Ginger Berry

Ingredients:

- shot of dark rum

- ginger ale

- a couple strawberries

- water

Directions:

A few hours or days in advance clean and cut the strawberries into small pieces.  Then place chunks in a clean ice cube tray, fill the tray with water, and stick in the freezer.  

When the ice cubes are ready pour the rum into a glass, add the ice, then pour the ginger ale over the top.  Stir and enjoy.

This drink has me dreaming of spring.  I think it might taste even better with 7up, but I'm not a giant fan of Ginger ale.  But hey, this recipe helped me finish off the liter I bought of ginger ale a few months ago when I was feeling sicky!  Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Valentine's Day Drink

Happy Valentine's Day and Thirsty Thursday!  

Ingredients:

- 2 frozen strawberries and 2 fresh

- half a frozen banana

- 1/4 cup orange juice

- 2 tablespoons of vanilla flavored syrup

- 1 tablespoon of whipped cream

- 1 shot of dark rum

Directions:

Blend the strawberries, banana, and orange juice together.  Add the vanilla, whipped cream, and rum, blend, and serve.  

I don't know about you ladies, but if my husband woke me up with this (minus the rum) in a glass I would be mightily impressed.  I'm not even sure my husband knows we have a blender, little less where we keep it.  So it would be additionally astonishing.  

Though Aaron might not know where I keep the blender, he's a fantastic hubby.  He tries really hard, and that's what counts.  As long as we both are trying our hardest, then I couldn't ask for more.  

Oh, and by the way this drink is Yummy!  The banana helps cut the tartness of the orange juice and strawberries, yet without overpowering it.  This drink is the prefect blend of all the flavors.  It mostly tastes of strawberry, but you can taste the orange juice, banana, and whipped cream.  They all make up an important supporting cast of flavors.  

Again Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!!!

Strawberry Daiquiri

Happy Thirsty Thursday! Today I have a Strawberry Daiquiri for ya'll.  

Ingredients:

- 6 frozen strawberries

- 3 tablespoons of orange juice

- 3 tablespoons of ginger ale

- 1 shot of Crown Royal Whiskey

- 1 tablespoon of vanilla flavored syrup

Directions:

Blend the frozen strawberries, orange juice and ginger ale together.  Test the flavor, if satisfied add the whiskey and syrup.  Blend for a few more seconds, and serve.  

I garnished with a fresh strawberry.  

The Crown Royal flavor works really well with the strawberry flavor.  The ginger ale and orange juice are definitely bottom notes, and almost barely detectable.  Well I want to enjoy more of this yumminess, so I will be on my way.  Again Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Adult Coffee Soda

Happy Thirsty Thursday!  Last week's Homemade Cream Soda was so yummy, I had to concoct an adult version.  

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons of a dark rum

- 2 tablespoons of coffee

- a handful of ice

- 1/2 cup club soda

- 2 tablespoons of hazelnut syrup 

- 1 tablespoon of vanilla

- 1 tablespoon of half and half

- whipped cream and cherry for garnish

Directions:

Pour the rum and coffee into a glass.  Then the ice and club soda.  Stir, then add the syrups, and stir. Pour the half and half over the top, add the whipped cream and cherry.  Admire.

Fully stir everything together, and enjoy.  

This drink is yummy!  The alcohol flavor is very subtle, and the coffee with the hazelnut complements the rum flavor nicely.  Again Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Cream Soda

I saw a recipe for Homemade Italian Cream Soda on Butter With A Side Of Bread last week, and I've been dreaming of it ever since.  So today I went on a hunt for flavored syrups. We tried a store called Kitchen Kapers, no luck, we tried a local coffee shop, a super market, and then we found some at Starbucks.  We were able to buy a vanilla and a hazelnut.  Her recipe calls for vanilla and raspberry syrups, but I'm not the biggest fan of raspberry flavored things.  Besides not being able to find any.  So here is how I made my cream soda.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup club soda

- 2 tablespoons of vanilla syrup

- 2 tablespoons of grenadine

- 1 tablespoon of half and half

- whip cream and a maraschino cherry to garnish

Directions:

Add ice to a glass, and pour the club soda over it.  Add the vanilla and grenadine, and stir.  Pour the half and half over the top.  Top with the whip cream and cherry.  Pause for a photo.

Then give it a good stir, and enjoy.  This taste just like cream soda, which is my favorite type of soda.  I'm going to be making these all the time now.  I'll have to learn how to make my how syrups, and experiment with more flavors.  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Happy Thirsty Thursday!  Today I was in the mood for chocolate so I whipped up a Chocolate Banana Smoothie.  

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup of vanilla yogurt

- 2 tablespoons of honey

- 2 tablespoons of nutella

- a handful of chocolate chips

- a heaping teaspoon of toffee chips

- half a frozen banana

Directions:

Slice up the banana, and place all the ingredients in a blender.  

Blend and enjoy.  I garnished with some maraschino cherries, but they are definitely not a necessity.  Though they did taste awesome when dipped into the smoothie.  

This smoothie was decadent, and yummy!  It fulfilled my chocolate desires, and then some.

Hope your week is going well, and again Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

Happy Thirsty Thursday!  Today's drink is a Pineapple Banana Smoothie.  

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons heavy cream

- 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice

- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

- 1 small banana

- 1 tablespoon toffee

Directions:

Place the heavy cream in a small blender, and blend for a couple of minutes until it becomes whip cream.  Then add the  pineapple juice, yogurt, and slice the banana as you add it.  Blend all together.  Add the the toffee, blend once more, and enjoy!  

Garnish with a banana slice.  A little toffee on the top would be nice too.  This was yummy, and it might actually be kinda healthy.  I think walnuts or pecans could taste great in this.  I don't have any, and didn't think of it until I had finished the drink.  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!  

Cordial Cherry Banana Smoothie

Happy Thirsty Thursday!!  I love Cordial Cherries, and I always seem to get my hands on a box or two around this time of year.  I was eyeballing my box earlier today, and to keep myself from eating a whole tray of cherries in one sitting I came up with this idea.  I'm sure glad I did, this Cordial Cherry Banana Smoothie is delicious.  

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt

- 1/2 a frozen banana

- 2 cordial cherries

- 2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

Fill a blender with the yogurt, frozen banana, cordial cherries, and milk.  Blend until everything is throughly combined.  Pour into a glass and enjoy!  

Not to pat myself on the back, but this is yummy!  I will definitely be making this again before this box of cherries disappears.  I need to freeze some more bananas!  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Hot Milk Punch

Happy Thirsty Thursday!!  Today's recipe is Hot Milk Punch!  

Ingredients:

- a small shot of dark rum

- a tablespoon of honey

- a half tablespoon of powdered sugar

- milk

- ground nutmeg

Directions:

Begin by heating the milk in a small saucepan, add the honey to the warm milk.  Be sure to stir occasionally, and keep the milk from boiling or burning.  In a mug pour in the dark rum, powdered sugar, and ground nutmeg. When the milk is warm pour it into the mug, stir, and enjoy!  

This is a great night cap.  So yummy!!!  The only way this could get better would be if I had some peanut butter pillows leftover to dunk in.  

Hope ya'll are having a great night, and happy thirsty thursday, chris!!!!

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients:

- a shot of dark rum (high quality is recommended)

- 2 tablespoons of honey

- 1/2 tablespoon of butter (unsalted)

- hot water

- optional ground nutmeg

Directions:

Boil the water, and while you're waiting on that combine the other ingredients in a mug. 

Once the water is boiling pour into the mug.  Stir until the butter dissolves.

Add the nutmeg if you'd like, and enjoy.  This is a great drink for a cold night.  Definitely warms me up!  A great night cap, but you definitely want to use a great tasting rum, otherwise this wont taste all that great.  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Happy Thirsty Thursday!  Today I'm mixing up some Mexican Hot Chocolate.  

Ingredients:

- 2 triangles of Nestle's Abuelita Chocolate Drink Mix

- 1 1/2 cups of milk

- 1 tablespoon of honey

- 1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter

Directions:

Begin by breaking off the triangles of authentic mexican chocolate drink mix, and pour the milk into a small saucepan.  Heat the pan on medium to low heat, stirring regularly.  Add the honey and peanut butter once most of the chocolate has dissolved. 

It takes about five minutes for all the chocolate to dissolve into the mixture.  Once everything has completely melted together you can pour into a mug, and enjoy.  This is the first time I tried adding peanut butter, and it was amazing.  I think I might be adding peanut butter from now on.

Hope ya'll are having a great week, and happy DIYing, chris!  

Hot Apple Cider Toddy

For today's Thirsty Thursday I will be sharing my recipe for a Hot Apple Cider Toddy.  Traditionally this is made with warm milk instead of Apple Cider, and in the past people would drink this before bed, or to help remedy a cold.  Nowadays we know that alcohol doesn't do much for helping ward off an infection, because it dehydrates our bodies too much.  So I thought making this with Apple Cider instead would make this a great drink for the cold winter months ahead.  

Ingredients:

- a shot of whiskey

- Apple Cider

- a Cinnamon stick 

- 2 -3 whole cloves

- a dash of ground nutmeg

- a tablespoon of honey

Directions:

Heat enough apple cider for one drink in a small sauce pan, and add the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and ground nutmeg.  

In a glass (an irish coffee glass would be nice, but I don't own any) coat the bottom with the honey, and then pour the shot of whiskey over it.  Once the apple cider has warmed to the desired temperature, about 3 -5 minutes, pour into the glass.  You can keep the cloves, and cinnamon stick for in for garnish.  Stir and enjoy.  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, chris!  

The Battle Brigade Cocktail

At the onset of the day I thought I'd skip making an alcoholic drink today.  Mostly because my tummy hasn't been feeling up to par since Thanksgiving.  However, after the day I had today a drink is definitely in my cards.  So YAY for Thirsty Thursday!  In lieu of the raging battle going on in my tummy and immune system, I'll call this The Battle Brigade.  

Ingredients:

- a shot of bourbon

- 1/4 cup of orange juice

- ginger ale

Directions:

Pour the shot of bourbon in a glass, then the orange juice.  Add ice, and fill the glass with ginger ale.  Stir and enjoy.  

There you have a great drink that will get you through a tough day, and help stave off a cold, The Battle Brigade.  

Happy Thirsty Thursday, hope you enjoy, chris!

Pineapple Whiskey Bottom

Happy Turkey Day and Thirsty Thursday!  Today I have an unusually tasty cocktail for ya'll, a Pineapple Whiskey Bottom.  

Ingredients:

- a shot of Whiskey or Bourbon

- a splash of Simple Syrup

- 1/4 cup Pineapple Juice

- 2 maraschino cherries, plus a little juice

- Club Soda

Directions:

Using a tall glass pour in the whiskey, syrup, and pineapple juice.  Add the desired amount of ice, and add the maraschino cherries with a teensy bit of juice from the jar.  Fill the glass with club soda, stir and enjoy.  

I know this might sound like a strange combination to some, but it's absolutely delicious.  I made my hubby taste it, and he has a much lower tolerance for weird drinks than me, and he even said it was yummy.  The pineapple complements the whiskey perfectly.  I do suggest using a high quality alcohol though.  I'm not so sure this would taste so great with say Old Granddad.  

Hope ya'll are enjoying your holiday, and happy Thirsty Thursday!

Tequila Juice

Ingredients:

- a shot of high quality blanco Tequila

- a splash of grenadine

- a bit of lemon juice, and a lemon wedge for garnish

- 1/2 cup pineapple juice

- club soda

- maraschino cherry for garnish

Directions:

Pour the Tequila, grenadine, lemon and pineapple juice into a glass.  Add ice then fill the cup with club soda.  

Stir, and add the lemon wedge and maraschino cherry.  

Enjoy.  Happy Thirsty Thirsday, chris!