fall

Time to Layer on the Flannel Pajamas Cocktail

November 20, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

If ever there was a winter cocktail that made you want to snuggle up inside of it, it’s my Flannel Pajamas cocktail. The only thing missing are your slippers.

Inspired by the White Russian cocktail, the ingredients poured over ice give a nod to the winter season thanks to the salted caramel vodka, Kahlua, and egg nog flavored almond milk. It tastes as good as new flannel pajamas feel on a blustery, cold day. Ignite a new log in the fireplace and plug in the Christmas tree lights to set the quintessential backdrop for sipping this drink. Just promise me you’ll share the experience with someone else because this drink shouldn’t be sipped alone.

I know you're wondering what all that crumbling goodness is on the rim. It's caramel sauce and Heath bar bits! Oh yes, I did. — I know you’re wondering what all that crumbling goodness is on the rim. It’s caramel sauce and Heath bar bits! Oh yes, I did. I purposely didn’t stir this drink for the photo, but you would want to do so before serving.

I’ve posted many drink recipes and with each post I think I’ve made a better cocktail. However, the first sip of Flannel Pajamas was an experience. I immediately took a photo of it and text about it to a couple people because I wished they were there to share it with me. It’s always an honor to hear from someone who made one of my recipes or served a drink recipe at their party. What a compliment! You, and your holiday guests, will love Flannel Pajamas. It’s just the kind of cocktail you need to serve at your White Elephant party or as an after Christmas dinner drink. Cheers and happy holidays!

It’s cold outside! Time to layer on the Flannel Pajamas

onedelightfullife.com

When it's blustery cold outside, you need to get cozy in Flannel Pajamas.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course cocktail, Drinks

Cuisine American

Ingredients

3 oz. Pinnacle Salted Caramel Vodka
3 oz. Kahlua
1 cup egg nog I used Almond Breeze Almond Milk Nog
cubed ice
1 T caramel sauce
1 finely crushed Heath candy bar

Instructions

Crush a Heath candy bar in a mortar and pestal.
Rim half of a cocktail glass with warm caramel sauce.
Dip the rim in the crushed Heath bar bits.
Fill glass with ice cubes.
Pour in salted caramel vodka, Kahula, and then egg nog to the rim.
Add a straw or stir stick and serve.

Notes

If you don't care for Heath bar, you could substitute another candy bar or use cinnamon sugar. Want to cut back on the sweet? Serve without rimming the glass or cut the egg nog in half and add half-and-half.

Easy to Make Baked Apple Slices

November 13, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Did you know that apples are a member of the rose family of plants, along with pears, peaches, plums, and cherries?

According to nyapplecountry.com, Americans eat more apples per capita than any other fruit. Why? Perhaps we know that they’re good for us. A medium-sized apple contains about 80 calories. They keep us feeling full, unlike other processed snack foods. Better yet, apples are fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free!

Clearly, I’m fascinated by the delightful qualities of apples. So much so that I tried my hand at baking apple slices this weekend. Initially, I wanted to make these bite-sized snacks to add to a copycat Panera Fuji Apple Salad (which I may still whip up), but yesterday’s chilly temperatures inspired me to add them to a bowl of warm oatmeal for breakfast. It was delicious!

My Easy to Make Baked Apple Slices make a great grab-and-go snack or a flavorful addition to salads, sandwiches, or even a bowl of ice cream. This recipe produces soft apple slices with crispy edges. I prefer to leave on the apple skin. Unlike other baked apple slices recipes online, I bake mine at a higher temperature for less time. Let me walk you through the simple steps to making apple slices.

After shooting this photo, I ended up adding natural peanut butter to my oatmeal bowl. It was a little thick, but oh so warm and delicious.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After washing each apple, remove its inside core using a melon baller. If you don’t have one, you can simply slice the apple in half and remove the core with a knife. Carefully use a mandolin slicer on the thin setting to slice each apple. Lay the apple slices on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle the apple slices with pumpkin spice.

No need to sprinkle pumpkin spice on the apple slices on both sides. One side is enough.

Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the apple slices using tongs. (They will be soft, but that’s okay. We’re not making dehydrated apples.) Bake for another 10 minutes. Note: Small end pieces of apple may begin to burn so watch them closely in the later minutes of baking. Remove as necessary. Oven temperatures vary and these instructions are meant to produce still-soft apple slices, not hard chips.

If you love apples as much as I do (ironic because I was once a teacher), then you’ll also enjoy my recipe for Salted Caramel Apple Martini or Peanut-Butterscotch Apple Nachos. Have a super apple recipe for me to try, tag One Delightful Life on Twitter or add it to the comment section below.

Hauntingly Awesome Cocktails for Your Halloween Bash

October 24, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Once every year I become someone I’m not.

Halloween is my excuse to dress up in costume. I’ve shown up at costume parties as Amy Winehouse, a 20s flapper, zombie prom queen, scarecrow, 80s chick, and queen bee. But you know what? The fang-tastic holiday will remain one of my favorite celebrations dating all the way back to my first clown costume in the kindergarten classroom party. Shout out to mom who set the bar high by sewing or helping me create my costumes from a young age.

Of course, this year’s costume is super secret until Halloween night. We won Best Costumed Couple last year as the beekeeper, queen bear, and baby bee (our dog) so the expectation for our costumes this year is intense.

Since I dress up myself and my house, of course I would dress up my Halloween themed cocktails. What’s great about these drinks is that they are super simple to make for party guests. Some of you are busy this time of year balancing trick or treat night with the kids, classroom Halloween parties, and hey…maybe your own spirited affair just for adults. You don’t have time to prep sangria fruit or brainstorm a punch bowl recipe. No worries! I’ve got you covered.

Boo-rific blood orange cocktail is made even better by adding flavored vodka. — Boo-rific Blood Orange Cocktail is made even better by adding flavored vodka.

Sometimes a holiday inspires my cocktail recipes but other times it’s just the discovery of a flavored water, juice, or soda I haven’t tried yet. Unflavored vodka isn’t sweet and goes well with just about any flavor. Every stocked home bar needs the usual well liquors: vodka, rum, whiskey, gin, and if you’re brave…tequila. My years as a bartender taught me a lesson about what people are willing to drink. Everyone has a liquor they can’t drink anymore and one that serves as their go-to spirit. Be sure to stock them all to appeal to every guest.

Batty Black Cherry Cocktail with Lime reminds me of a spiked Sonic drink. Yummo! Combine 3 oz. vodka, half a bottle of Sparkling Ice Black Cherry Natural Flavored Water (8 oz), a squeeze of lime over cubed ice. Stir gently and garnish the glass with a lime wedge.

When preparing for your Halloween party guests to arrive, simply line up dozen cocktail glasses on a long table. Station bottled liquors behind them and the mixers (juice, soda, tonic, water) nearby. Introduce theme drinks with a chalkboard menu so they know how to make them and then let them do it. Walk away! Guests don’t mind making their own drinks, which gives you more time to prepare for your costume contest.

Refreshing and not as sweet, Creepy Crisp Apple and Pear Cocktail includes the flavors of fall. Simply combine 3 oz vodka with about a half a bottle of Fuji Apple Pear Lifewater (10 0z), half a can of Jumex Pear Nectar (6.5 oz) over a cubed ice. Stir gently.

I wish you a freakishly fun Halloween night. May your drink glasses and your trick or treat baskets be full!

Let me know what you think of these cocktail recipes in the comment section below.

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