Dreamsicle Martini.

Not only was this delicious, just look how dang pretty it is!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Martini

8 ounces pineapple juice

2 shots UV Cake Vodka

1 shot Cherry Vodka

2 maraschino cherries
wedged pineapple slices

Place cherry in the bottom of the chilled martini glasses.

Shake drink ingredients with ice in a martini shaker.

Pour into glasses, top with pineapple slice and serve.

Makes 2.

Dreamsicle Martini

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Dreamsicles?

They are literally my favorite frozen treat.

What a perfect combination of vanilla ice cream an orange popsicle!

Well, here's the perfect step up for us Adults!
Dreamsicle Martinis made with Whipped Cream Vodka!!

My friend, Rhonda, knew what she was doing when she brought the goodies to make these for us last weekend!!

You just GOTTA try 'em!




Dreamsicile Martini

2 ounces whipped cream vodka

1 1/2 ounces orange juice

1 ounce cream or half & half

1 ounce triple sec

orange slice

Shake with ice and pour into a chilled martini glass.

Serve with an orange slice or two!

Homemade Irish Cream

Sipping an Irish Cream by the fire  is always a delight at the holidays.

I love to pour a little in my coffee, or over ice cream!

My Brother and sister-in-law make homemade Irish Cream every year at Christmastime.

I always make Homemade Kahlua, so I get the best of both worlds!

This year I made BOTH!

I did a housewarming basket full of fun things for my brother and his family in early December, and it had coffee, Kahlua and Irish Cream, homemade hot cocoa, with mugs and towels that all matched.

I found these cool black bottles to use, and just added a tag to the front of them.

I brought some as a hostess gift to my Aunt and Uncle's, too.

This ones was easy!

A little printed cellophane under the lid of a quart sized jar, some tulle and a tag, and 

Ta-Da! 

I even make a non-alcoholic version for those who don't want the alcohol, or so the kiddos can sip some of their own! 

Homemade Irish Cream

1 cup whiskey

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

1 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup

2 Tablespoons instant coffee

1 pint Half & Half

(I used fat free SC Milk and Half & Half)

Leave whiskey out for non-alcoholic version.

Blend together.

Stays good until date on Half & Half when kept in the refrigerator.

Lemon Kiss

How about jazzing up your holiday toast with a little something new?  

Try this Lemon Kiss while toasting under that mistletoe or maybe at midnight on New Year's Eve?

It's easy to make...and you can even make your own Limoncello!!

Lemon Kiss

1 ounce chilled Limoncello

4 ounces chilled Prosecco

5 fresh blackberries

Place berries in the bottom of a champagne flute, top with Limoncello and Prosecco.

Have you ever made homemade Limoncello?  

Here's a recipe!

Limoncello Martini

Last week I shared my recipe for Homemade Limoncello with you, this week, I think it's time I share this yummy martini you can make with it!!

Limoncello Martini

1 ounce Limoncello 

1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 ounces vodka

Place into a martini shaker with ice and shake until chilled.

Pour into a martini glass rimmed with sugar and a lemon.

Homemade Limoncello

I love love love... LEMON!!

This Limoncello hits the spot when you need a little sipper of some sweet lemony-goodness!!

Super easy to make, and so many uses.  Drink on it's own, add to dessert recipes or mixed drinks.

After you peel the lemons, you get all kinds of fresh lemon juice for mixing drinks later, or baking breads like this Lemon Raspberry Bread:

Recipe for Lemon Raspberry Bread

Homemade Limoncello

10 lemons

1 - 750 ml bottle of vodka

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 1/2 cups water

Peel all of your lemons, taking care to only get the yellow part, not the white pith.

Pour vodka into a glass jar with a lid, I used a quart sized canning jar.

Add the lemon peels.

Place in a cool dry place to ferment for two weeks.

You can give it a little swirl when you think about it.

Boil sugar and water on the stove for about 5 minutes, until sugar is dissolved.

You have made a simple syrup here.

Let cool.

Strain lemon peels from vodka, pour vodka part into a jar or bottle and add simple syrup mix.

Stir.

Chill.

Serve alone as a sipping drink or use in your favorite cocktails.

**NOTE: Don't waste all of those lemons, juice them, place the juice in the fridge in a jar and use for other recipes!!

Jell-o Shots -- 8 Different Flavors!!

This past weekend my husband's Aunt and Uncle hosted a family reunion.

What a fabulous turnout  they had!! 

My husband's, cousin, Paul, brought his traveling BBQ/Smoking trailer.

(if I botched that, Paul, sorry!! Not sure what to call it?)

He actually enters contest for his meat smoking/barbecuing.   

He had chicken, beef brisket,  pork butt, ribs, and even hots dogs and brats for kids.

It's no secret that BBQ has never been my favorite, but I am here to tell ya, if he's cooking it, I am eating it!

It was AMAZING!

I was volunteered to make Jell-O Shots.

Not sure how this happened? but ask and you shall receive!

Of course, I couldn't just make two colors of jell-o and dump some vodka in them, 

I had to get a little clever!

One morning, yes...morning, I got out all 8 boxes of jell-o I had purchased, and went down to our bar in the basement and started checking out the liquor.

I didn't want them to all taste the same!

Luckily, I had quite the collection.  I am notorious for buying something to make a drink once, then it gets stuck on the shelf. Or we have a party, someone brings a bottle over and it gets left here.

I felt like a chemist concocting these!

Before we get to the recipes, one funny story to share!!

I got to the LAST recipe and I was making margarita shots.

I was short like 1/2 cup of tequila.

I called my neighbor across the street, when she answered I said

"most neighbors call to borrow a 1/2 cup of sugar, I am calling to borrow a 1/2 cup of tequila."

After she stopped laughing she asked me what on earth I needed tequila for at 9:30 AM, 

but she came through, and I got all of my shots made and didn't have to get out of my PJs 

to go to the liquor store! 

Thanks, neighbor!

Jell-O Shots

Cherry-Lemonade Jell-O Shots

1 box cherry-lemonade jell-o

1 cup boiling water

1 cup cherry vodka

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Mojito Jell-O Shots

1 box lime jell-o

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup light rum + 1/4 cup cold water + few drops of mint extract

Pina Colada Jell-O Shots

1 box pina colada jell-o

1 cup pineapple juice boiled

1 cup coconut rum

Strawberry Daiquiri Jell-O Shots

1 box strawberry daiquiri jell-o 

1 cup boiled water

3/4 cup light rum + 1/4 cup cold water

Cherry Coke Jell-O Shots

1 box cherry jell-o

1 cup boiled Coca- Cola

1 cup Spiced Rum

Island Breeze Jell-O Shots

1 box Strawberry- Banana Jell-O

1 cup boiling water

1 cup Island Blue Pucker

Dreamsicle Jell-O Shots

1 box orange jell-o

1 cup boiling water

1 cup vanilla vodka

Margarita Jell-O Shots

1 box margarita jell-o

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup tequila + 1/4 cup cold water + 2 Tablespoons lime juice

*sprinkle with salt to serve*

Disolve jell-o in the "boiled" ingredient add "cold" ingredient and pour into shot cups and place in the refrigerator until set.

Top with whipped cream (with the exception of the margarita, top that with a sprinkle of salt) and serve!

Cucumber Lemonades

Have you discovered Cucumber Vodka Yet?

Cucumber lovers unite!!

It is WONDERFUL!!

We tried a sample at a local restaurant last weekend, and bought some the next day!

These are perfect hot weather/summer drinks.  

So light and refreshing.

Cucumber Lemonades

8 ounces of lemonade

1 shot of cucumber vodka (or more if you're feeling crazy!!)

ice

salt - optional

Blend vodka and lemonade with ice in your blender until the ice is crushed.

Pour into a glass with a salted rim, garnish with a cucumber if desired.

I have also just made these "on the rocks" they are just as good and not near the work!! ;)

Citrus Basil Martini

I posted this picture earlier this year, and I wanted to make sure that I got you the recipe.  

They were so yummy!!

I have to admit, when I was infusing the vodka with basil, I thought, this could be a little weird?

I have had a lemon basil martini before at a local restaurant, but I was going to make these with tangerines and lemons.

Turns out, it was FABULOUS!!

I found the recipe for the Meyer- lemon basil martinis on a site called bitesandsights.com what a beautiful page!! Give it a look sometime!

First off you need to infuse some vodka!

basil infused vodka

Basil Infused Vodka

jar

 3-4 dozen fresh basil leaves, rinsed (stems and leaves)

vodka

Place basil leaves in the bottom of the jar, and pour vodka over the top, filling jar about 4/5.

I used a big jar, so I used more basil, and more vodka, I had a party of eight was making cocktails for.

Use a small jelly jar and less vodka and basil if you want to make just a couple.

Place jar in refrigerator for about 6-8 hours.  If left too long, the flavor gets a too overpowering.

When you are ready to use, remove leaves, and strain the vodka into another jar or a bottle.

While your basil is infusing, how about candying some of that citrus to garnish your drinks?

Or just to eat??

candied lemons and clementines

Candied Lemons and Clementines

2 of each - lemons and clementines, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

4 cups of water

4 cups of sugar

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan.

When it becomes bubbly, reduce the heat to medium and add the fruit slices.

Boil with the fruit slices for about 30 minutes.  The rinds will become slightly translucent looking.

Remove and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.

I dusted mine with sugar after they had cooled some.

Reserve the liquid, you just made your citrus simple syrup!! ;)

I think they are so pretty!!

citrus basil martini

Citrus Basil Martini

4 oz Citrus simple syrup 

1/3 cup fresh citrus juice from lemons and clementines

4 ounces of basil infused vodka

ice

Juice your clementines and lemons, it will take about 1-2 of each depending on size of fruit.

Pour the above over ice in a martini shaker, shake and pour into a martini glass.  Float a candied slice in the glass, and enjoy!!

You can also garnish with a basil leaf if desired.

The fruit not only makes a pretty garnish, it's delicious!

Drunken Gummies

Yee-Haw!!

When my friend, Candi, from The Devilish Dish posted these a while back, it couldn't have 

been at a better time.

You see, we had just been invited to my nephew's 21st birthday party.

I make him oatmeal raisin cookies for his birthday every year, but I wanted to bring a little something along to ring in his new ID!

I just figured I would do jell-o shots, until I saw these!!

Drunken Gummies!!

There really isn't a recipe per say,  and they are quite easy to make...

but the guests gobbled them up!!

I tried to do Swedish Fish and Worms first.

( Dan loves to fish)

But the Swedish fish didn't work like they gummies...at all.

They were basically like if you turned that "DOTS" candy into a glue.

Tasted good...but good luck getting it off of your teeth anytime soon!

So, I dug the worms out and added them to a new dish with bears, and started over.

(oooo the worms had a double "marinade" no wonder they were my favorite! )

Drunken Gummies

Take what ever gummy your little heart desires, and place them in the bottom of a container that seals tight.

Pour vodka over them until they are just covered.

Put the lid on top and give them a little swirl.

Put them in the fridge for 24 hours.

Give them a little flip and swirl whenever you think about it, keeping them evenly coated.

That's it!! 

Beware, they will sneak up on you!!

Dirty Monkey ---- Drink it Up!!

A couple of years ago we visited the Secrets St. James resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and my husband and my friend, Betsy got hooked on these drinks!

It's like a chocolate banana smoothie!

dirty monkey

Our friends, Ted and Betsy, that we travel with in the winter had a Jamaican Jerk party and she found the recipes for these yummy libations!!

So, grab the ingredients, crank up your blender and close your eyes and wish winter away!!

Dirty Monkey

taken from the recipes of Secrets Resorts

1 ounce of rum

1/2 ounce of Kahlua

1 ounce of coconut cream

2 ounces of pineapple juice

1/4 ripe banana

Blend ingredients together with 1 cup of ice an pour into a glass decorated with chocolate syrup.

Cheers!!

Homemade Kahlua

who wouldn't want this in their stocking?

Homemade Kahlua.

It smells DIVINE.

I made this years ago, and decided it was time to make up another batch to share with all of you!

It's a perfect handmade gift, to give those who like a little "toot" 

now and then (as my Mother-in-law would say....)

Save empty bottles, or find cool ones like this from Trader Joe's, that had beer in it!

Homemade Kahlua

6 cups sugar

6 cups water

3/4 cup instant coffee

2 cups water

3 Tablespoons vanilla

1 quart vodka

Dissolve sugar in 6 cups water in a saucepan on the stove.  Bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine coffee in 2 cups water, add to boiled sugar mixture.

Cool.

Add vanilla and vodka.

Pour into a gallon sized container, even a milk jug works!! :) 

Age for one week on your counter.

(it doesn't need to be refrigerated)

Put into pretty bottles and make up your own tags!!

Be the hit of the party!

Pumpkin Pie Martini

When I saw that bottle of pumpkin liqueur at the store last month, 

I saw a pumpkin pie martini in my future!

I had initially planned to just mix it with a little vanilla vodka, 

until it hit me like a pie in the face!

"Must. Use. Whipped Cream Vodka."

Have you ever had it??

Holy cow, is it fantastic.

Heck, once you crack the bottle you'll know!

It smells so darn good!!

Pumpkin Pie Martini

4 ounces Pumpkin Liqueur

4 ounces Whipped Cream Vodka

homemade whipped cream

pumpkin pie spice

Pour two liqueurs into a martini shaker with ice, shake until chilled.

pour into a martini glass and top with a dollap of whipped cream.

Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

So, had I not been in such a hurry and craving this last Friday night, I would have made a small cinnamon sugar coated pie crust, cut with cookie cutters, and sliced to put on the side of the glass....

How cute would that have been?!

Bailey's Irish Martini

Bailey's Irish Martini

Last Friday when I baked my Irish Cream Cheesecake, I decided to make Italian for dinner.

that sounded weird didn't it? 

"I made an Irish Cheesecake and made Italian for dinner."

Something about cheesecake in general makes me want pasta.... 

maybe because the calorie count is already out the window?

perhaps....

Aaaaaanywhooooo....

It's Friday during Lent, and that usually means fish in our house, but I was craving pasta.

I made a big Cesar's salad, and made some Parmesan Garlic fresh asparagus.

When I can't throw it on the grill, sauteing asparagus in a skillet with a little olive oil, butter and 

garlic always works great!

 I dusted it with a some fresh Parmesan before serving.

For the main dish we had Pasta Pomodoro.

When the hubby came home for dinner, I said, how about a martini?

I already had the Irish Cream on the counter, so we opted for Irish Martini's!!

A Blessing from St. Patrick

"May the road rise up to meet you, 

May the wind always be at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face, 

May the rains fall soft upon your fields,

And, Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand."

Bailey's Irish Martini

recipe from yummly.com

3 1/2 Tablespoons of Bailey's Irish Cream

1 1/2 Tablespoon Whiskey

1 Tablespoon strong (cold) coffee

Put in a martini shaker with ice cubes and shake until chilled. 

Pour into martini glass.

Makes one martini.

shake.pour.repeat.

White Rose infused Sangria

What is a girlfriend's Mexican Valentine luncheon without SANGRIA?!?

The last two years I have done a brunch, and had Mimosas.

This year I opted for Sangria.

I wish I could give you the measurements of the fruit, but I honestly just kind of added it!!

Note to self: Sangria is a summer drink for a reason, more fruit in season.

I did use a couple of frozen fruits, and I am pretty sure nobody else noticed!!

Here is what I did.

White Rose infused Sangria

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

the petals of 1 large rose ( mine was white...so was my wine...that's where it got it's name!)

Over a medium heat, bring to boil the water sugar and petals.

Remove from heat and let petals steep for about 15 minutes.

Remove petals and set aside. You have just made a rose simple syrup.

2 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc Wine

Fruit of choice: I used frozen peaches, frozen pitted red cherries, clementines, red grapes cut in half, halved strawberries, raspberries and pineapple.

 Cut up fruit and place in an airtight container.

Pour  wine and syrup over fruit.

Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Pour into a pitcher or punch bowl, before serving pour a can of ginger ale over the top to add a little bubble effect.

It was YUMMY!!

White Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Martini

Not really sure why I never blogged this recipe?

It wasn't until today when I was asked for it by a fellow foodie, that I remembered that I hadn't!

So thanks for that.... because this is one worth enjoying!!

whipped cream on that?

We started a tradition in December of 2010, of a holiday get together at our house with a few of the couple that we run around with.

It's now referred to as "Holiday Frolic."

It's Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, FUN!

By mid-December, we are all ready for a BREAK, aren't we??

ain't that the truth?

So, everyone brought an appetizer to share, and the martinis were shaken!

"shake it honey!"

White Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Martini

Decorate the inside of a martini glass with a swirl of chocolate syrup.

In an ice-filled martini shaker add:

1 shot of Vanilla Vodka

1 shot of Bailey's 

1 shot of Godiva White Chocolate Liquor

1/2 shot of  Peppermint Schnapps

a splash of cream

Shake well and strain into glass.

Top with whipped cream, and add a candy cane for stirring.

Cheers to the holidays and to Girlfriends!!

REDRUM! REDRUM! Frozen RedRum Punch

REDRUM! REDRUM!

RedRum Punch just in time for Halloween!

bone chilling frozen RedRum punch

Who hasn't seen the movie The Shining? 

Well, if you haven't, you need to.

I will be the first to admit that scary movies are NOT my favorite. Especially the slasher kind.

But movies like this one, that keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, or snuggling close to that special someone only to leave a bruise on their leg where you grabbed it in a moment of fear...

...these movies are so worth it!

The Shining is a movie like that.

A family trapped in a snowstorm in a hotel in the mountains, totally alone, and totally losing their minds.

"Here's Johnny!"

Jack Nicholson plays an author that thinks an opportunity of spending the winter at this hotel with his family to work on his book, sounds like the perfect way to spend the winter.

But quickly things turn badly.

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

As he types and types and slowly begins to lose his marbles his son begins seeing things and people that aren't there.  Peddling the halls on his big wheel, he begins to repeat the word "REDRUM."

the twins

the mom is played by Shelley Duvall

One night the son walks into his mother's room where she is sleeping, and takes her red lipstick and writes REDRUM on her door. 

She awakens to see him standing over her with a butcher knife, repeating REDRUM, REDRUM over and over again.

She looks to the door and then looks in the mirror across from it to see that REDRUM, spelled backwards spells MURDER.

This is the scene from the movie

~LINK TO MOVIE CLIP ~

This movie was released in 1980, and it still scares the bejeepers out of me!!

One night last week, I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep, and my mind was wandering to food...my blog... the places it usually goes.

We had tickets for the Husker game that Saturday, and it was an early one, so I was trying to think of what to make for the tailgate before.

I decided to make those little cocktail weenies wrapped in bacon and baked with brown sugar. 

They are always a hit, and seemed good for the morning!

I didn't take a picture of them, but here is a link to the instructions for them:

Bacon Wrapped Cocktail Weenies with Brown Sugar

Turns out, the weenies also doubled as a nice handwarmer!

I needed something creative for the Huskers and for Halloween weekend.

I started thinking about drinks that were red.

  All of the sudden, REDRUM popped into my brain and the drink was born.

The next day I started creating it to put it in the freezer. 

 I have made my recipe for Vodka Slushes many times, and I know that the recipe is tried and true, so I used the alcohol vs. liquid in that recipe to gauge measurements for this one.

frozen RedRum punch

Frozen REDRUM Punch

750 ml bottle of Bacardi Razz

2 Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice (the makes one quart size)

8 Cups of Hawaiian Punch

2 packages of  unsweetened Tropical Kool-Aid

1 cup Sugar

Stir ingredients together and freeze for at least 24 hours.

Scoop into glass and pour 7UP over the top.

It was 27 degrees yesterday morning when we were tailgating, it was sort of nippy for a frozen drink, but the sun was shining, my Huskers had won, and life was good!

We took my brother and his fiance to the game, we had a GREAT Time!

enduring 27 degrees of fun!

My husband and I , my brother and his fiance

"Here’s to the Witches,

Here’s to their cats,

Here’s to the hoot owls

And Whirring bats;

Here’s to the ghosties,

In robes of white,

Here’s to the thrills of

Hallowe’en night."

 

Cheers!!

Want to read more on The Shining?

IMDb - The Shining