Archive for Holidays
Oatmeal Cookie shot – a yummy Christmas drink to share
Posted by: | Comments
Oatmeal Cookie drink over ice at the holidays.
Oatmeal Cookie drink over ice at the holidays.
Tasty treat made with liquors for your holiday enjoyment
A friend just introduced me to this yummy drink this holiday season and it’s super easy to make.
For 1 shot or drink to enjoy over ice:
1/2 oz Bailey’s® Irish cream
Another version of an Oatmeal Cookie shot calls for:
1/2 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 oz. Goldschlager
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
This version can be layered so it looks really fancy if you have clear shot glasses.
Start by pouring the Butterscotch schnapps into a large shot glass. Layer the next two liquors on top of the schnapps by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon, or if you are really patient you can just pour slowly and carefully.
Enjoy them with your friends and family.
Starbucks Red Cup Day is the happiest day of the year
Posted by: | CommentsToday is the day! After getting out and voting first thing, we stopped by our favorite neighborhood Starbucks and there.. low and behold… the Mother Ship…. Red Cup Day!
Red Cup Gingerbread Latte Day November 2, 2010.
That alone just makes me happy. I don’t know what it is about those happy red cups but for me it marks the beginning of the holiday season and just puts me in the mood for cookie baking, snuggling by the fire and enjoying your family and friends. Then the really exciting news…. they also had ALL of the Holiday flavors available. Usually this happens on different days.. the red cups come in and then a few days to a couple of weeks later then get the special Holiday only flavors in. Today, election day BOTH things were ready to go.
I did a happy dance with the barristas, (my husband tried to hide and pretend he doesn’t know me) and I ordered my favorite Starbucks drink EVER! A Vente Gingerbread Latte’ WITH whip. The rest of the year I drink skinny everything.. but Gingerbread Latte’s are just a very special treat.
A couple of years ago Starbucks tried to mess with success and changed the Gingerbread Latte to a “Gingersnap” Latte which was just awful, with nasty chunks of ginger in it and the Holiday Starbucks season just wasn’t the same, but after I’m sure many including my own complaints to Starbucks HQ, they came to their senses and went back to what worked.. the REAL Gingerbread Latte’s.
I wouldn’t be adverse to them creating a sugarfree Gingerbread Latte syrup (Just in case you are reading this Mr. and/or Mrs. Starbucks Mothership) but either way I’ll be enjoying these until Red Cups and Gingerbread syrup run out sometime in January.
It looks like this year they have different designs on different sized cups and a representative from Starbucks send me the artwork here.
Tastes of the Season - Starbucks Red Cup Artwork 2010 © 2010 Starbucks
There are other Holiday Coffee flavors available this year including:
Caramel Brulée Latte - Featuring a combination of espresso and steamed milk flavored with rich caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream and shimmery pieces of caramel topping.
Gingerbread Latte - Enjoy the flavor of freshly baked gingerbread combined with freshly ground espresso and steamed milk. Classically topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg.
Eggnog Latte - Savor Starbucks wildly popular interpretation of holiday eggnog. This rich espresso beverage is complemented with subtle holiday spices.
Still available for awhile are the :
Special Holiday Pastries
Cranberry Bliss® Bar - A holiday classic, this treat is back for the 13th year! Enjoy this seasonal treat chock full of dried cranberries and sweet goodness.
- Yummy cranberry bliss holiday treats from Starbucks Coffee.
© 2010 StarbucksS
Polar Bear Cookies - Cute and delicious, this holiday sugar cookie is sure to make you smile this holiday season.
Holiday Gingerbread - Nothing says the holidays like gingerbread! Indulge in this moist and delicious treat with intense flavor and topped with irresistible cream cheese icing. (Of course have this with the Gingerbread Latte!)
- Holiday gingerbread from Starbucks coffee © 2010 Starbucks
Ok, so now that your mouth is watering, go and hug and tip your favorite barrista at Starbucks.
Artwork was obtained through official channels at Starbucks and is copyrighted by them. Please do not use without permission.
You Won’t Believe What’s In It – Football Playoff Dip
Posted by: | CommentsPlayoffs Dip! Make this for your playoff get togethers and you are guaranteed to be a big hit! This is SO easy and is always such a surprise when people ask me what’s in it??
Take 1 small jar of Apricot Jam
1 can of green chili’s
1 16 oz pkg Neufatel Cheese (Lowfat)
1 cup shredded cheese (4 cheese Mexican is my favorite)
Place the block of cream cheese in a microwave safe serving container,
Combine the jam and chili’s and pour over the cream cheese
Top with the shredded cheese and heat until the shredded cheese is melted.
Serve with crisp crackers, crusty bread etc.
SO good, and is guaranteed to disappear and make you the hit of the potluck.
Note: I have tried to get a picture of this the last three times I’ve made it, but before I can get the camera out, someone has already dug into it.
Janes Poor Man’s Toffee
Posted by: | CommentsJanes Poor Man’s Toffee
My next door neighbor Jane used to make up huge platters of yummies on the holidays and then bring it to our house….and these things are just totally addictive….
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Enough graham crackers to make a layer on a cookie sheet (regular size cookie sheet… if it’s a large sheet you will need to increase butter and sugar to 1 1/2 cups of each!)
1 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips
1/2 12 ounce bag of toffee chips (you can substitute SCOR bars or Heath Bars if your store is out of toffee chips)
Line a cookie sheet with foil(cleanup easier). Bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan and simmer it for about 5 minutes. Put a layer of crackers on the cookie sheet, close together. ‘
Pour the brown sugar mixture over the crackers and bake for about 6-10 minutes(I do the 10 it should be bubbley) at 350F.
Remove and immediately pour the chocolate chips over the crackers, evenly distributing them. Let it sit a minute and then spread the chocolate across the mixture with the spatula gently so as not to disturb the crackers underneath. Let it sit for another 30 seconds and at this point it pretty much spreads like frosting.
Then I top with toffee bits. You can top with whatever you like.
My favorite is just some chopped walnuts, but you can also try dark chocolate with candy cane bits, white chocolate with dried cherries, rocky road, m&m’s…just about every combo you can think of.
Put it in the refrigerator to let it set up… then break apart into toffee shaped pieces. I’ve seen recipes using other types of crackers too, but the graham crackers are my favorite.
This makes a bunch and keeps & ships really well.. but it won’t last long!
