Tailgatin' Thursday : Yellow Hammer Hunch Punch (just a few days late)

A Big 'Ole Glass of Yellow Hammer Hunch Punch on Alabama Game Day :)

So, this is a continuation of my postings of tailgatin' recipes every week for football saturday's. Even though I am a few days late, it's still a football saturday, so I think I'm A-OK. And fun fact alert: yesterday was "National Punch Day". No no no, don't go putting your dukes up just yet. It's not that kind of a punch day. And to be honest, let's hope there never is one. We are here to celebrate the kind of punch that has a little kick of booze. By booze, you know I mean a'whole'heck of it. Like many, many bottles to be exact. While at the University of Alabama, I enjoyed this cocktail every game day weekend. Most of the time at the bars on the strip, often on the Quad tailgating, but I had never made it myself without the assistance of others. The drink became famous from the bar, Gallette's. It is always served in a yellow cup with a splash of grenadine and a cherry to top it off. The exact recipe for hunch punch is a complete secret, but I definitely know there is orange juice, pineapple, and banana flavoring. What are alcohols are in this concoction, you may ask. Well, the cast of characters are the following: Bacardi 151, Everclear, Malibu Black Rum, Creme de Banana Liqueur, and Gin. Don't get it twisted y'all, you're gonna get slamdamnhammered off of these. Yes, slamdamnhammered is a technical term. Proven Fact. Now when you make this stuff, you're going to have to tinker it a bit and taste as you go. A little more simple syrup... a touch more banana liqueur... maybe some cold water/cold pineapple juice to dilute it a tad. Just let go and make it until it tastes good. But, I will say that I tend to make it slightly stronger than I would actually like because once you let it marinate + meld overnight, it certainly mellows a bit. Also, when you make it the next day, it will be sweetened with grenadine, crushed ice, sprite, and a cherry. This stuff goes super quickly, but don't you worry, there is a whole BUNCH of it!! Enjoy and Roll Tide :)

Making the Hunch Punch the night before in a big water cooler 

ALWAYS be careful with the punch... baby seat + belt not included in the recipe.

For the Hunch Punch:

1 Gallon of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

2 of the 59oz Dole Pineapple-Orange-Banana Juices

2C Pineapple Juice

1L of Rose’s Sweet & Sour Mix

1-2C Simple Syrup, Depending on How Sweet You Like It (I used homemade vanilla bean)

750mL Bacardi 151 Proof

750mL Everclear Grain Alcohol

1.75L Malibu Black Rum

1-2C Crème de Banana Liqueur, depending on Your Banana Preference (Dekuyper brand)

1C Gin (of your choice)

Cold Water or Cold Pineapple Juice, optional (to dilute the mixture if it is too strong)

For Serving:

Crushed Ice

Generous Gulp of Grenadine Syrup

Splash of Sprite, For Topping

Maraschino Cherries, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. To Make the Hunch Punch: Pour everything into a large jug (we had to use a water cooler because it makes so many gallons). Taste the first batch and determine whether you need to add more simple syrup, banana liqueur, and cold water/cold pineapple juice (if needed). Stir to combine and mix thoroughly. Once you have reached your desired taste, refrigerate overnight. I tent to air on the side of caution and make it stronger than you would typically like because once the flavors meld overnight, it will mellow out a lot. Also, when you make a glass of the hunch punch, it will be diluted with crushed ice, grenadine, and sprite to sweeten it as well.
2.  To Make a Glass: Get a clear plastic cup and pour in a generous glug of grenadine syrup (the more, the sweeter), and then top it with a big ‘ole handful of crushed ice. Gently pour/ladle/drizzle the liquid slowly into the glass almost to the top of the glass. This will make a “sunset effect” in the glass. Finish the drink with a splash of sprite and a cherry! Enjoy all day long :) 

Watermelon Mojito Jello Shots in Lime Wedges

Watermelon Mojito Jello Shots in Lime Wedges

Yesterday was the busiest day ever. My gawd. I was preparing from morning until night for a celebration of one of my best friend's 21st birthday fiesta!! Tomorrow I'll post some pictures and my ideas for her Mexican themed bash... including a liquor shot filled pinata. YES IT'S A REAL THING. There was a bunch of confetti, lots of booze, and a gourmet taco bar with 12 different homemade toppings!! So check back for the deets, y'all. But today, I'm sharing my Watermelon Mojito Jello Shots in Lime Wedges. I have seen ideas floating around the internet for classic mojito jello shots in limes and I have been dying to try them. However, I could not get it out of my mind how I wanted to make watermelon flavored shots. Wouldn't that be adorbz?! UM, well it was. The filling includes watermelon puree, lime juice, steeped fresh mint, and rum (along with gelatin). You pour the jello mix into the lime halves, let them set until hard, cut them into wedges, and finally garnish them. I finished them off with more fresh minced mint & dyed black raw sugar for the perfect watermelon effect. And they were a HIT. They were gobbled up in minutes. Now there is a forewarning here, these are not for the faint of heart. It is a process, a very tedious process. Especially hulling out and peeling the lime rinds of its' pulp. So, if you aren't willing to slave away to prep these guys, you could just pour the jello into plastic shot glasses. Although, they certainly are not as cute. The choice is yours however. I know for sure that these will be a Summer classic and a party favorite from now on!! Enjoy :)

hollowed out lime shells.

fresh mint steeping in the jello mixture 

look at those colors... it screams summer doesn't it?? 

wittle baby watermelons.

For the Watermelon Mojito Wedge Jello Shots:

1 ½C Fresh Watermelon Puree (strained of pulp into a juice)

1C Sugar

4 Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin

½C Fresh Lime Juice

Pink Dye, Optional (to make them a little brighter)

4 Stems of Fresh Mint Leaves

1C White Rum

Fresh Minced Mint, For Garnishing

Homemade Black Raw Sugar or Watermelon Pop Rocks, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. Preparing the Watermelon Mojito Jello: In a pot, combine the watermelon juice and sugar over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin. Add the lime juice and 4 mint stems (with leaves). Allow that to steep for 10-15 minutes. Remove the mint stems and stir in the rum if using.

2. Prepping the Limes: In the meantime hollow out your lime shells (we used roughly a large bag of limes for all the jello filling). This is probably the hardest part of making these. I used a small sharp knife to carve around the inside of the limes and then a melon baller to scoop out the centers. If the insides don't look perfect don't worry! Mine looked far from perfect. Be sure to leave the limes cut in halves until after the jello has set, then you can slice them into wedges.

3. Finishing the Shots: Fill each lime shell with the jello mixture and sprinkle in some chopped fresh mint (from the remaining leaves on that 3rd stem). Place in the refrigerator and allow them to set for at least 3 hours. Cut into wedges and finish by garnishing with fresh chopped mint and a sprinkle some black raw sugar (or watermelon pop rocks if you are feeling crazy) for the “watermelon” look.

source: mojito jello shots.

Engagement Banana Pancakes

I'm sorry I haven't posted a recipe yet...

We have been SO busy with our engagement :)

Therefore, I declare it "Wordless Wednesday"...

So enjoy these Engagement Banana Pancakes with someone you love :)

Here ya go, folks: Fluffy, Spiced Brown Butter-Banana-Buttermilk Pancakes, Homemade Cinnamon-Pecan Compound Butter, Honey Fried Bananas, + Bourbon Maple Syrup.

someone stole my bacon...

For the Cinnamon-Pecan Compound Butter:

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Extremely Soft

3T Brown Sugar

½t Vanilla

1T Cinnamon

¼C Toasted Pecans, Finely Chopped

 

For the Fried Bananas:

2-3 Bananas, Sliced into Thick Rounds

Canola Oil, For Frying

2-3T Honey

Cinnamon

1-2T Rum

For the Fluffy, Spiced Brown Butter Buttermilk Pancakes:

2C AP Flour + ½C Whole Wheat Flour, Sifted

¼C Light Brown Sugar

1T Baking Powder + 2t Baking Soda

½t Fleur de Sel & Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg, Allspice, & Cardamom

3C Buttermilk, Well Shaken

2 Large Bananas, Mashed with a Fork

2 Large Eggs

4T Brown Butter, Melted & Slightly Cooled

1T Bourbon

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

Pancake Toppings:

Toasted Pecans, Finely Minced

Fried Banana Rounds

Homemade Bourbon Maple Syrup, Warmed

Homemade Cinnamon-Pecan Compound Butter, Room Temperature

Directions:

1. For the Compound Butter: In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth, then slowly add in the cinnamon and toasted pecans, and beat until just combined. Chill until ready to serve, and then let it warm to room temperature for easy pancake spreading.

2. For the Fried Bananas: Lightly drizzle the oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Place the bananas in an even layer and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown & starting to crisp. Meanwhile, whisk together the honey, 2-3T water, cinnamon, and a pinch of cardamom & salt. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the honey mixture over the banana, followed by the rum. Remove them from the pan onto a plate until you are ready to layer them between the pancakes.

3. For the Banana Pancakes: Preheat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the AP flour, WW flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, mashed bananas, brown butter, bourbon, and vanilla bean. In the bowl of the dry ingredients, create a well using your heads or a spoon. Pour the wet mixture into the center of a well, and using a rubber spatula or a fork, gently whisk the two together to form a batter. This should be a relatively smooth, thick batter, but with small lumps still remaining. Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes before using. Next, using a ½C measure, pour the patter in to pools on the heated griddle. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 2-3 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on the bottom, about 1-2 minutes. While you finish cooking the other pancakes, keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven until serving.

4. For Serving: Stack the banana pancakes on to a plate, making sure to layer rounds of fried honey bananas, toasted pecans, and compound butter between the pancake layers. Garnish the top with more fried bananas, pecans, butter, & a generous drizzling of homemade bourbon maple syrup. Enjoy with your honey, for breakfast in bed, on a rainy Sunday morning.

source: fried honey bananas.

Summer Staples : Roasted Summer Berry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream Sandwiches with Rehydrated Berry-Sweet Corn Cookies + Lemon Curd Center

Summer Staples : Roasted Summer Berry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream Sandwiches with
Rehydrated Berry-Sweet Corn Cookies + Lemon Curd Center

I've been on a really big ice cream sandwich kick as of this summer. It's really the perfect cool treat during a hot day. Especially when you have a homemade cookie and a killer creamy-icy filling... it can't be beat! These summer treats start with Momofuku's famous sweet corn cookie that has been dialed up a notch with some vanilla bean rum rehydrated summer berries. The chilled cookie dough is then rolled in raw bourbon vanilla sugar, which gives it the perfect crackly-crunchy exterior. These cookies are truly fabulous on their own and I can guarantee you'll want to make them over and over again like I have in the last month. They taste like a mixture between cornbread + yellow cake. It's divine and you just have to make them! Better yet, make them with ice cream stuffed in between the middle. This ice cream is Southern to its core because it has the ever-so-popular buttermilk as the base. It's perfectly tangy and is balanced amazingly with the swirls of sweet berry preserves. But what I'm most excited about is the lemon curd center. With the use of my handy-dandy doughnut cutter, I was able to cut out perfectly round ice cream fillings, and then pop our the center and fill it with creamy lemon curd. It's the  best little surprise when you bite into the ice cream sandwiches and get a lemony burst of flavor! All of these components work together brilliantly and quite frankly, I can't wait to use this doughnut-ice cream filling technique for sandwiches in the future!! Enjoy :)

For the Roasted Summer Berry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream:

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, Melted & Cooled Slightly

2C Heavy Cream

1C Buttermilk, Well-Shaken

6 Egg Yolks

1C Sugar

½t Salt

2T Buttermilk Powder, Sifted

1t Vanilla

2T Vanilla Bean Infused Rum (or any kind of infused booze that is clear)

1 Whole Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

Homemade Roasted Summer Berry Jam (or any other kind of preserves may be used)

Homemade or Store-Bought Lemon Curd, For the Center Filling

For the Rehydrated Berry-Sweet Corn Cookies:

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1 ½C Sugar

1 Egg

1 1/3C AP Flour

¼C Corn Flour

2/3C Freeze Dried Corn Powder

¾t Baking Powder

¼t Baking Soda

1 ½t Salt

½C Each of Dehydrated or Freeze Dried Berries (blueberries, raspberries, & strawberries)

2-3T Vanilla Bean Infused Rum (or just enough to barely rehydrate the berries until soft)

Raw Bourbon Vanilla Sugar, For Rolling the Cookies in

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Summer Berry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream: In a saucepan, bring the cream, buttermilk, sifted buttermilk powder, vanilla bean pods, and vanilla bean seeds to a simmer. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Once combined, gradually and slowly into the simmering milk. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, until thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon). Strain the custard into a bowl that is placed into an ice bath. Stir in the vanilla bean infused rum and vanilla. Cool the custard base until completely chilled. Once the mixture is chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As soon as the mixture is done churning, pour or scoop in one-third of the ice cream into a large container, and then spoon some of the summer berry preserves on top of the ice cream. Using the spoon, smooth it out into any even layer and swirl it some for a pretty marbling effect. Repeat this process until all of the ice cream and preserves have been use. Once it has been assembled, store in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

2. For the Rehydrated Berry-Sweet Corn Cookies:In a small bowl combine the dried summer fruit with the vanilla bean infused rum. Using a spoon, toss the berries and liquid together until they are completely coated. Let them sit and plump up while you make the cookie dough batter. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and cream together on medium-high for about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat for 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, corn flour, corn powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together, beat no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the rehydrated berries and gently beat them in until they are just incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop, portion out the cookie dough onto a Silpat-lined sheet pan. Pat the tops of the cookie dough balls until they are flat on top. Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 12-24 hours. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature or they will not bake up properly.

3. Baking the Cookies:Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and immediately roll them in the raw sugar (this will give them a crackly crust, yet chewy interior). Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on Silpat-lined sheet pans. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center; give them an extra minute if not. Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage. At room temp, the cookies will keep fresh for 5 days.

4. Preparing the Ice Cream Center:Using a doughnut cookie cutter, cut out rounds of the buttermilk ice cream. And then using a knife or spoon, push or scoop out the center of the ice cream. Place the hollowed out rounds onto parchment paper and freeze them again to re-harden or re-firm the texture of the ice cream. Once it has frozen again, place the ice cream rounds onto a cookie and spoon some lemon curd into the hollowed out center. Top with another cookie and enjoy before it melts!

Dark + Stormy's with Homemade Ginger Simple Syrup, Black Spiced Rum, & Ginger Beer

Dark + Stormy's with Homemade Ginger Simple Syrup, Black Spiced Rum, & Ginger Beer

Dark + Stormy's are a really popular bar drink, mainly because they typically just have ginger ale and rum in the cup. But, when we make cocktails at home, we have to make them special. My components are a homemade ginger simple syrup, black spiced rum, "extra ginger" ginger beer, and fresh lime. I like my Dark + Stormy's to be overloaded with ginger flavor, so feel free to substitute plain ole' ginger ale and classic simple syrup for a tame version. We garnished our drinks with a cane sugar rim, candied ginger cubes, and lime wheels. Short. Sweet. Simple. And to that the point. That's how all cocktails should be!! Enjoy y'all :)

Garnish with Candied Ginger & Fresh Lime!!

For the Ginger Simple Syrup:
1C Sugar

1C Water

10inches of Fresh Ginger, Cut into 1inch Pieces

For the Dark + Stormy’s:

3oz Black Spiced Rum, Chilled

1oz Ginger Simple Syrup, Chilled

1 Lime, Juiced & Zested

“Extra Ginger” Ginger Beer, Cold (to fill the glass)

Cane Sugar, For Rimming (with a leftover lime peel)

Candied Ginger Cubes, For Garnishing

Directions:

1. For the Ginger Simple Syrup: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add ginger; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, and let steep 30 minutes. Pour syrup through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard ginger. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

2. For the Dark + Stormy’s: Get a chilled glass and rub the rim with a spent lime peel and dip to the cane sugar. Put in some crushed ice, and then zest and juice the lime on top of the ice. Next, pour in the black-spiced rum and ginger simple syrup. Slowly pour the ginger beer until it has filled the entire glass. Gently stir and garnish with candied ginger cubes and lime wheels.

Crème Brulee Bread Pudding

Crème Brulee Bread Pudding

I can't honestly think of another dessert that "screams" fancy to me other than Crème Brulee. Every time we go to a nice restaurant, I always want it to finish of the night. Maybe it's because I've never made it before or I'm too lazy to do it... mainly it's because I never had a kitchen torch. But now that I do, I have turned into a total pyro, and I just want to light everything on fire. Especially sugar. So, when we were deciding on what to have for dessert, my Mountain Man immediately said Crème Brulee, and I agreed quickly. How could I put a comfort food twist on it? BREAD PUDDING. What's more comforting than that? I cubed up some bread and soaked it in a vanilla bean custard. After it is baked, top it with some sugar and put the torch to it until you get that crispy, crackly topping that will all know and love. And you gotta serve it with a sauce, so we made a homemade creme anglaise and a salted caramel for garnishing. If you have leftovers like us, you can always turn it into french toast for the breakfast the next day!! Enjoy :)

Two Classics in One...

For the Bread Pudding:

1lb Bread, Cut into 1inch pieces (I used ½lb croissants & ½lb French baguette)

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

1t Salt

6 Large Eggs

2C Heavy Cream

1C Whole Milk

½C Sugar (plus extra for crème brulee topping)

½C Raw Bourbon Vanilla Sugar

1t Vanilla Extract

1T Vanilla Bean Infused Rum

1 Pinch of Cinnamon

For the Crème Anglaise:

2C Whole Milk

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

½C Sugar

4 Large Egg Yolks, Room Temperature

Directions:

1. The Night Before: Cut your choice of bread into 1inch pieces and spread it onto a baking sheet and let the bread become stale overnight.   

2. The Next Day: Spray a 13x9-baking dish with Pam and place the stale bread pieces into it. 
3. For the Crème Anglaise: Set a large fine strainer over a medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan of cold water. In a large saucepan, combine the half-and-half and vanilla bean and cook over moderately low heat just until small bubbles appear around the rim, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks just until combined. Whisk in half of the hot half-and-half in a thin stream. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately strain the sauce into the bowl in the cold water bath to stop the cooking. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the sauce. Serve right away or refrigerate until chilled.
4. For the Custard: Beat together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and vanilla beans until smooth and incorporated. Slowly pour the custard over the stale bread and press lightly to submerge them in the custard. Let the bread soak for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
6. Bake your bread pudding for 30 minutes or until the bread pudding has raised some and set in the middle. Let the bread pudding cool to room temperature (or chill it if you like) before caramelizing the top.
7. Sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the top of the cooked bread pudding. Using a kitchen torch, slowly and evenly pass the flame over the sugar until it’s liquefied and has turned a caramel color. Serve immediately with homemade crème Anglaise or salted caramel sauce.