Hurricane #2

• 2 shots light rum
• 2 shots dark rum
• 1 shot grenadine
• 1 shot orange juice
• 1 shot sour mix
• 1 tsp simple syrup
• 2 cups ice
• orange slice and maraschino cherries for garnish

Add the ingredients into a blender and blend until the ice is crushed.

Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a slice of orange and a maraschino cherry.

The perfect cocktail for hunkering down during a hurricane.

If you lose power, serve this over ice.  Delicious!

Oreo Blast Spiked Shake (makes 1 shake)

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 4-5 Oreo cookies
• 1 oz Kahlua
• 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 oz chocolate Syrup

Start by adding the milk to the mixture.  It is a good base.  That way you can add the liquor last, in the event there are any kids around that want a non-alcoholic drink.

I found out that about 4-5 cookies was the amount of cookies you should add before the Oreo flavor takes over the whole drink and is incapable of being sucked through a straw.  However, you can always add more if you like.

Then add the chocolate syrup and ice cream and blend.

Now it is time for the good stuff.  Add the Kahlua and Bailey’s and give it another blend.  Taste, and serve.  You can always add a bit more of the good stuff if you like a stronger flavor.

I found that this drink hit the spot.  It was cool, refreshing and totally beat the 100 degree temperatures down here.

Fuji Sunset

• 2 oz Sake (cold sake)
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz grenadine
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.  Then pour in the ingredients, shake and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a cherry and you are on your way.

This cocktail is very refreshing.

Watermelon Jello Shot

• 1 mini watermelon
• 3 small 3oz  packages cherry Jello, or watermelon if you can find it
• 1 1/2 cup vodka
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tbs chocolate sprinkles/jimmies

Since watermelons are so big, I used a Dulcinea mini-watermelon.  It was perfect.  A big thanks to Eric and Laura for finding such a perfect watermelon.  I have been wanting to do this for a while, but didn’t want to make 3 gallons of jello.

Cut the watermelon in half lengthwise. Then using a spoon or melon baller, core out the insides of the watermelon. Keep the pulp to serve to guests.  Make sure not to cut through the rind.

Place the watermelon shells, rind side down in a 13×9 pan. Use aluminum foil to make bowls to keep the shells upright.

In a large bowl, combine the Jello with the two cups of boiling water.  Stir until the Jello is dissolved. Then add the vodka. Then pour the Jello into the shells until the liquid reaches the top.

Place the shells in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours.  Then remove and sprinkle the halves with the chocolate jimmies. This will give you the appearance of watermelon seeds.  Then place the halves in the refrigerator until firm.  Roughly 2 1/2 more hours.

When ready to serve, cut the watermelon halves into wedges.  It is best to do this with a warm sharp knife.  Run a knife under hot water, dry it and then slice the halves into wedges.

Plate and serve.  Make sure to make a ton of these.

Even people that hate Jello shots, love these as they are so easy to eat.

Note- I was unable to find watermelon jello and the melon jello that I could find was green.  So I used cherry jello which worked great with the chocolate jimmies.  Who doesn’t love chocolate covered cherries.

TCBA (This Can’t Be Alcohol) Shot

• 1 oz rum
• 1 oz midori
• 2 tsp lemonade powder

Fill a shaker with ice.  Then add the ingredients and shake until the powder is mixed in.  Strain into two shot glasses and you have a shot that has little to no taste of alcohol.  Quite amazing if I do say so.

This can be easily turned into a tasty cocktail by straining the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.  Then topping with seltzer or carbonated water. Stir and serve.  This drink is quite delicious and not too sweet after the addition of the seltzer.  A must try if you like this shot.

The shot is sweet, but if you are trying to hide the alcohol flavor, I am sure that you do not mind.

Bourbon Breeze

• 3 ounces Bourbon
• 1/2 ounce cointreau
• 1 orange wedge
• 4 ounces ginger ale

Fill a rocks glass with ice.  Then squeeze the orange wedge into the glass.  Add the bourbon and cointreau.  Top off with the ginger ale and you have a mighty fine cocktail.

Garnish with a orange slice or wedge.

This cocktail has a fresh taste from the orange, a zing from the ginger ale and a nice tang from the bourbon.  The perfect summer cocktail.

Knock Out Punch

• 2 oz Vodka
• 4 oz Tropical Punch Kool-Aid
• 2 oz Orange Juice
• 2 oz Ginger Ale

Fill a tall glass (Collins Glass) with ice.  Add the Vodka, Tropical Punch Kool-Aid and Orange Juice.  Stir.

Top off with the Ginger Ale.

Add a straw and a parasol and you are ready to party.

This cocktail is the perfect mix of sweet and tangy.  The Kool-Aid and the orange juice mask the scent of the vodka and give a nice little sweetness.  Then the Ginger Ale gives it a nice tangy finish that keeps you coming back for more.  The perfect summer cocktail.

Tequila Sunrise

• 2 oz tequila
• 5 oz orange juice
• 1 oz grenadine
• squeeze of lemon

Fill a rocks glass with the tequila, orange juice and squeeze of lemon.  Stir to incorporate.  Then using the back of spoon gently pour the grenadine over the mixture.

The spoon will help the grenadine to gently fall to the bottom of the drink without being mixed in with the orange juice.  This will give you that layered drink that looks like a nice sunrise.

New York Zip

• 2 oz bourbon whiskey
• 3 oz apple juice
• 3 oz ginger ale

Combine the ingredients in a rocks glass full of ice, stir and serve.  I garnished mine with a nice slice of apple.  A simple yet delicious drink.

It was tasty and didn’t scream whiskey at you when you threw it back.

A delicious drink.

Hot Spiked Mocha Cocktail

• 1 shot espresso
• 1 shot Vodka
• 1 shot Kahlua Coffee Liquor
• 1/2 cup steamed milk
• 1 tbs chocolate syrup
• Whipped cream and cocoa powder for garnish

In a coffee mug add the chocolate syrup, vodka and Kahlua.

Stir in the hot shot of espresso.

Add the steamed milk and a tad bit of foam at the end.  Lightly stir.

Top with the whipped cream and cocoa powder and serve.  This is a nice cocktail that will warm the darkest of hearts in the middle of winter.  A perfect cocktail for brunch or even after a hard day on slopes.

The perfect cocktail!

On a side note.  If you do not have your own espresso machine, head on down to your favorite coffee shop and order a small/tall mocha and then add the vodka and Kahlua to it.