Booze Bites: Cupcake Pudding Shooters

I’m going to be blunt. You need this. So seriously, get to the store and buy yourself a bottle of Pinnacle Cake Vodka. Can life get better? Yes, I’m sure it can. But in terms of having a low-cal cupcake that can pull double duty as a cocktail — I don’t think so.

Plus, this is an easy-to-make, 20-minute dessert. Do yourself a favor and make a lot, because trust me, they go quickly. To shortcut the time even further, bypass making the chocolate shell and serve these in little shot glasses with wooden spoons and they will look just as fun and festive.

BTW — I’m kinda crazy for the whole line of Pinnacle vodkas, so don’t be surprised if you see a few more boozy bites using their stuff. No, I’m not a pitch person for them. I’m just fascinated by their flavor-infused vodkas — hello, butterscotch, cookie dough, cotton candy, marshmallow and whipped cream.

So after you make this Cupcake Pudding Shooter, come back and see what’s next.

Cupcake Pudding Shooters

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Spreadable Booze: Prosecco Preserves

Here at Endless Simmer headquarters, we’re considering whether or not to rename our blog 100,000 ways to turn booze into food. From popsicles and cakes to jell-o shots and chicken, there’s nothing better than edible alcohol, right?

Now we’ve even got the pros in on it. Chef John Eisenhart of Pazzo Ristorante in Portland, Oregon likes to take leftover wine and turn it into delicious, boozy jam, and he was kind enough to share his recipe for prosecco preserves with ES. Warning: this ain’t your average jelly recipe; it’s more for aspiring Top Chef-testants, so have your CO2 canister at the ready.

Prosecco Preserves

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Booze Bites: Royal Velvet Jello Shots

Ever been in a mood when you can’t decide whether what you need is a snack or a cocktail? We’ve got you covered. Our new series, Booze Bites, is for those times when what you need is something tasty…and drink-y. We’ll be bringing you boozy marshmallows, pudding shooters and  Jell-o shots.

To get things started we are featuring a Royal Velvet Jello Shot. Set against a raspberry backdrop, the whiskey comes through strong but is mellowed out by the sweetness of Chambord.

Now that you know what we will be consuming for our next happy hour, we want to know what you would like for yours. Order-up and leave us a comment letting us know if there is a drink you want to see turned into any one of our three boozy bites.

Royal Velvet Jello Shot

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Cocktail O’Clock: A Margarita for Winter

We’re always looking for new ways to use strawberries, and blending them up and mixing them with tequila is most definitely appropriate — even if it’s not summer. This new cocktail recipe, which is sort of like a strawberry margarita, only heated up for winter, comes courtesy of Sable Kitchen and Bar in Chicago.

Winter Whisper
1 oz Siete Leguas Tequila Reposado
1 oz Luxardo Amaro
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz dried strawberry syrup (recipe follows)
2 dashes strawberry-allspice bitters

Preheat Irish coffee glass or mug with hot water. Heat all ingredients over a double boiler, do not heat directly.  Dump out hot water from irish coffee glass, add ingredients, top with 3 oz very hot water.  Garnish with a tiny pinch of freshly ground allspice.

*Dried Strawberry syrup
2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
2 cups sugar

Blend dried strawberries and sugar in high-speed blender until well combined. Add 2 cups hot water, stir to combine. Strain and chill.

Loads more creative cocktail ideas in Endless Cocktails.

Photo credit: Andrea Donadio

Throw This Party: Progressive Dinner Caravan

Ugh, I am so sick of dinner parties!

Actually, that is a complete lie, I will never be sick of dinner parties. BUT I am always looking for a way to make the traditional dinner party even more exciting. My friend Dayna was inspired by an episode of Top Chef in which the cheftestants were challenged to throw a progressive dinner party; basically, they each had to host and serve one course before moving on to a different location, where a different chef would host and cook. Well, if they can do it, why can’t we? And so the posse of progressive dinner party friends was formed.

We suggested our idea to friends who live in our neighborhood. The rules were simple: pick a dish and a drink to go with it, and prepare most of it at home ahead of time, with decor, music, etc…selected to enhance the dining experience. We would caravan from apartment to apartment, spending an hour in each kitchen while we took turns hosting and serving our creations. At first our friends were a bit hesitant about the complicated nature of this party, but we promised it would be a worthy endeavor, and it was.

How it worked, plus my dinner party veggie recipe, after the jump.

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Cocktail O’Clock: New Year’s Gin

About this time of year, you probably never want to be served another glass of punch, nog or similarly over-the-top concoction right? Here’s a New Year’s Eve-worthy drink that gets the party started, without needing to get too crazy.

Snow Miser’s Cooler

1½ parts Hendrick’s Gin
½ part St. Germain
¾ part lime juice
¼ part simple syrup
1½ part soda water
1 dash lavender
Cucumber spear

Mix all ingredients excluding soda water and cucumber spear.  Ice, shake well and strain into iced long glass and top with soda. Garnish with cucumber spear and serve in a long glass.

Keep it classy.

More: Winter Cocktails Gone Wild!

Cocktail O’Clock: A White Christmas

Dreaming of snow this Christmas? Let coconut flakes stand in for the real stuff on top of your drink. If you get your guests boozed up enough, they may even think it’s snowing.

You could do this with pretty much any drink; Isaac Elbhar at Bryant Park Hotel Cellar Bar in New York offers it atop the Purple Snowflake Martini:

1 ½ oz of 44th Degree North (Huckleberry Vodka)
¾ oz of Cointreau
½ oz of Pineapple Juice
3 fresh blackberry
1 fresh squeeze of lemon juice
Coconut flakes
Pour all ingredients into shaker except the coconut flakes. Shake the concoction vigorously! Pour the mixture into a martini glass and top with coconut flakes.
More: Winter Cocktails Gone Wild!
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