Milky Way Martini

I recently made this for fun, mostly because I bought the flavored vodkas and needed to use them. LOL. It's simple, easy and very yummy!

**Keep in mind that all the measurements in this recipe, especially for the vodkas, are up to you. This is basically a guideline. If you're a teetotaller, I'd start off on the easy side and not make this drink that strong to start with. Baby steps... ;)

Milky Way Martini

Ingredients:

• Cocktail shaker
• Shot glass or jigger
• 1-2 Tbsp simple syrup (depending on taste)
• Caramel-flavored vodka
• Chocolate-flavored vodka
• Whipping cream (not the stuff in a can, the real stuff before it's whipped) ;)
• Chocolate syrup (Hershey's or your favorite brand)

Directions:

Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the simple syrup. (Amount is to taste. If you like your drinks sweeter, go with 2 Tbsp.) Add 1-1½ shots of caramel vodka. Add 1-2 shots of chocolate vodka. Add a shot of whipping cream, then add a small squirt of chocolate syrup for color. Close lid tightly, then shake vigorously until well-blended. Strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Makes 1 martini.

Don't know what "Simple Syrup" is or how to make it? See the super-simple recipe here.

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GBAdams
08/17/2017

Caramel Pull-Apart Breakfast Bread

Here's a recipe I only glimpsed at on Pinterest.  It didn't even occur to me to pin it.  What was I thinking??  I did think it was a neat idea, but didn't take the time to look at the full text of the recipe.  I really should have, as my first attempt ended with less than stellar results. Then, after doing a little research, I realized I needed a liquid component in order for the brown sugar to caramelize.  The recipe I did manage to find said to use basic pancake syrup, but in my opinion, that would have produced such a strong flavor that would have detracted from what I was ultimately trying to achieve.  Since I already have a recipe for a brown sugar sauce topping (which should be made far enough ahead of time that it can cool completely, even the day before), I thought I'd try that and see how that worked.  Bingo! Out came one of the best caramel toppings I've made yet.  :)  Woohoo.  You can even use a little more than I've indicated here, depending on how gooey & sweet you want it to be.  Also, the nuts are totally optional, but when I added them, it made a HUGE difference for the better, so I highly recommend adding pecans, if you can.  One thing I should add is that the first time I made it with the caramel sauce, we were on vacation up in Breckenridge, and with the exception of the Bundt pan, I was using the cooking utensils that were provided with the hotel room.  (It had a full kitchen.)  So that should tell you how easy this recipe is to make.  :)

With the exception of my first attempt, my family really enjoyed all the subsequent attempts of this bread.  My 3-year-old especially loved the ooey-gooey caramel sauce.  Big surprise. LOL.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as they did...  :)

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Ingredients:
Make ahead: Brown Sugar Sauce Topping

1 can Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers (or similar)
⅓ & ¼ Cups Brown Sugar Sauce
½ C brown sugar, packed
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ C chopped pecans (optional)
1-2 Tbsp super-thinly sliced butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.  Generously spray the bottom third of a Bundt pan with cooking spray. Spread the thinly-sliced butter throughout the bottom.  Evenly pour ⅓ of the brown sugar sauce into the pan, and add half of the pecans (optional).  Set aside.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Open biscuit can, separate individual biscuits.  Thoroughly roll & cover each biscuit all over in brown sugar mix and then layer, staggered, at the bottom of the Bundt pan.

Add remainder of pecans (if desired) and use some of the remaining brown sugar mix to spread over the top of the biscuits.  Drizzle the rest of the brown sugar sauce over the entire pan.

Place in pre-heated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until top of the biscuits are deep golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes.  Invert pan over a large plate, tapping several times to loosen the biscuits. (Be careful, hot caramel can stick and give you severe burns.)  If necessary, use a fork to help loosen biscuits from the pan.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

This is how the bread looks without nuts. It was my first attempt using the brown sugar sauce.

Makes 8 servings.

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GBAdams
12/29/2012

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake

I started this dessert with a basic New York-style cheesecake recipe, and modified it to incorporate mashed pumpkin & pumpkin pie spices. Sort of a regular pumpkin pie, made all the more decadent by the addition of cream cheese.  I think it turned out decently...although next time around I won't use as much caramel sauce. (I used the entire jar on my cake; for the recipe that follows, I reduced it by half.)

I've seen other recipes for pumpkin cheesecakes, but nothing like this one.  It's a relatively simple mixture, and there's no bourbon or whiskey incorporated like others I've seen out there. (Although that may be something I experiment with in the future!)  Try it...I hope you enjoy it like my Thanksgiving guests all did!  :)

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Ingredients:
Crust - 
1¼ C graham crackers (2 packages of a 14.4-oz box)
6 Tbsp melted butter or margarine
¼ C sugar
½ t salt

Filling - 
2 lbs cream cheese (4 - 8oz packages)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
½ C sugar
½ C packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
½ t salt
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1¼ Tbsp lemon juice
½ can cooked, mashed pumpkin (7-8 oz)
1 C (8 oz) caramel topping for ice cream (such as Mrs. Richardson's or Smuckers)
pinch gourmet sea salt (optional)

Will need a 9" or 10" springform cake pan.

Directions:
In a food processor, crumble up graham crackers until they have been reduced to very fine crumbs.  (Can also be done using a gallon ziploc and a rolling pin.)  The finer the crumbs, the more even your crust will be.  Add sugar, salt and melted butter.  Mix until butter is well-blended in the crumbs.  Press mixture into the bottom of a springform pan; try to make the bottom as packed in and even as possible.  Place in refrigerator to firm up.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Beat cream cheese in a mixer until smooth.  In the meantime, combine beaten eggs, sugars, salt, pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice and mashed pumpkin.  Mix well.  Add to cream cheese slowly.  Sides of bowl and beater blades will have to be scraped, as the cream cheese is denser and stickier than the liquid mixture.  Once the entire thing is well-blended (meaning there aren't a lot of cream cheese clumps visible), pour into chilled springform pan. Place pan onto a cookie sheet and bake for 1½ hours.  Cheesecake is done when top has cracked and center has solidified (i.e. is no longer "jiggly").  Remove and cool completely, 2-3 hours.

When cheesecake is cooled, use a butter knife to loosen cake from the sides of the springform pan.  Release cake from pan and place onto serving plate.  Spoon 1 C caramel topping onto top of cheesecake and spread evenly over the top, alowing it to spill over the sides a little.  (Sauce might need to be warmed up for a few seconds [30-60] in the microwave in order for it to reach spreadable viscosity.)  Optional sea salt can be sparsely sprinkled over top of sauce.  Slice cake and serve.

Makes 12 servings.

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GBAdams
11/25/2011