booze

Blood Orange Gose Margarita

May 4, 2017 by rachelle 19 Comments

Blood Orange Gose Margarita is a colorful and festive cocktail using both beer and tequila for a refreshing beverage perfect to celebrate Cinco de Mayo

It’s Margarita Week!

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a collection of all things margarita! Kate at Hola Jalapeno has rounded up 7 days worth of margarita cocktail recipes and margarita inspired food recipes from food bloggers and influencers from all around the interwebs to bring you everything you could possibly need all in one place. Be sure to swing over to Kate’s Margarita Week page and keep checking back because the list gets updated daily. You won’t want to miss any of these delicious recipes.

My contribution is a Blood Orange Gose Margarita. I was inspired by a Blood Orange Gose beer from Anderson Valley Brewing Company. This beer is tart, fruity, and refreshing and in my opinion a perfect addition to this margarita (and magically delicious on its own).

Happy Margarita Week and have a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo celebration! Cheers!

Blood Orange Gose Margarita

Ingredients

Juice of 1 blood orange about 6 tablespoons
8 ounces silver tequila
4 ounces triple sec
1 can blood orange gose beer
Margarita salt for the rim
Lime and blood orange slices to garnish optional

Instructions

Combine blood orange juice, tequila, and triple sec in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake
Pour some beer in a bowl and margarita salt in another bowl
Dip the rims of two tall pint size glasses into the beer then the salt to coat
Add ice to the glasses, pour tequila mixture over ice, top with remaining beer, garnish with orange and lime slices if using

NOTES:

This recipe made two Blood Orange Gose Margaritas
I didn’t use lime juice because this beer is a sour style gose and it’s a perfect balance to the sweetness of the juice and triple sec
I used Blood Orange Gose from Anderson Valley Brewing Company – I usually stick to North Carolina breweries, but I also happen to really love Anderson Valley and we can actually get it here

White Hot Chocolate with Bourbon Barrel Stout Marshmallows

December 16, 2016 by rachelle 15 Comments

White Hot Chocolate with Bourbon Barrel Stout Marshmallows is an adult version of a classic winter warmer made with white chocolate and beer marshmallows.

Who wants to faceplant into some White Hot Chocolate and Bourbon Barrel Stout Marshmallows?

As a former Assistant Public Defender, I’m always rooting for the underdog. The forgotten and left behind. I rooted for the Sweet Potato and the Sweet Potato Ale and now I advocate for the white chocolate in which to drown your bourbon barrel stout marshmallows.

The winter and holiday season has everyone making some hot chocolate or mocha coffee to warm up with while sitting by the fire in your cozy fuzzy slippers. I’m here to tell you to put that down right now and turn your attention to some White Hot Chocolate.

Starbucks has nothing on this.

White Hot Chocolate with Bourbon Barrel Stout Marshmallows

Ingredients

For the Marshmallows

1 cup cold beer divided
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup powdered sugar divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the White Hot Chocolate

2 cups whole milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
whipped cream optional

Instructions

For the Marshmallows

Combine 1/2 cup beer and gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside
Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup beer in a small sauce pan
Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves
Increase heat until liquid boils, either heat until temp reaches 240 or boil for two minutes, remove from heat
Lock mixer bowl with gelatin and water into the stand mixer, attach whisk, and turn on low
Slowly stream syrup mixture into gelatin with mixer continuing on low
Increase mixer speed to high and continue whipping until fluffy, about 15 minutes
Add vanilla, whisk another 30 seconds or so
Dust a casserole dish with 1/4 cup powdered sugar to coat, transfer marshmallow mix to dish, leave uncovered overnight - either in refrigerator or on counter
Combine remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with the cornstarch and sprinkle it all over a large cutting board
Turn marshmallow square onto the prepared cutting board and cut into desired shapes, turning each piece to coat in the powdered sugar once cut

For the White Hot Chocolate

Combine milk, vanilla, and white chocolate chips in a small sauce pan and heat on low until chocolate is melted, stir to combine and make smooth
Pour hot chocolate into cups, top with marshmallow and whipped cream, if using

NOTES:

As always, the recipes using beer are intended for adults only. Please do not give alcohol to minors. This recipe in particular does not have all the alcohol cooked out of it, which is a nice showcase of the flavor of this beer, but not appropriate for everyone.
The marshmallows are sticky, but once you coat all sides with powdered sugar they are easier to handle.
This recipe makes two 1 cup servings of White Hot Chocolate and the amount of marshmallows will vary depending how they are cut

S’mores Martini

July 20, 2016 by rachelle 11 Comments

Since we’ve already trashed this week by starting out with beer and donuts on Monday, let’s just keep going with some S’mores Martinis and just call it booze week. You dig?

I don’t know about y’all, and I know I always say this, but I sure am ready for the weekend! It’s been tough going over here with all this trying to eat healthy during the week ’cause I’ve been complaining that my pants don’t fit for approximately 9.467 months and haven’t done anything about it until now.

All I’ve been eating are salads and fish during the week and dreaming of the beautiful weekend of stuffing my face into donuts, boozy ice cream, and chocolate-y, sticky, gooey, marshmallow-y S’mores Martinis.

I gotta be honest here too. I don’t even really love marshmallows. It’s a texture thing. But I’m serious as a train wreck when I tell you that when that stuff gets all melted and toasty I don’t know what in tarnation comes over me, but that stuff is DELICIOUS! Combine it with some chocolate booze and I’m a goner. No self control. Zero.

If you’re not busting out of your pants and don’t have to wait until the weekend to have yourself some indulgent S’mores Martinis, I highly recommend you get your self to the booze store STAT then swing by your local Publix or Teeter for some fluff, marshmallows, and graham crackers or crumbs – I usually get those ’cause I’m totally lazy and usually in a hurry to get to the good stuff and not necessarily in the mood for graham smashing. Although it depends on the kind of day I’ve had. Or how fast I need that martini in hand and down the hatch. Sometimes a good graham smashing is good for the mental health.

Sigh…. Is it Friday yet?

S’mores Martini

Ingredients

1 marshmallow
1-2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1-2 tablespoons marshmallow cream
3 ounces Creme de Cocoa
3 ounces Bailey's Irish Creme
1.5 ounces vodka
1.5 ounces heavy cream

Instructions

Transfer marshmallow cream to a bowl and microwave 15-20 seconds, stir
Coat edge of martini glass with melted marshmallow cream
Coat the marshmallow cream edge of the glass with graham crumbs, set aside
Add marshmallow to a parchment paper lined baking sheet
Toast marshmallow under broiler 1-2 minutes, rotate and toast another 30 seconds to 1 minute, rotate again and toast another 30 seconds to 1 minute, remove from oven and let cool while mixing the martini
Add 5-6 ice cubes to a martini shaker
Combine Creme de Cocoa, Bailey's, vodka, and heavy cream to shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds or so
Pour into prepared martini glass
Garnish with toasted marshmallow

This recipe makes 1 martini with a small sidecar

Boozy Root Beer Float Popsicles

June 24, 2016 by rachelle 11 Comments

It’s Popsicle Week happy hour!

You didn’t think I would end Popsicle Week without giving you a boozy popsicle, did you? I realize that it may be early in the morning when this post hits the interwebs, but it is Friday and the last day of Popsicle Week. Billy at Wit & Vinegar has hosted this party and you should seriously check out his website because this post almost made me blow beer out my nose.

Speaking of beer, we used some boozy hard root beer in these popsicles. You could substitute some regular root beer, but I don’t know whyyyyyy in tarnation you would want to do that.

I know these boozy root beer popsicles aren’t quite as colorful as these or these, but I’m here to tell you that they’re just as delicious and totally festive for the popsicle party.

And they even get all kind of foamy on top (or bottom?) just they way a root beer float (boozy or otherwise) does!

I couldn’t think of a better way to say good-bye and see you next year Popsicle Week! Cheers, y’all! Have a fantastic weekend!

Oh hey! Wait! Wait! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! You could win a $100 Amazon gift card or a really cool baking collection!

Boozy Root Beer Float Popsicles

Ingredients

2-3 cups your favorite vanilla ice cream softened
1 12 ounce bottle of your favorite hard root beer

Instructions

Scoop ice cream into molds about 1/2 - 3/4 full
Slowly pour root beer in over the ice cream, careful not to overflow
Let root beer settle for the foam to go down and slowly add more
Repeat until full - I had a little bit of root beer leftover, which I promptly drank
Cover and insert sticks
Freeze overnight

Strawberry Key Lime Margarita Greek Yogurt Ice Pops + 50 Summer Cookout Recipes

May 25, 2016 by rachelle 21 Comments

Strawberry Key Lime Margarita Greek Yogurt Ice Pops + 50 Summer Cookout Recipes

Hi, y’all! I’ve missed you! My personal and professional lives got totally busy and complicated and I had to take some much needed time to make some decisions. While I love this here website and all you fine and wonderful friends, I’ve been thinking for some time about cutting back on my twice weekly posting. Seriously, I don’t know how some of you with full time jobs manage to keep up with posting multiple times a week. My hat is off to all of y’all.

So, I’m coming at you on a Wednesday with some boozy popsicles to announce that I’m going to be posting only one time a week at least for the duration of the summer. I may also boycott all social media, but that’s a radical decision that has yet to be made.

While I’ve said that I’ve been contemplating this decision for a while, it was this post from my friend, Annie that was really the turning point and helped me realize that I need to stop and smell the roses or take a moment to enjoy a sangria on the patio with my husband. Or pet a puppy. Or enjoy a boozy popsicle just because I happen to have an abundance of tequila and strawberries.

So let’s get this summer season kicked off right now with some Strawberry Key Lime Margarita Ice Pops! We combined some strawberries, key limes, Greek yogurt, and of course, tequila and poured it all into an ice pop mold for a tangy, boozy, tasty, treat to beat the summer heat. Not that we’ve had much of that around the Carolinas lately, but it’s on the way. Trust me.

Not only are we having some delicious boozy frozen treats on this fine Wednesday morning, I’ve got a bonus for you! The Memorial Day holiday is upon us and that means the unofficial start of summer is next week, so it’s officially barbecue season ’round these parts! In celebration, I’ve teamed up with several fellow bloggers to bring you 50+ recipe ideas for a smashing summer shindig. See all the recipes for our Great Blogger BBQ below!

Appetizers

Korean BBQ Tofu Sliders with Kimchi Slaw by Hello Little Home
Corn, Black Bean, and Feta Dip by Lizzy is Dizzy
Crab, Bacon & Guacamole Crostinis by That Square Plate

Cocktails and Drinks

Blackberry Gin Slush by The Speckled Palate
Homemade Lemonade by Winstead Wandering
Blood Orange Mocktail by Body Rebooted
Fleur Collins Cocktail by Hungry Girl por Vida
Fourth of July Sparkler by Mixplorology
Black Stripe Cold Rum Cocktail by Honey and Birch
Fresh Watermelon Mojito by Twin Stripe
Mint Hibiscus Lemonade by The Little Epicurean
Wine Slushy by Living Well Kitchen
Basil Gin Lemonade by Glisten and Grace

Strawberry Key Lime Margarita Greek Yogurt Ice Pops

Ingredients

1/2 pint fresh strawberries hulled and
2 key limes juice and zest, plus one sliced thin to add to ice pop mold, optional
1/4 cup tequila
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar according to taste and how sweet your strawberries are

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until combined
Pour into ice pop molds according to manufacturer's instructions (mine made 10)
I added a slice of key lime to each ice pop mold, but this is totally optional
Freeze overnight
Transfer frozen ice pops in mold to a bowl of 1 inch hot water for a few seconds to loosen up the pops for easy removal

Update: I updated the recipe to include sugar which was accidentally omitted.

Mother’s Day Recipe Roundup

May 5, 2016 by rachelle 15 Comments

Mother’s Day Recipe Roundup

It’s Mother’s Day this weekend. I don’t know about y’all, but it kind of surprised me. If you’re in the same boat as me, I’ve got your back with anything and everything that can please Mom this weekend! Let’s do this!

First and Most Important – COCKTAILS!

Preserved Lemon Martini with Spicy Olives – Tasty Ever After (recipe and photo credit)

Strawberry Lime Frozen Margaritas – Beer Girl Cooks

White Chocolate Covered Strawberry Boozy Milkshake – No Spoon Necessary (recipe and photo credit)

Butterscotch Martini with Bailey’s Irish Whipped Cream – Beer Girl Cooks

Jalapeno Margarita – Spiced Blog (recipe and photo credit)

Patio Passion Martini – Beer Girl Cooks

Creme Brulee Stout Ice Cream Float – Beer Girl Cooks

Now that we’ve had sufficient amount of booze to get us started, it’s time for breakfast and brunch recipes!

BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH RECIPES

Candied Ginger and Rhubarb Crumb Coffee Cake – No Spoon Necessary (recipe and photo credit)

Strawberry Banana Muffins – Pumpkin ‘n Spice

Banana Nutella Stuffed Cardamom Maple Toast – My Garlic Ginger Kitchen

Eggs Benedict Crostini with Roasted Asparagus, Bacon, and Easy Hollandaise – Beer Girl Cooks

Goat Cheese Brie Souffle – Tasty Ever After (recipe and photo credit)

Spinach and Tomato Breakfast Flatbread – Hungry Healthy Happy (recipe and photo credit)

Breakfast Casserole – Beer Girl Cooks

Strawberry Chia Jam Recipe – Show Me The Yummy (recipe and photo credit)

DOUGHNUTS V. DONUTS

Let’s be real. No matter how you spell the word, the masterpiece deserves its own category.

Key Lime Pie Donuts – The Beach House Kitchen (recipe and photo credit)

Baked Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts – Veganosity (recipe and photo credit)

Brown Sugar and Pecan Baked Cake Donuts with Bourbon Maple Glaze – No Spoon Necessary (recipe and photo credit)

Baked Lemon Doughnuts – Spiced Blog (recipe and photo credit)

Cara Cara Orange and White Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnuts – Beer Girl Cooks

How about some lunch ideas?

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Apricots, and Pistachios – Tasty Ever After (recipe and photo credit)

Mediterranean Cucumber Salad – The Beach House Kitchen

Southwestern Orzo Salad – Family Food On The Table

Cesar Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Quail Eggs – Cooking LSL

Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad – Beyond The Chicken Coop

Baja Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas – No Spoon Necessary (recipe and photo credit)

Southside Weiss with Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette – Beer Girl Cooks

Salmon Burger with a Creamy Lime and Basil Sauce – Hungry Healthy Happy (recipe and photo credit)

Lamb Burger with Tzatziki Sauce – Beer Girl Cooks

Going fancy pants and need some dinner ideas?

DINNER RECIPES

Garganelli alla Vodka – Ciao Chow Bambaina (recipe and photo credit)

Tender Beef Kebobs with Tangy Barbaque Sauce – Cooking LSL

Thai Yellow Curry Turkey Meatballs – Fashionable Foods

Grilled Coconut Lime Shrimp – Spiced Blog (recipe and photo credit)

Belgian Tripel Beer Marinated Stuffed Pork Loin with Plum Sauce – Beer Girl Cooks

And finally. We started with booze and we’ll finish with some awesome desserts.

DESSERTS RECIPES!

Spumoni Cake – Beer Girl Cooks

Vegan Lime Tarts with Meringue – Veganosity (recipe and photo credit)

Banana Sheet Cake – Cook With Manali

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse – Baked By An Introvert

Blackberry Ginger Cupcakes – Just About Baked

Mixed Berry Pavlova with Blueberry Sauce – Beer Girl Cooks

Vegan No-Bake Biscoff Tartletts – Whisk and Shout (recipe and photo credit)

I wish all of you a Happy Mother’s Day. Whether you have little people, if you’re empty nesters, have grands, a bun in the oven, have a mom, or your a mom to a fur baby, I truly wish you a wonderful day of food, family, and of course, booze. Cheers!

Strawberry Lime Frozen Margarita

May 2, 2016 by rachelle 24 Comments

Strawberry Lime Frozen Margarita

I think Mondays deserve booze.

I find it hard to believe that I’m alone with this opinion. Who’s with me? Strawberry Lime Frozen Margaritas for breakfast, anyone? No judgments here.

It’s the week of Cinco de Mayo and while I’ve shared Mexican Street Corn and Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa, life just isn’t complete until we’ve had a few cocktails. I’m up to my eyeballs over here in strawberries, so I decided that when life gives you strawberries, Strawberry Lime Frozen Margaritas are the way to go.

And I’m totally not joking about the amount of strawberries I have. I planted one tiny little strawberry plant last year in my garden and now it’s taken over one of my raised beds. I have so many that I even stopped fighting the birds for them! Needless to say, I have a lot of strawberry posts in the pipeline. I hope y’all like strawberries!

I’m keeping things short today. Because….tequila and Game of Thrones. ‘Nuff said.

Have a great week, y’all!

Strawberry Lime Frozen Margarita

Ingredients

1 cup fresh strawberries hulled and quartered
6 ounces tequila
2 ounces triple sec
3 small limes juiced plus one lime sliced for garnish
4 ounces simple syrup
3 cups ice
sugar for coating glass rim
margarita salt for coating glass rim

Instructions

Combine strawberries, tequila, triple sec, juice of 3 small limes, simple syrup, and ice in a blender and puree until combined and slushy
Coat rims of glasses with sliced lime
Combine sugar and margarita salt on a small plate
Dip rims of glasses in sugar and margarita salt combination
Fill glasses with frozen strawberry lime margarita and garnish with lime slices

This recipe made 4 margaritas

booze

Blood Orange Gose Margarita

Ingredients

Instructions

White Hot Chocolate with Bourbon Barrel Stout Marshmallows

Ingredients

For the Marshmallows

For the White Hot Chocolate

Instructions

For the Marshmallows

For the White Hot Chocolate

S’mores Martini

Ingredients

Instructions

Boozy Root Beer Float Popsicles

Ingredients

Instructions

Appetizers

Cocktails and Drinks

Entrées

Side Dishes

Desserts

Strawberry Key Lime Margarita Greek Yogurt Ice Pops

Ingredients

Instructions

Strawberry Lime Frozen Margarita

Ingredients

Instructions

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