Frozen Margarita Pie
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup finely crushed pretzels (or chopped in a food processor)
¼ cup sugar
Filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
⅓ cup frozen Bacardi Margarita Mix, thawed
2 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
green food coloring, as needed (optional)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Bacardi Margarita Mix, thawed
1 tablespoon tequila

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix crushed pretzels and sugar together in a bowl, stir in butter until evenly incorporated. Spoon mixture into a 9-inch pie plate, press into bottom and up sides of plate to form a firm, even crust.

Bake curst in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Mix sweetened condensed milk, Bacardi mix, tequila, orange liqueur, and food coloring in a large bowl.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat cream, 2 tablespoons Bacardi mix and 1 tablespoon of tequila, until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream mixture into sweetened condensed milk mixture. When crust is cooled, spoon filling into crust.

Cover pie with plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 4 hours.

3 Irish Men Cupcakes
adapted by pinch.my.salt originally adapted by David Leberman

Cupcake Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup sour cream, or yogurt
6 ounces Guiness Beer
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons Jameson Whisky
2 tablespoons butter

Frosting:
1 stick of butter, soften
3 cups confectionary sugar
4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 tablespoons Bailey’s

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with liners and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix eggs and sugar until creamy. Add melted butter, sour cream, beer and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. In a separate bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and soda, whisk until combined. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mix until smooth, about 2 minutes at medium speed.

Fill cupcake liners ¾ of the way full. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out dry.

Let cupcakes cool, about 10 minutes, before transferring to a cooking rack.

While cupcakes are cooking, in a small sauce pan heat cream over medium high heat until its warm, but not boiling. Chop chocolate into small chunks and place in a medium sized bowl. Add butter (in small chunks) to chocolate and butter. Stir until it melts and becomes cool. Add in your whiskey and set aside to firm up a bit, about 10-15 minutes.

While the ganache is cooling, use a small circular cookie cutter, or melon baller, and remove a small portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill the center with ganache using a small scoop or piping bag.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, about a cup at a time. Once the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is smooth, add in the baileys, mix until completely smooth. Place the frosting into a piping bag or zip lock bag (cutting a small edge) and frost the cupcakes.

Cucumber Vodka Watermelon Jello Shooters
Ingredients:

1 12–16 pound watermelon
4 cups cucumber vodka
4 3-ounce boxes Jolly Rancher Watermelon Jell-O mix
2 1-ounce boxes unflavored gelatin

Preparation:

1. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the watermelon into two equal halves, lengthwise.

2. Use your knife to slice all the way around the perimeter of the watermelon flesh, about an inch from the rind. Be careful not to pierce through the skin, as this will lead to your Jell-O leaking out. Then use a kitchen spoon to scrape out the rest and create a smooth bowl with roughly 1/2-inch red watermelon flesh left on the rind.

3. Line two small, rimmed baking sheets with paper towels in a way that creates a bed for your watermelon bowls. The idea is to create enough support to keep the watermelon bowls from rolling at all while they’re in the fridge. Put one bowl in the center of each tray and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Jell-O mix and the unflavored gelatin. Add 4 cups of boiling water and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the vodka all at once and whisk just to combine.

5. Pour the Jell-O mixture into the watermelon bowls, dividing evenly. Carefully place the Jell-O filled watermelon bowls in the fridge, and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

6. When Jell-O is set, cut each half into 1-inch slices, crosswise, then cut each slice into 2–3 wedges, and serve.

Happy Friday and Bon Appetito!

Must Have Boozy Desserts for Any Party


For those of you who purchased my calendar, here is the one I know you have been waiting for….the perfect cheesecake.  Enjoy!!!

Bailey's Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
2.25 ounces toasted pecan pieces
1 16 ounce package Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted

In a skillet over medium high heat, toast pecans until slightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place Oreo’s in a food processor and process until finely crumbled. Add toasted pecan pieces and process for a few seconds. Combine melted butter and Oreo mixture. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 7 minutes.

4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Bailey’s Coffee Liquor
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add Bailey’s and mix untiled blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth.

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, melted

Pour 1/2 of the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle 1/2 of the melted chocolate over the cheesecake. Using a knife, swirl the chocolate over the top. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake mixture and melted chocolate.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cake cool in the oven for one hour with the door closed to prevent cracking. Refrigerate overnight…best made one or two days before serving.

Buon Appetito!!!

Bailey’s Marbled Cheesecake


Bailey’s Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

For bosses day (October 16) I was going to make Pete (my boss) a pumpkin cheesecake…just seems to be the season for that, well, good thing he told me he was making one over the weekend to bring to an event (he loves sweets)….so, I had to rethink my strategy. Lately he’s been talking about having a little Bailey’s once in a while after dinner….hummm, I can make a cheesecake with that…so here it is…..if you have never made a cheesecake, it really is very easy…here are a few helpful hints…place a sheet pan in the bottom of the oven and fill with about one inch of water; after cake has finished cooking, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly open for one hour. Both of these helpful hints will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking….also if you like, whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons (or more) of Baileys for a little topping….Enjoy!

Bailey’s Marbled Cheesecake

2.25 oz. toasted pecan pieces
1 16 oz. package Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted

In a dry skillet over medium high heat, toast pecans until slightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place Oreo’s in a food processor and process until finely crumbled. Add toasted pecan pieces and process for a few seconds. Combine melted butter and Oreo mixture. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9” spring form pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 7 minutes.

4 8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Bailey’s Coffee Liquor
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add Bailey’s and mix untiled blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth.

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, melted

Pour 1/2 of the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle 1/2 of the melted chocolate over the cheesecake. Using a knife, swirl the chocolate over the top. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake mixture and melted chocolate.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cake cool in the oven for one hour with the door slightly open to prevent cracking. Refrigerate overnight…best made one or two days before serving.