I found this incredible, impressive recipe for Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters on the Bakers Royale site and it’s too fun not to share:

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shooters

Yields 24-30 Shooters

Strawberry Prep
1. Cut the bottoms of the strawberry flat to get them to stand upright – just don’t create a hole at the bottom

2. Use a melon baller or apple corer to empty out the strawberry guts

3. Once emptied, use a towel to pat the outside of the strawberries dry

4. Check each strawberry for holes before you start filling

Margarita Mix
3 oz Box Strawberry Jell-O
8 oz tequila, preferably reposado or blanco
6 oz Cointreau
Salt for garnish

Instructions
1. Boil one cup of hot water in a saucepan, add in Jell-O powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved (about 2 minutes) then set aside

2. Measure out 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside

3. Combine tequila and Cointreau, in cocktail shaker filled with ice

4. Add liquor mixture to cold water and stir to combine

5. Add cold liquor mixture to hot Jell-O mixture and stir to combine

6. Pour final Jell-o mix into strawberries and chill overnight

7. Dip your finger in water or use a moistened brush to wet the edge of the strawberries, dip and rotate the strawberries in salt to rim

8. Garnish with cut lime triangles to finish

TAGS [ JELLO SHOTS | JELLO SHOOTERS | MARGARITA | DRINK RECIPES | JELLO SHOT RECIPES ]

In reviewing beer and cocktail news over the week, I happened upon an article on chicagotribune.com touting new beer cocktails that simply blow the standard shandy clear out of the water. The recipe for Gran Inka really caught my interest, so I decided to share it with you. It’s got such an interesting flavor combination that I’ve absolutely got to try it.

Gran Inka

¾ oz hot pepper-infused pisco (see below)
¼ oz ginger liqueur
1 dash grapefruit bitters
4 oz amber ale
Lemon twist, for garnish

Fill a mixing glass about ¾ of the way with ice and add pisco, ginger liqueur and bitters. Stir well, until cold. Slowly add cold beer and stir for about 10 seconds. Strain into a pilsner glass and top off with more beer, if necessary. Slide your lemon twist over the rim of the glass, garnish and enjoy.

To create hot pepper-infused pisco:

Add 3 or 4 sliced of jalapeno or serrano peppers, with seeds, to a 750ml bottle of pisco. Let stand at room temperature for at least 3 days (the longer it stands, the spicier it will be).

TAGS [ BEER COCKTAIL | BEER COCKTAILS | GRAN INKA | DRINK RECIPES ]

Champagne is oftentimes a person’s first thought when pondering celebratory drinks, but it shouldn’t be relegated to only such events. One of my very best friends even pops a bottle when she comes by for a swim.

Just as champagne shouldn’t only be drank in celebration, it shouldn’t always have to be enjoyed all on its own. Champagne makes an exquisite base in cocktails. In fact, it’s been a classic cocktail ingredient since before the turn of the (19th) century. Try your hand at concocting the very same Champagne Cocktail as was enjoyed in the classic film, Casablanca.

Champagne Cocktail
1 bitters-soaked sugar cube
1 oz brandy or cognac
Brut champagne
Twist of lemon, for garnish

Place your sugar cube on top of the bitters bottle. While holding it in place with your finger, flip the bottle upside down until the sugar cube is saturated. Drop the sugar cube into a champagne flute and add your cognac or brandy. Top with Brut champagne, garnish with lemon and enjoy.

TAGS [ COCKTAILS | RECIPES | CHAMPAGNE ]