Homemade Irish Cream

Two things a diva looks for in a recipe:  delicious and easy.  I am so excited about this recipe.  It is divine!!!  At first sip, I found it a tad strong.  By the third sip I was in lust.  My man better watch out. 

Homemade Irish Cream

1 cup whipping cream (you can use light cream if you don't want it as rich, but divas desire rich)

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 2/3 cup Jameson Irish Whiskey (or a lesser brand if that's the sort of non-diva you are)

2 swirls of coffee flavored liqueur (if it's not Irish, this diva is not picky about the brand)

2 swirls of chocolate syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

Just put it all in a blender and mix it for 30 seconds.
I stored mine in an empty (cleaned out) vodka bottle with a screw cap.
Shake before using.

Thanksgiving Day Menu 2011

Many of these recipes can be found here (*).  I hope everyone is enjoying my favorite holiday!

Appetizers

Brie Wheel in Puff Pastry

Pumpkin Soup with Cheese Ravioli *

Dee's Bacon Dip

Wine:  Champagne Cocktail

Entree

Apple Cider Brined Turkey*

Wine:  Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay

Side Dishes

Elegant Stuffing with Rum-Soaked Cranraisins, Sausage, Mushrooms, & Apple*

Tim's Famous Mashed Potatoes

Turnip

Squash

Cranberry & Orange Marmalade

Garlic Green Beans with Cashews

Sweet Potatoes with Wine-Poached Pears*

Wine:  More Chardonnay

Dessert

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Apple Pie

Chocolate Silk Pie

Wine:  Port and/or Coffee with Irish Cream

White Sangria

Summer is nearly here and it is important to have your summer cocktail recipes lined up. This one can be made ahead of time except for the seltzer. Add that just before you serve.

I made a pitcher of these for the Kentucky Derby, since I can't stand bourbon and therefore mint juleps were out of the question. My horse did not come in, but my new Estee Lauder lipstick made my pout so pretty.

White Sangria

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 cup sugar

cup up fruit (I chose fresh strawberries and a green apple)

1 bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

1 liter lemon flavored seltzer water

Combine the brandy and sugar in a pitcher.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add fruit and wine.
Chill until you are ready to serve.
Add seltzer.

Make it a meal: Serve with pretty appetizers while watching the Kentucky Derby.

Wine: Don't be silly.

White Zinfandel Cocktail

A colleague of my husband's came to our cocktail party with a big jug of White Zinfandel. It was quite sweet, but I hate the stuff. Apparently he was unaware of my nickname, the Chardonnay Queen. So this is what I did with it to make it more palatable.

This is also nice for those of us sick to death of Cosmopolitans but still like pretty pink drinks. It is a little lighter, too.

White Zinfandel Cocktail

2 oz. White Zinfandel

1 oz. Chambourd

2 oz. lemon or lime flavored soda water

Throw the White Zin and Chambourd into a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake.
Pour into a pretty glass.
Top with soda water.

Make it a meal: Serve with hamburger sliders and green beans.

White Sangria

Enjoy a little sparkle and bubbles on a hot Spring night. I sipped on this in front of my manly beer-drinking friends. Before long, they requested a bit for themselves. I love a man confident enough to drink from a pink cup.

White Sangria

1 bottle dry white wine

1 bottle club soda, lime flavored

a few splashes brandy

1/4 cup sugar

1 small bunch grapes

a few slices apple, lime, and lemon

pink cups for serving

Mix it all together and serve over ice.

Make it a meal: Serve with lovely nibbly things like shrimp spread (see recipe) and Simple Bruschetta (see recipe).

Mango Martini

Divas need their vitamins and what better way to get them than over ice? I buy my mango juice in the Hispanic isle at the grocery store. It comes in a can like diet soda.


Mango Martini

vodka

mango juice

dash of orange juice

quick squeeze lemon juice

ice

Put everything into a cocktail shaker.
Shake.
Pour into pretty martini glass.
Garnish with maraschino cherry (I ate mine).