Love Dust Shot

Sweet and fresh with a chocolate finish.

Love Dust Shot 

Ingredients

1 ounce strawberry vodka

1/2 ounce crème de cacao 

1/4 ounce rose syrup

Dash of lemon juice

Pinch of edible glitter or pink shimmer dust, for garnish

Directions

Add strawberry vodka, crème de cacao, rose syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a shot glass and top with edible glitter or shimmer dust. 

Lavender Lemon Love

A light lemony cocktail.

Lavender Lemon Love

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces vodka

1 ounce lavender syrup

1 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

2 ounces lemon lime soda or Prosecco

Lemon slices and a sprig of lavender, for garnish

Directions

Rim a rocks glass with lemon juice and dip it into sugar. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add vodka, lavender syrup, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until well chilled. Strain into the prepared glass filled with ice and top with lemon lime soda or Prosecco.

Decorate with lemon slices and a sprig of lavender.

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

The butterscotch drizzle brings out the subtle banana flavor for a sweet spin on a classic treat.

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients
Banana Cinnamon Rolls
1 cup milk
7 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 package active dry yeast
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
Olive or canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Butterscotch Drizzle
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
For the banana cinnamon rolls, heat the milk and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat when butter has melted. Let cool slightly until lukewarm.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Let sit for 10 minutes

Add the mashed bananas, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt. Slowly add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a springy dough is formed. On a lightly-floured surface, remove dough and knead for a few minutes. Coat a clean bowl with olive or canola oil. Form dough into a ball and place in bowl, seam-side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an hour, until dough doubles in size.

Remove dough from bowl. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out dough to a large rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. Preheat the oven to 350.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Pour over the dough. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the butter. Starting at the shorter end, roll into a log, seam-side down. Using a serrated knife, cut into rolls, and place in a lightly-greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake rolls in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

While rolls are baking, whisk glaze ingredients together. Set aside.

In a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, butter and cream. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add salt and vanilla. Set aside.

After banana cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, pour glaze over them. Then drizzle the butterscotch on top.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is easy to put together and makes a hearty meal.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 cup picante sauce

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 can tomatoes and green chiles

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups canned or frozen corn

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 1/3 cups water

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fresh

Sour cream for serving
Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

Combine the picante sauce, cream of chicken soup, tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, cumin, hot sauce and water in a crock pot. Add chicken and spoon the mixture over. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

When chicken is cooked, remove it from the crock pot and use 2 forks to shred it. Add the cheese and stir. Cover and cook for 15 minutes longer, Stir in cilantro and serve with additional cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

These taste similar to a traditional deviled egg with a spicy kick.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

Ingredients
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño juice
3 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Paprika, for garnish
12 slices jalapeño, for garnish
2 teaspoons chopped chives, for garnish

Directions
Peel the eggs and slice each in half, spooning the yolks into a small bowl Set aside the whites.

Use a fork or potato masher to mash the yolks. Add in the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, jalapeño juice, cayenne and salt. Stir to mix well and try to break down any of the larger lumps to make the mixture smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped pickled jalapeños.

Transfer the egg mixture to a piping bag and fill the egg halves. Garnish with a half slice of fresh jalapeño, chopped chives and a sprinkle of paprika. 

Chocolate Martini

Smooth, creamy and potent with a 

Chocolate Martini 

Ingredients
6 ounces Irish cream
4 ounces vodka
2 ounces chocolate liqueur
2 ounces chocolate syrup, plus extra for garnish

Directions

Chill 4 martini glasses.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add Irish cream, vodka, chocolate liqueur and chocolate syrup. Shake until well chilled. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with extra chocolate syrup.

Salted Toffee Orgasm

Smooth, creamy and potent

Salted Toffee Orgasm

Ingredients
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce Irish cream
1 ounce coffee liqueur
1 ounce Amaretto
2 ounce half and half
Salted caramel sauce, crushed toffee bits and sea salt. for garnish

Directions
Drizzle salted caramel syrup inside a chilled rocks glass and fill with ice. Add the vodka, coffee liqueur, and amaretto over the ice. Layer the Irish cream and the half and half on top.  Stir gently until the drink is chilled. Top with a generous sprinkle of crushed toffee bits and a pinch of sea salt.