experiments of a "chef-for-fun"
One of the greatest joys in my life is making things that others enjoy eating. I think it is especially fun to make my own foods that others would normally just buy (like ranch or hummus or iced coffee). Over the past few months, I have seen more and more buzz about DIY Baileys. I first tried to make this around the holidays but the flavor just wasn’t right so I figured St. Patrick’s Day would be the perfect time to make this for you all.
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Most everyone enjoys Chocolate (and those that don’t need their heads checked, but that’s just my unsolicited opinion). Also, almost everyone can also find a Red Wine that they like (even if they don’t agree with those around them on what makes it good).
These Cupcakes combine the love of chocolate & wine.
I have been looking at making Pumpkin Pie Martinis for about a year and for some reason just never made them! Tonight I realized that I had not posted anything in a while (sorry – I have cooked things but was away at Punkin Chunkin with my 2010 World Champion Team and did not take photos of the goodies I brought down there with me). Since I am now home from the Chunk – I figured it would be a perfect time to make a Pumpkin Pie Martini!
This recipe is version #1 of this experiment. I would cut down on the Rum here – maybe 1/2 and ounce and bump up the Kahlua to 1 1/2 ounces. Feel free to use some more spices (I added a dash of both nutmeg and ginger). Just as this was attempt #1 at this martini (with changes coming for next time) this is also attempt #1 at these photos – changes coming there too!
Blend all ingredients together in a blender with a few cubes of ice.
Serve in a glass rimmed with very finely crushed graham cracker crumbs. To rim the glass – just dip the rim of the glass in water and then have crumbs on a plate and dip the rim right on in!
Sprinkle more cinnamon on top for garnish. Enjoy!
And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… What desserts do you enjoy turned into drinks?
HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!
Due to the Snow-Tober Storm we experienced here in the NorthEast, my pumpkin-carving-party got changed a bit! We just traveled over to J’s house with some snacks and goodies in hand. The power going out put a hamper on much of my exciting goodies I had planned on making but I still had a pumpkin hummus, buttermilk ranch, sweet pumpkin dip, and these little beauties!
The color was just right, the flavor was awesome, and they are so easily adaptable to whatever you want to make with them! I can see these guys being so cute for Winter in a Snowman (or snowflake) pan!!!
Put your milk into a small saucepan & sprinkle your 2 packages of Knox on top – allowing it to soak for a minute or two. Then turn your heat on very low and stir constantly for about 5 minutes until gelatin is fully disolved (this will be thick).
Then pour in your Baileys & Kahlua (stirring very well to blend it all). Finally add the vodka.
Pour the entire mixture into your desired pan. If using the adorable Wilton Skeleton Pan, make sure to spray lightly with cooking spray and then wipe most of it out & make sure it gets into those corners – just leave enough to allow it to pop out at the end. Allow to set for at least 3 hours (or even overnight) and pop out of pan or cut as soon as possible to serving as possible. This should make about 18-24 mudslide jiggler shots (it made the 15 skeleton heads and then another half dozen in a flat container)!
One Year Ago – Pumpkin Carving Party 2010 (the one that wasn’t snowed out!)
And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… what shapes do you think would lend themselves to awesome seasonal jigglers (and what flavor should those awesome shapes be)
As a teacher, I often think about my personal vs. public life. This blog makes me think about those private/personal lines and my privacy as well (especially right now as I am teaching Internet Safety/Responsibility/etc). I am an adult, but I am also an educator and the shaper of young minds. My students know that I blog and I am sure that some of them have found it. 
I’m an adult who is legally allowed to consume alcoholic beverages (not that I ever really do though, seriously, its pretty rare for me- I can count on my hands the number of times I have had a drink in the past year). Even though I am an adult – I always want to be a responsible role model for my students.
So here is the post, written by a teacher in her late 20′s who is a lover of food and exploring new ways to use her ingredients and who also encourages her students to make the right choices in their life…
I made Bloody Mary Tomato Juice for my Grandmother with lots of our garden fresh tomatoes and wanted some spicy vodka to go with it, especially since I was making the drinks for my grandmother who loves them spicy (a constant challenge to make them spicy enough for grandma)! We have an over-abundance of habaneros in our garden (all thanks to one plant) and I am trying to come up with ways to use them without burning my face (or hands) off! When I stumbled across Kitchen Konfidence, I knew that I had to make this for my grandmother (and share with my spice-loving neighbor).
At first I was not sure if I should add the bacon (by all means feel free to make this vegetarian by leaving out the bacon), but it did add a bit of ‘smokiness’ to the vodka. Play around with it & be careful with the heat (no touching your eyes) and how long you let this infuse!!
enjoy responsibly and always think before you act
Cook, drain, & cool Bacon. Slice your peppers in half. Add all solids to a mason jar (or any clean recycled glass jar you have around the house). Pour your quality vodka over top. Allow to infuse for up to 7 days – the longer you let it set, the stronger it will be.
Feel free to use this after 2 days or so (at 2-3 days I took mine out and it was more than plenty strong for me – if you like it spicier, leave it) but after about a week, take out your solids & use your infused vodka with caution & enjoy responsibly!
I wonder what else this ingredient can be be used for… I can see some sort of “Devil Drink” to be a perfect use for this Habanero Vodka for Halloween – suggestions? 
And I Leave You with this, Today’s Question of the Day… What flavors of an infused liquid have you created or do you think you would enjoy the flavor of?
