Vodka Gummy Bears

So we are on bonus posts now, we promised 12 and we delivered...we'll see what else we can come up with. Today's recipe is for Vodka Gummy Bears. If you start them today, they will probably be ready for New Year's Eve. but we don't promise. Every recipe we have seen says one week. Maybe vodka soaks in faster in Washington because it has never taken a week for us.

 Vodka Gummy Bears

Gummy Bears (not Haribo, while they are delicious, they do not absorb the vokda)
Vodka--just enough to cover the gummy bears, not enough to make a gummy bear swimming pool

We leave ours in the refrigerator. We have seen recipes that say they are fine on the counter, but we feel safer with them in the fridge. They will begin absorbing the vodka right away, and within a week, all the vodka will be in the gummy bear.

In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. As you can see below, the gummy bears absorb a fair amount of vodka.

 

 

 

 

 

Until next time, happy days!



Apple Pie Moonshine

The 12th Post: Moonshine

Have you seen the show Moonshiners?  I will have to admit it is one of my favorites. I'd really like to make moonshine...but I'm not big on breaking the law, so I don't see it happening any time soon. Really, I think I'd like to hang out with some of the guys from Moonshiners for a day (though admittedly, without the benefit of subtitles, I am not sure how much I would get out of our time together.

My father-in-law introduced me to a delicious treasure that will have to suffice until I have my own still. Apple Pie Moonshine. Lucky for me, my mother lives in Oregon where 90% Everclear is legal to buy, and that is what the recipe calls for. Does make it even more appealing to visit her. However, I experimented tonight with 75.5% Everclear, and I just used a bit more and it seemed to work just fine.

The stuff is pretty delicious, and it doesn't taste very strong, so be careful!

Apple Pie Moonshine

1 Gallon of Apple Juice
1 Gallon of Apple Cider
1 1/2 cups of White Sugar
2 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
8 cinnamon sticks
1 liter of 190 Proof Grain Alcohol, Everclear or equivalent.

To get started, you need a large boiling pot. Add into this pot the apple juice, apple cider, the white and brown sugar, and the whole fresh cinnamon sticks. Bring these contents to a boil, then remove the pot from the stove and let it cool down to room temperature. Once at room temperature, gradually stir in the 190 proof grain alcohol. What you don’t consume in one sitting, you can bottle for later use. Store it in sterile Mason jars, place one cinnamon stick in each jar, and then store them in a cool dark dry place. After a couple of weeks your Apple Pie Moonshine will taste even better. This batch will make about 4 1/2 quarts. (Recipe borrowed from http://goodoleways.com/daves-apple-pie-moonshine-recipe/dogs-secret-recipe-file/)

As you can see from the photos I doubled the above recipe. I also use double tall cinnamon sticks, because I think they look better in the jars. It makes a great gift, and stays good for a long time. Hope you enjoy it.  

 

 

The Dumb Ass

We dedicate this week to asses. Of any kind.

The original ass came about during a family Easter celebration. The girls were all talking, and one of my relatives was sad because her brother-in-law had cheated on her sister. It really was a sad story, and I felt sorry for her, and her sister. I also didn't want her to be sad...so I said, "I'll make up a drink in the dumb ass's honor." I hope it helped everyone feel better. I had the drink in my mind for some time, but I guess I needed the inspiration to finalize it. We drank quite a few that day, so I can assure you they are delicious

You might ask why I am not calling the bastard by name...certainly isn't to protect him...I would love to humiliate him--which of course would not even be nearly to enough to make him pay for what he did to her. Truth is, he has an adorable and wonderful family, so the anonymity is only to protect them.

Let's be honest, we all have some relative that is an ass. Maybe we are lucky enough that we don't have to deal with them very often. If we are really lucky, maybe they grow up and stop being an ass. But thanks to the Dumb Ass (that is what I call him now...refuse to actually call him by name) we have a very delicious drink:

Dumb Ass
1/2 Cup Sparkling Lemonade
1/2 Cup Lemonade
1 ounce Vanilla Vodka
1 ounce Lemoncello
Splash of Whipping Cream or Vanilla Coffee Creamer (optional but delicious)

Pour over ice, stir, and enjoy.

As the holidays draw closer, I hope you spend a lot of time with the family and friends you love, and I hope the asses in your life are kept to a minimum.

Candy Cane Cocktail

Cocktails and Crafts

I love muti-tasking. So when my friends Darcie and Shai came up with the concept of Cocktails and Crafts I felt like it was a match made in heaven. I mean, I do love crafting, but it is so much more fun with friends, add a drink and it's just about perfect.

It's simple, Darcie and Shai create a craft for the evening and prepare the kits to make everything. There is a cocktail and a lot of laughter fills the evening. Tonight we made wine gift tags and a cute reindeer frame (my reindeer was drunk from too much wine, hence the red nose and inability to stay centered on my frame). The cocktail was a candy cane cocktail, and it was delicious. Here is the recipe:

 

Candy Cane Cocktail

1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
2 ounces strawberry vodka
4 dashes white creme de menthe
2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
Ice cubes

Directions

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

I am surprised as anyone I am sharing a Martha Stewart recipe (original found at here) after what that woman did to me convincing me to make homemade marshmallows. My Kitchen Aid has never recovered, and I am also scarred, but the cocktail is delicious.

If you are ever in the Palouse area, you should come to Cocktails and Crafts with me. It is a very fun! You can check out more from Darcie here.

Happy Birthday!

Today’s post is in honor of Kelly’s birthday.  As mentioned before, we have been friends since the very young age of four.  She has been my BFF since long before the term was used.  Rarely are people lucky enough to have anyone that amazing in their life for that long.  Because of her greatness and the special occasion, we must have both a drink and a shot on today’s post. 

The first is an old drink which is as great as my old friend (because I have had her for a long time, not because of her age).  You’ve all had it before but I am pretty sure it is the first drink Kelly and I ever had together thanks to a freezer of orange juice and our parent’s liquor cabinet. 

 Fuzzy Navel

1 ½ oz Peach Schnapps

Orange Juice to taste

Mix and enjoy!

Now for the shot recipe.  I think Kelly and I had these at yet another visit to Silver Mountain.  We really love it there.  It is a great place to visit both to ski in the winter and also to bike in the summer.  The indoor water park rocks all year and the condos are a nice place to have a few drinks with your BFF at the end of the day. 

 Jell-O Shots

2 cups Whipped Vodka

3 packages Jell-O (cannot use sugarfree)
3 cups water

Boil 3 cups water then add Jell-O.  Mix Jell-O and water until Jell-O is completely dissolved. Add the two cups vodka and mix together.  Pour mixture into plastic shot glasses.  (We use a turkey baster to make it easier.)  Chill until firm.

 Happy Birthday to my BFF—you really are the best!  Cheers to you and everyone else enjoying a drink for your special day.