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The Kitchen Table

Darn, it's time to taste-test holiday cocktails again.

13 years ago

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

I just poured this one, and it's delicious. I made it with Silk Holiday Nog instead of regular eggnog, and used Kamora for the Kahlua.

Mocha Nog

1 part Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped vodka
2 parts Kahlua
4 parts eggnog

Shake with ice and serve in a martini glass. Cheers!

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Comments (27)

hounds_x_two
13 years ago
Well, sign me up as a taste tester!

This post was edited by hounds_x_two on Tue, Dec 18, 12 at 7:41
nodakgal
13 years ago
I have a couple that sound good if you are interested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Godiva Chocolate Martini
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blizlady, that would be Sherry (sheshebop), she makes the spinach "brownies" and I love 'em. How many people do you have to serve appetizers to, Dawn? Little pate choux puffs, tiny cream puffs, can be filled with various fillings including chicken salad, egg, tuna or seafood salad, a thick southwestern chicken kind of filling, whatever you like. I make rye puffs and fill with reuben fillings and they can be done ahead of time easily. Reuben Puffs 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup rye flour 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 eggs Caraway seeds CORNED BEEF FILLING: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 2 packages (2 ounces each) thinly sliced deli corned beef, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons minced chives 2 tablespoons diced onion 1 teaspoon spicy brown or horseradish mustard 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flours, parsley, garlic powder and salt all at once; stir until a smooth balls forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets or make puffs with a pastry bag. Sprinkle with caraway. Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in each puff to allow steam to escape; cool. In a large bowl, combine the first eight filling ingredients. Split puffs; add filling. Refrigerate. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen. I make these cheese thumbprints filled with hot pepper jelly, they are pretty popular. I make my own habanero jelly to fill them with, but anything you like could be used, including salsa. I got the recipe from Carol (Readinglady) and she's never given me a bad recipe! Savory Cheddar And Jalapeno Jelly Cookies 8 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) finely grated (use smallest holes on grater box) extra-sharp cheddar cheese 6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, apple butter, or chopped chutney Place cheese ad butter in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add flour and process until mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes. Position two racks in center and top third of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone pads. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Set bag aside. Using 1 tsp of dough for each, roll the dough into small balls. Place the balls 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or a 1/2-inch wide dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Pipe the jelly from bag into the indentation. Return to the oven and bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom, halfway through baking, until the tops are lightly browned, about 10 minutes (the cookies will continue to crisp as they cool). Transfer to a wire cake racks and cool completely. Can be prepared 2 days in advance in stored in air tight containers at room temperature. OK, first I use a spoon, not a bag, for the jelly, I made a big mess with that ziplock bag thing. Second I bake them one pan at a time, I don't do the remove/switch thing, it's easier for me to do one pan at a time. Third, this dough is very similar to another one posted here by Weed, so you could wrap it around an olive or pecan, etc., and make a whole difrferent kind of appetizer. I doubt I'd take the time to wrap the dough, I'd probably plunk an olive in the middle of the "cookie" and call it good, LOL. If you don't do something like the puffed sandwiches, Ann T's Gougiere would be lovely, I think. An antipasta plate could be nice and could be entirely assembled ahead of time and I've had Caprese-on-a-stick, which was basically a cherry tomato, a chunk of marinated mozzarella, an olive and a leaf of basil, all skewered for serving. Meatballs would stay hot in a crockpot or small Nesco roaster without any last minute prep at all, as would chicken wings, although those could be messy unless they are boneless. Do you need something sweet, or just savory stuff? Annie
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nodakgal
13 years ago
Another...

Here is a link that might be useful: Frozen banana
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
You're at the head of the line, Hounds! This will be my next test. It sounds like something I'd like to serve my family Christmas evening. I have lemons from a California friend's trees and maple syrup from my own trees.

Gleaming Apple Cocktail

2 oz. vodka
1 oz. apple juice
1.5 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1.5 tsp. maple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a thin apple slice.
nodakgal
13 years ago
Ooops! I lied! There were 3!
I thought the chocolate peppermint martini sounded reallllllly good!

Here is a link that might be useful: Chocolate Peppermint Martini
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
I just saw your posts, Nodakgal. Boy, that Godiva cocktail looks yummy! The Irish banana one does, too, although I don't know what Coco Lopez is. I know it doesn't sound Irish, though. LOL
patti43
13 years ago
Nodakgal, that Frozen Irish Banana cocktail sounds too, too good! I'll take a pitcher of it if I can be a taster, too. :-) Gotta make sure it's okay, you know.
maire_cate
13 years ago
Susan - is this the real reason why you haven't cleaned up your wrapping paper yet?
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
LOL I'll have you know I've cleaned up my wrapping paper twice already! ;-)

And apparently I'll have to clean it up again because things are still arriving from Amazon, etc.

Tonight I'm painting martini glasses as little gifts for my writing group. Four aprons down, one to go!
nodakgal
13 years ago
I wasn't sure what Coco Lopez was either Susan! LOL
Had to go look and I'll be darned, its what I use for coconut cake! I thought it sounded familiar but couldn't think!

The apple cocktail sounds delish btw!

Here is a link that might be useful: Walmart has it

This post was edited by nodakgal on Tue, Dec 18, 12 at 21:08
terilyn
13 years ago
Ok, I am going to share my super secret holiday cocktail recipe..... Find corkscrew, find wine, open! I am always happy to share!
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, I just ordered $47 worth of Coco Lopez.

Haha.......only kidding!!

Terilyn, I'll bet your recipe is one of those easy cleanups, too!

I received an early Christmas present tonight: a tray made out of wine corks. I took a picture, but can't upload it because I'm having a software problem. It's cleverly done, and I'll have fun using it. But I guess I'm even more of a wine snot snob than I thought....I wish the corks came from better wines! LOL
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
A drinking tale.....

Actually, I never got to drink it. I made the Gleaming Apple Cocktail and didn't like it at all. I guess I don't like vodka and apple juice. I hated to waste the ingredients (especially the maple syrup!), so I threw in some eggnog. I figured I was going to pour the drink down the drain anyway, so I might as well see what happened. Well, what happened was that it curdled. Clearly, my invention isn't going to win any recipe contests.

It didn't taste bad (really!), but it looked so gross that I picked it up to get rid of it. In the process, I spilled some of it on my keyboard. My son is due here any minute, bringing me a grilled chicken sandwich from a restaurant they went to, and I hope I've cleaned up every trace. He's always telling me not to eat at my desk. He didn't say anything about cocktails, though.....
joyfulguy
13 years ago
Not ...

... just before getting into the cat (that was SUPPOSED TO BE "C A R"!) to drive home, it ain't!

Especially on this snowy, blowy night ... even on country roads with little traffic.

ole joyfuelled

Dang self-willed computers ... darn near as bad as kids!

o j
glenda_al
13 years ago
This is my fall cocktail and I finally got it down to one serving:

Caramel Apple Cocktail
butterscotch schnapps 3/4 jigger
1/2 wine goblet glass filled with sparkling apple cider
rim glasses with cinnamon sugar

Here's the original:
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
1 lemon wedge
1 1/2 cups apple cider
6 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps
1 (750 ml) bottle sparkling wine, chilled
6 maraschino cherries
Directions:
1 Spread cinnamon sugar onto a small plate or saucer. Run the lemon wedge along the rim of 6 champagne glasses, then dip the rims into the cinnamon sugar.
2 Combine apple cider and schnapps in a measuring cup.
3 Divide evenly among prepared glasses. Divide sparkling wine among glassses.
4 Garnish with cherry.
marylmi
13 years ago
Mmmm, good thing I popped in here today; I like this thread!! At the "last tasting" I got some good recipes!! lol!
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Mary! I just pulled these recipes off the Pinnacle and Cosmopolitan (magazine) websites. I was looking for Pinnacle Whipped and Chocolate Whipped, since I have both.

Cream Saver-tini

2 oz. Pinnacle Whipped
1 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. orange juice

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

Peaches n' Whipped

2 oz. Pinnacle Whipped
1 oz. Coconut Jack Rum
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. peach juice
Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a pineapple slice.

Chocolate Chip Pancake

2 oz. Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped
1 oz. milk
Splash maple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Choc Razz Sorbet

2 oz. Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped
1 oz. raspberry liqueur
3 oz. club soda

Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with a cherry.
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
Thought I might mention that Pinnacle has an excellent rebate offer going on until January 15. Buy one bottle (plain vodka or any flavor) and get $5 back. Buy two bottles and get $12. Buy three bottles and get $21.
marylmi
13 years ago
I didn't know what Pinnacle was, but it is a brand of vodka I'm assuming. Lots of good recipes here but esp. love the ones with chocolate & since I am going shopping tomorrow will look for the Chocolate Whipped vodka! That Mocha Nog sounds to die for!! :)
jude31
13 years ago
Make mine a Red Appletini!

2 ounces Crown Royal
2 ounces Sour Apple Pucker
2 ounces cranberry juice

Place in shaker, shake to mix, strain into glass

jude
marylmi
13 years ago
Oh Yum!! I just made the Mocha Nog and oh so good!! The grocery store didn't have the Chocolate Whipped vodka, so I got the "Chocolate Cake" flavored vodka and also used the Kamora. I've never seen so many people looking for liqueur as I did today!! LOL
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh, good--I'm glad you liked it! My daughter-in-law and I are planning to have a quiet, peaceful Mocha Nog sometime during the holidays, just for the two of us.

I tried a half recipe of this Buttered Irishman Martini. It was a little strong for me, but very good. Maybe I should have shaken it with the ice longer. Or used less vodka. Or something.
marylmi
13 years ago
The Buttered Irishman Martina sounds good too. I pinned it to Pinterest & have copied it down. Next though, I need to buy the raspberry liqueur then I can try the Chocolate Razz Sorbet! :)
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
I did that yesterday. LOL

I can't afford Chambord, so I bought DeKuyper's Razzmatazz. Haven't tasted it yet.
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
The results......

The drink we all had last night was the Cream Saver-tini, posted above. It was easy, tasty, and well received. Most of the festive holiday drinks are so rich and sweet, they're more like desserts. I wanted something we could enjoy before dinner. My daughter-in-law and I are planning a Mocha Nog for the two of us.

Cream Saver-tini

2 oz. Pinnacle Whipped
1 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. orange juice

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice.
joyfulguy
13 years ago
En route home from the library, after my comment here last Friday ... there was a "RIDE" check, with a couple of cop cars with lights flashing at a road junction, and we all had to roll down the window to let one of the cops get a sniff of our breath.

If one blows too heavy on the breathalyzer - give up keys, right there ... walk home.

Didn't envy the cops their task, on that snowy, rather blowy, night ...

... but, 10 mi.from town, with no phone nearby to call a cab (expensive!) ... it'd be a long walk home!

And the fine for drinking and driving is massive!

ole joyfuelled ... and fuelled by just gas in the car, that night
alisande
Original Author
13 years ago
I am all for driving sober! In fact, I'm frequently the designated driver when I go out. That's fine with me.

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