Mulled Moscow Mules

Mulled Moscow Mules

If I could pick a drink of the autumn-winter season, it would be this Mulled Moscow Mule. It's fabulous. And even though it is a cold drink... that is supposed to be enjoyed during the cold days of the year, it doesn't matter because when swallowed, you immediately feel like you are being hugged by a good looking man in a big 'ole sweater. Now who doesn't want that? Well, I guess some guys wouldn't. But that's a topic to be covered on another blog. Anyway the nitty-gritty deets of this cocktail are pretty simple-- homemade mulled simple syrup, vodka, fresh lime, strong ginger beer, and cinnamon sticks for serving. Ain't nothin' wrong with dat. I am in LOVE with this simple syrup. It is so versatile for the season/holidays. We put it in just about everything... mulled spiked apple ciders, mulled wine, etc. All absolutely delicious. You really can't go wrong. Some of the flavors that are prominently featured are cinnamon, orange, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, mulling spices, star anise, and peppercorns. They all work cohesively together to create a perfect balance between these headstrong spices. The syrup is quite strong + extremely fragrant, but don't worry, the flavor mellows out miraculously with the addition of Vodka. PS-- I hate vodka. So, that says a lot about this recipe when I'm going back for seconds, thirds, and fourths. ALSO, make sure that you buy a high-quality ginger beer, no ginger ale please! It really brings the flavor to a'whole'nother level. We used Reed's Extra Ginger Beer, it was just what the doctor prescribed. Lastly, it is crucial that you serve your drink with a cinnamon stick, because, well, it adds flavor and festivity to it. So do that, fo'sho. Y'all, it's pretty important that you have a copper mug because when the drink is super cold, the mug begins to frost and makes the whole experience much more enjoyable-- take my word for it. Anyway, try these out before it starts to warm up because you'll be missing them throughout the whole summer season!! Enjoy :)

Tito's Vodka, Extra Ginger Brew, Mulled Simple Syrup, Copper Mug

Homemade Mulled Simple Syrup

Ready to enjoy!

excited about the drink

okay, maybe super excited.

For the Mulled Simple Syrup:

2C Sugar

2C Water

3 Knobs of Fresh, Peeled Ginger

½C Candied Ginger

2 Cinnamon Sticks

2 Oranges, Peeled for their Zest

¼C + 2T Mulling Spices

2 Star Anise Pods

10 Peppercorns

½t Cinnamon, Freshly Grated Nutmeg, & Cardamom

Pinch of Salt

For the Mulled Moscow Mules (for one drink):

Crushed Ice Cubes

1 Lime, Zested & Juiced

¼C Vodka

3 Shots of Mulled Simple Syrup

½C Chilled Ginger Beer

Cinnamon Stick, For Stirring

Candied Ginger, For Garnishing

Lime Wedge, For Garnishing  

Directions:

1. For the Mulled Simple Syrup: Add all ingredients to small saucepan and bring to gentle simmer. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sufficiently steeped and it has reached a syrupy thickness. Turn off heat and let cool to room temp with spices. Decant into glass bottle (or plastic squeeze bottle as I do) straining out the spices with a cheesecloth or small strainer. It is ready to use or keep in fridge.

2. For the Mulled Moscow Mules: Zest and juice a lime into in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, add in some crushed ice. Next, pour in the mulled simple syrup and vodka (we used our large jigger at home to make our drinks, so we followed a ratio of 3 shots of mulled simple syrup to 2 shots of vodka with ginger beer up to the rim… not exactly specific ounces, so keep that in mind). Fill a tall cup or glass with a little bit of crushed ice. Pour the strained liquid over the ice and fill the glass up to the rim with strong ginger beer for finishing. Stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. 

3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick for stirring and candied ginger and/or a lime wedge for presentation and more flavor!

Five Spice Moscow Mules that we enjoyed in Savannah-- our inspiration for this recipe!

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 :) 

Homemade Funfetti Cake Batter Marshmallows

Homemade Funfetti Cake Batter Marshmallows

Y'all, Summer is leaving us... Let's all take a collective sigh of sadness. But there's good news still because I have a recipe for homemade funfetti cake batter marshmallows. I mean, that screams Summer, don't it? These literally taste like a slice of cake, it'll blow your mind. So what do you do with these... well you make cake batter s'mores (YES SUMMER) and really-super-awesome toasted marshmallow cake batter milkshakes (to be posted next, yipee). I'm sure they would make pretty bomb-ass rice krispies treats, #amirite. Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. How do these taste like cake batter WITHOUT any cake mix? Epic (mind-blowing happening again). Well it starts with a special concoction of clear vanilla extract, butter extract, and almond extract... and one special SECRET ingredient. Iced Cake Vodka, y'all. Liquor in homemade marshmallows is amazing. Bourbon rocks, so does beer, but this takes the cake (quite literally). You have to have this vodka to make them what they are, so find it and keep it close to ya heart. Next on tha list, you gotta load it up with sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles. I made sure to say a HEAPING cup because I like a little extra on the side, and by a little I mean a lot. Get that straight. After the marshmallows are made, I tossed them in a mixture of sifted confectioners' sugar & white cake mix to dust 'em off. Then just devour. Immediately. Before Summer is over. GO HURRY. NOW!! Enjoy y'all :)

whipping 'em up + sprinkles are ready

Oh, they are gonna be so good!!

For the Marshmallows:

3 ½ Envelopes of Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Water

2C Sugar

¼t Salt

½C Iced Cake Vodka  

½C Light Corn Syrup

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

2 Large Egg Whites

1T Clear Vanilla Extract

1t Butter Extract & 1t Almond Extract

1C Rainbow Sprinkles (heaping)

For the Dusting:

1C Confectioners’ Sugar

½C White Cake Mix

Directions:

1. For the Marshmallows: Oil bottom and sides of a 13x9 rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar. In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½C cold water, and let stand to soften. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, ½C of cold iced cake vodka, vanilla bean seeds, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes.

2. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until fluffy, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and clear vanilla extract, butter extract, and almond extract into sugar mixture until just combined. Add in the rainbow sprinkles until mixed evenly throughout. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round).

3. For Dusting: Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cake mix evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours.

4. Finishing the Marshmallows: Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining cake mix-confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Bloody-Good Bloody Mary's with Roasted Heirloom Tomato Puree, Horseradish Infused Vodka, & Hot Sauce Ice Cubes

Wow, we are absolutely pooped. But, we had an amazing time celebratin' the new year downtown!! Hands down, best NYE party ever :) Even though we stayed up late, we had been planning our New Years' Day brunch for like two weeks. No lie. And what do I think of that has to be a part of our feast... Bloody Mary's of course! I know this is not the main dish, but it wouldn't be the start of 2012 without some these bad boys (or girls I guess). Well, I'm no Bloody Mary expert, but I knew I wanted to do everything from scratch (but of course). First, I infused some vodka with fresh horseradish. I did this for about 1 week, so that the vodka would have great horseradish flavor, which is a key component in any great Bloody Mary. Next, I knew that I didn't want to use any ole' tomato juice or mix from the store. No no no, that's not good. So, I bought some ripe heirloom tomatoes and roasted them in the oven along with some shallots, rosemary, and a whole head of garlic. This is the key to this drink people. Roasting the vegetables gives the drink an amazing body & base to add on to. After roasting, I pureed the mixture with some fresh tomato water and all the traditional fixins' like lemon, hot sauce, worcestershire, & a few other knick knacks. Another component that is also a must-have are the hot sauce ice cubes. I honestly can't think of anything more unappetizing than a watered down Bloody Mary. So these flavored ice cubes solve that problem because when they melt, they just add more heat & flavor to the drink (yum). To assemble the drink, we put a dash of worcestershire at the bottom and filled our glasses with the hot sauce ice cubes, and then poured that gorgeous tomato puree over them 'cubes. Top the Bloody Mary's with some cold beer, all sorts of pickled vegetables, and lime wedges (for squeezin'). We have now dubbed these babies as our "Bloody-Good Bloody Mary's" because, well... they are bloody good. Aight?! I know, so cheesy. Anyway, make these for your next party or brunch next weekend because these are damn good... bloody damn good!! Enjoy :)

Bloody-Good Bloody Mary's with Roasted Heirloom Tomato Puree, Horseradish Infused Vodka, & Hot Sauce Ice Cubes 

Heirloom Tomatoes, Shallots, Garlic, & Rosemary Ready to be Roasted (which means extra-yummy flavor)

For the Horseradish Infused Vodka:

1 750mL Bottle of Vodka

1 3inch Piece of Fresh Horseradish, Peeled & Cut into 6 Slices

For the Roasted Heirloom Tomato Puree:

2lbs Fresh Heirloom Tomatoes,

4 Shallots, Peeled and Quartered

1 Head of Garlic, Peeled into Cloves

Olive Oil

Fresh Herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, or rosemary)

Salt & Pepper

For the Tomato Water:

1lb Sweet Tomatoes, Chopped

For the Hot Sauce-Tomato Ice Cubes:

½C of Your Favorite Hot Sauce

1C Tomato Juice (or bloody mary mix)

For the Bloody Mary Mix:

3C Roasted Heirloom Tomato Puree, Cold

1C Tomato Water

¼C Hot Sauce

3T Fresh Lemon Juice

1T Worcestershire Sauce

1t Sriracha

1T Pickled Jalapenos, Minced

1t Fresh Ginger, Minced

1t Prepared Horseradish

1t Honey

1C Horseradish Infused Vodka, Chilled

¼C Tequila

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Bloody Good-Bloody Mary’s:

Hot Sauce Ice Cubes

Prepared Bloody Mary Mix, Chilled

Pickled Green Beans, Okra, Asparagus, Carrots & Jalapenos

Cocktail Onions

Lime Wedges

Cold Beer (for topping the drink)

Celery Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Horseradish Infused Vodka:  Add the horseradish slices into the vodka. Seal the bottle or container, and let it steep for at least 1 week or up to one month (for a stronger flavor). Once you have reached your preferred strength of flavor, strain the vodka into another clean bottle, discarding the bottle that you had infused it in. Chill the vodka in the freezer until ready to use.

2. For the Roasted Heirloom Tomato Puree: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut the heirloom tomatoes into quarters. Spread the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic cloves onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and toss with the fresh herbs. Roast for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes & shallots are brown and caramelized. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Dump all of the remaining ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.

3. For the Sweet Tomato Water: Roughly chop your sweet tomatoes and place them in a sieve that is set over a bowl, and let it drain for two hours, or until the tomatoes stop dripping. Discard the chopped sweet tomatoes or toss them into your drink for extra texture.

4. For the Hot Sauce Ice Cubes: In a mixing bowl, mix together the hot sauce and tomato juice (or bloody mary mix) until smooth and combined. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze.

5. To Make the Bloody Mary Mix: In a large pitcher, combine the roasted tomato puree, sweet tomato water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Sriracha, fresh ginger, horseradish infused vodka, and tequila. Stir until smooth and combined. Taste the liquid and season with salt & pepper. Chill the Bloody Mary mix until very cold.

6. To Make a Bloody Good-Bloody Mary: Fill tall cocktail glasses with some of the Hot Sauce-Tomato Juice Ice Cubes. Pour in the Bloody Mary Mix about ¾ of the way up the glass, and then top with cold beer to the rim. Garnish with pickled vegetables, cocktail onions, and lime wedges. Sprinkle some celery salt & pepper on top and enjoy. Serve cold. 

Here are also some pictures from our NYE celebration last night...

Blueberry-Infused Vodka Lemonade's

Summer is sadly coming to an end. I'm both excited & sad because Fall is my favorite time of the year, but I just love summer fruit and vegetables. This drink is the essence of Summer, fresh blueberries with homemade squeezed lemonade, all served with a large amount of vodka. It's just so perfect to drink on a hot summer day. Later this week, I'll be posting my recipes for Cowgirl Caviar, Death by Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies (with peanut butter frosting), Hoisin-Glazed Hawaiian Moink Balls, Mini Spinach Artichoke Dip Bread Bowls, and Sweet & Salty Tea Hole Brownies. Enjoy :)

Blueberry-Infused Vodka Lemonade's

For the Lemonade:

750mL of Lemon Vodka

1C Fresh Blueberries

1C Frozen Blueberries

2t Sugar

Homemade Lemonade

Lemon Slices, For Garnish

4 Mason Jars

Directions:

1. Put ¼C each of the fresh blueberries in the bottom of the four mason jars. Pour the lemon vodka over the berries, filling the jars up halfway (try to do this evenly in each jar). Using a fork, mash up the berries in the bottom. Put on the lid and store it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours (better for 24 hours), allowing for the vodka to be infused. Once it has infused for 12 hours, strain the vodka (saving the soaked berries for garnish).

2. In a small bowl, thaw out the frozen berries and mix with the sugar. In a fresh mason jar, pour the sugared berries into the bottom and add a bunch of ice on top. Pour in one part of the blueberry vodka and two parts lemonade. Stir it well.

3. Add in some of the vodka-soaked berries and a slice of lemon for garnish.

4. Enjoy it outside on a porch in the hot summer heat!

source:Blueberry Infused Vodka Lemonade.

Fourth of July Jello Shot Stars

Fourth of July Jello Shot Stars

My friends and I make jello shots a lot. Like usually any special occasion or holiday, there is some kind of jello shot. Like for my 21st birthday, I made margarita and sex on the beach jello shots. I mean the possibilities are endless. So for the 4th of July, I decided that I had to make some, even though we already have mojito popsicles. I ended up doing layered red, white, & blue shots, and then I cut them with a cookie cutter into stars, ya know... to be festive. The little pieces I had left over, I just put into small shot glasses because there's alcohol in there, and if my parents have ever taught me anything, you do NOT waste alcohol (just kidding... but really). You obviously don't have to include alcohol in this, you could simply just make layered jello jigglers for the kids. They were delicious, but that is a given. Enjoy :)

Jello Shots for Breakfast at 10:00AM

My Drinking Buddy :)

Fourth of July Jello Shot Stars

Look at those Red, White, & Blue Layers

For the Each Pack of Jello:

1 3oz Box of Jello (1 Red & 1 Blue)

1C Boiling Water

¼C + 2T Cold Water

1C Vodka  

For the Middle White Layer:

2 Envelopes of Knox Unflavored Gelatin

½C Cold Water

1 ½C Boiling Water

1 14oz Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:

1. For the Red Layer: Mix the strawberry jello mix with the boiling water until the powder is fully dissolved, and then add the cold water and alcohol. Pour the cooling mixture into a large pan into a thin layer. Put these in the refrigerator and let them jell up (before layering on the white layer about 2-3 hours).

2. For the White Layer: Sprinkle the packets of unflavored gelatin into a bowl, and then pour over the cold water and let it bloom before you whisk in the boiling water. Once all the water is mixed in, slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Skim off any bubbles then pour this mixture (once it has slightly cooled) over the red layer. Put this in the refrigerator and let them jell up (before layering on the blue raspberry layer, about an hour).

3. For the Blue Layer: Mix the blue raspberry jello mix with the boiling water until the powder is fully dissolved, and then add the cold water and alcohol. Pour the cooling mixture into shot glasses (just a small portion because you will layer with the other 2 colors). Put these in the refrigerator and let them jell up before eating, about 3 hours.

source: stained glass jello.