I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Vodka

Thirsty Thursday: Birthday Cake Shots

birthday cake shots

Tomorrow is my birthday. I’m not sure if I am excited or not. It’s just another day. I typically try to take it off from work. I did last year and hung out with Rachel and her adorable kids, ate bagels, played around, and just enjoyed the relaxing day. I couldn’t take this birthday off since I have a deadline and I’m taking a lot of time off in February for our new puppy. I’m most excited about that.

birthday cake shots_01 birthday cake shots_02

The only thing I can think about turning 28 is my 10 year high school reunion and then I am filled with anxiety. A lot of it. I know that is a random thing to think about 10+ months from now but once I think about being 28 all I can think of is that. Also, I know I don’t have to go, but I think I want to, and that it’s not a big deal but oh where to begin… that is a whole other post. So my reunion is on my mind, not to mention a whole host of other anxiety inducing things. Fun times.

So to ease my anxiety I decided to make Birthday Cake Shots for this ‘birthday’ themed Thirsty Thursday. One of my old roommates introduced these to me on a night out of summer time bar hopping. I was completely head over heels for them as they taste just like birthday cake. I have no idea how the combo of frangelico and lemon does that but it plays some magic trick and it does. So enjoy a shot, they are about 150 calories which is much less than a piece of cake… ugh reunion.

Head over to Amanda‘s blog to check out her Birthday Cake Marshmallows. Such a fun way to celebrate a birthday… or a Wednesday! You can add them to hot chocolate, just pop them in your mouth, or eat them out of a bowl like cereal. ha!

Birthday Cake Shots

Makes 1 shot

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce frangelico
  • 1 ounce vodka
  • 1 slice of lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Process

  1. In a 2 ounce shot glass combine the vodka.
  2. Put the sugar on top of the slice of lemon.
  3. Take the shot and immediately suck on the sugary lemon. enjoy!

Perfect Penne alla Vodka

Perfect Penne alla Vodka will be on your table in under 30 minutes tonight. Create this flavorful dinner any night of the week. You’ll love every single bite.

Post Originally from 12/18/12, Pictures updated 2/21/19

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

I always felt that ordering Penne alla Vodka was a big fancy move when I was out to dinner. It just felt so fancy to me. Alla Vodka. That sounded fancy when I was 15 or so. Plus, vodka… hello… it felt like it was a big deal to get it, even with all the alcohol cooking out of it. 

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Thirsty Thursday: Ginger Grapefruit Martini

So the the ‘3’ in the numerical pad in our computer keyboard doesn’t work anymore. Why? Well, I might have been drinking and messing around on the Internets while I spilled the whole glass on the keyboard. I might have been a little tipsy. I hope I was not blogging…

Well, I what was I drinking?? I was drinking Domaine de Canton and some seltzer. I just love that DdC. I can get by with some of my homemade ginger simple syrup, vodka, and seltzer but it’s just not the same. Domaine de Canton is a smooth ginger flavored cognac in a beautiful bottle. The bottle matters. I swear!

 

 

This Ginger Grapefruit Martini uses Domaine De Canton, vodka, and fresh squeezed grapefruit. Grapefruit, as well other citrus, is in season in the winter so this is a perfection seasonal drink to enjoy before dinner, at a party, or while wrapping presents. I can’t guarantee how well your wrapping will turn out after a drink or two but that’s half the fun! Blame Santa’s elves.

Since this week’s Thirtsy Thursday is brought you by the flavor ‘Ginger’ (that feels very Seasame Street to me), Amanda made this Gingerbread Hot Chocolate. Less devilish than my drink but equally perfect for the season. Don’t you just love a nice hot chocolate after you come in from a cold afternoon outside or to wind down the day? This is so perfect for those occasions.

Ginger Grapefruit Martini

Ingredients

  • 4 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 2 oz Domaine de Canton
  • 1 oz vodka
  • sugar
  • segment of grapefruit or lime, for garnish

Process

  1. Rim the martini glass with sugar.
  2. Combine the grapefruit juice, Domaine de Canton, and vodka together. Pour into the martini glass.
  3. Garnish with the grapefruit segment or lime wedge.

Thirsty Thursdays: Apple Pie Cocktail

After Amanda and I had fun with our S’mores Week in August we decided to make a that we should do more posts together related to a theme. We thought about different themes we could do but the main thing that kept coming up was that we wanted it to be longer than a week. So things evolved to become sharing weekly drink recipes that can be boozy or non-alcoholic and that can match the season or holiday. The possiblites are endless! So we are kicking our Thirsty Thursdays posts today with fun recipes that we both wanted to share. I picked this apple pie cocktail and Amanda picked Honeycrisp Apple Sangria.

Last year when my mom and I went to Utah to attend a crafting event we came back one night to the hotel and were discussing how we wanted to get a drink. We asked a group of guys, who were drinking in the lounge watching sports, were they got their beers. They were so nice that they just gave us a few. Well, we run up to our room with our prizes in hand and that is when I noticed that they were not twist tops. By this time I had actually put my pajamas on so I went back to downstairs to them in my pajamas (clearly, I have no shame) for them to open the bottles. They gave me a cup of Apple Pie Moonshine for us to try and I was hooked. Seriously the midwest is so nice. It was sweet, light, and packed a punch.

 

This is a great cocktail to make to celebrate fall. The original recipe calls for Everclear as it is a grain alcohol like moonshine but I was having trouble finding that in Massachusetts. So I switched to vodka and increased the amount. One of the biggest things is that I really suggest using cinnamon sticks. If you use ground cinnamon then you need to then remove it as it does not dissolve and it would be pretty intense to drink. This is great both hot and cold so you can enjoy some just from the stove while the rest of the batch cools.

Check out Amanda’s Honeycrisp Apple Sangria.

Apple Pie Cocktail

Serves 24 (8oz cups)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 gallon of apple cider (8 cups)
  • 1/2 gallon of unsweetened apple juice (8 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 vanilla bean, optional
  • 2 cups vodka
  • 3 cups Whipped Cream flavored Vodka

Process

  1. In a large pot, combine the cider, apple juice, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla together. Cook together to dissolve the sugars and to warm.
  2. Remove from heat and the cinnamon sticks and vanilla.
  3. Add the vodkas.
  4. Enjoy hot or cold.