Cookin' Librarian/Day Drinking | Holiday Treats...

For those of you that might need last minute holiday treats that are pretty easy, here are a few that  Day and I made her coworkers as gifts...

Manhattan Cocktail Truffles

Ingredients

• 8 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate -- Chopped 
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream 
• 3 Tablespoons Rye Whiskey ← Day and I added more
• 1 Tablespoon, Plus 2 Teaspoons Sweet Vermouth ← We forgot to buy vermouth
• 18 to 20 Maraschino Cherries -- Stems Removed

Optional Additions

• 6 Dashes Angostura Bitters 
• Cocoa Powder
• Colored Sugar
• Sprinkles

Directions

1. Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the heavy cream to another microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High until boiling, about 2 minutes. Pour over the chocolate; let side 5 minutes, then stir until melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon rye, 2 teaspoons sweet vermouth and 3 dashes angostura bitters, if using. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. 
2. Meanwhile, put the remaining 2 tablespoons rye, 1 tablespoon sweet vermouth, 3 dashes angostura bitters, if using, and maraschino cherries in a small bowl. Let soak 1 hour; drain and pat dry. 
3. For each truffle, mold a small spoonful of chocolate mixture around 1 cherry, smoothing to cover completely; roll between your hands to form a ball. Roll in cocoa powder/colored sugar/sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to package and serve.

No-Bake Baileys Bonbons

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Baileys ← Day and I added more
• 10 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips  
• 2 Tablespoons Butter  
• 0.5 Cup, Plus 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream

Optional Additions

• Sprinkles
• Cocoa Powder

Directions

1. Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the heavy cream and butter to another microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High until boiling, about 2 minutes. Pour over the chocolate; let side 5 minutes, then stir until melted. Stir in 3 tablespoons of Baileys. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. 
2. For each bonbon,roll between your hands to form a ball. Roll in cocoa powder/sprinkles, if using. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to package and serve.

If you try the recipes lemme know how they turned out!! Happy holidays!!!

Bottles Of Champs & Hotel Parties | Brunch...

Over the weekend myself, my sister, Day, Toni, Liz and Rob went and had a brunch outing in New York City. And even though we tend to be creatures of habit we decided we need to try a different restaurant, and this time we had our brunch outing at Il Bastardo in Chelsea.

As we did last month, we woke up way too early to catch the LIRR into New York City. When we got to Penn Station we found Rob, who live near a different line than the rest of us, and then walked over to Il Bastardo. Where we had to wait on a line to get in -- Which should have been a warning.

Once we got inside Il Bastardo and were seated we knew we were under dressed but we honestly didn't care because nothing mattered but the six of us eating mediocre good food, getting tipsy (Everyone gets their own bottle of champagne or other liter beverage) and enjoying each others company. Which we did for not even exactly two hours and then our server rudely made us leave our table.

Instead of sticking around and spending more money there (Which Day, Liz and I did last time we went to brunch because we were just having the best time at Vamos Tacos & Tequila), we moved on.

Some how Liz and Day ended up in Chelsea Kennel Club looking at puppies. Annoyed, the rest of us ran across the street to Zagara Wine Bar for some wine. Eventually they joined us.

After one glass of wine each; Rob decided to head back to Long Island, while the rest of us headed downtown to the Andaz Wall Street, where one of our friends had a hotel room for the night.

We had a "sexy" hotel party for about two hours. Which just involved us drinking more, dancing around the room and making fun of our friend.

When we had our fill of oversized bathtub selfies, we walked over to a bar that I still don't remember the name of. Ate a bunch of appetizers and drank some more, before we decided it was time to go home.

So despite the fact that Il Bastardo being just meh, we had a great day with each other. And I'm pretty sure that brunch at different restaurants in New York City is going to become our other monthly (Fat Kid Dinners being the other) tradition. Which I'm not mad at...

What are your thoughts on brunch? Do you go often? Not at all? Lemme know!

PS - The original title of this blog post was going to be "Five Spanish Chicks White Girl Wasted" and then Rob decided that the was joining us and I thought better of making the title "Five Spanish Chicks & A Gay Dude White Girl Wasted." Just thought that might amuse some of you...

Tonight Tonight | New Years Eve Plans...

Tonight is the night, New Years Eve and I don't know about you guys but I don't have any crazy plans for this year's festivities. Just a chill little party at Toni and Tom's house with the normal suspects.

I mean, we'll obviously have tons of food and drinks because the bunch of us don't know how to not cook a crap-ton of food or drink in moderation when we are together. So the possibilities of a shit show and/or craziness in terms of us being us are there. Especially since the kiddies have all been sent to their grandparents' houses (No fake Netflix countdowns for us).

Day says that she has a ton of yummy cocktails lined up for the evening and that I should bring my camera over for a belated New Years Eve edition of Day Drinking. So stay tuned for that.

In addition to Day's drinks I know the rest of us are making a bunch of appetizers that we will probably eat as we bullshit with Pitbull's New Year Revolution playing in the background because we totally aren't  Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest kinda people. Plus why wouldn't we wanna see a show that has Pitbull hosting along side Terry Crews and Wendy Williams, with performances by Puff Daddy and the Family, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Prince Royce, Austin Mahone, R. City, Pia Mia and Earth, Wind & Fire. It's more our type of thing than watching Ryan Seacrest with Carrie Underwood performing (I do enjoy me a little bit of Carrie but she doesn't scream party to me).

So yeah, those are my plans for this fine evening. I'm looking forward to a nice night in with my friends. Especially since I have to wake up semi-early the next day to drive to Vermont with my sister for "Favorite Page #1's" wedding. Which I will tell you all about as soon as I'm back home.

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve! I'll talk to you next year!

Day Drinking | Belated Holiday Drinks...

Yes, you read the title right... This is a post about holiday drinks. I do realize that I am about two weeks too late but Day made all of these wonderful drinks for me to post and I didn't get a chance to because I was having car trouble right before Christmas and I ended up staying at my parents' house for a few days and I left my camera at my apartment, so I couldn't get the post done. Tons of excuses, I know.

But I figured screw it! I like alcohol. Other people like alcohol. Who cares if the drinks are technically holiday themed! Plus Day texted me the other day asking me where the post was -- My bad.

So lets get into these drinks...

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• Chocolate Syrup • Peppermint Schapps • Vodka • Godiva White Chocolate Liquor •

1. Fill a cocktail shaker half-way full with crushed ice.
2. Pour in 4 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liquor, 2 ½ oz Vodka, 1 ½ oz Peppermint Schnapps and shake until well mixed.
3. Drizzle a small amount of chocolate syrup in a spiral design inside the glass.     
4. Pour contents of shaker into the martini glass.     
5. Place a small peppermint candy cane along the edge of the glass.

• Vodka • Blue Curaçao • Sprite • Lemon Juice •

1. Fill a cocktail shaker half-way full with crushed ice. 
2. Pour in 2 oz Vodka, 2 oz Blue Curaçao, 1 ½ oz Lemon Juice and shake until well mixed. 
3. Pour contents of shaker into the glass.
4. Top off with Sprite.

• Blue Curaçao • Orange Juice • Overproof Rum • Peach Schnapps • Sprite •

1. Fill a cocktail shaker half-way full with crushed ice.
2. Pour in 3 oz Peach Schnapps, 3 oz Overproof Rum, 12 oz Orange Juice, 3 oz Blue Curacao and shake until well mixed.
3. Pour contents of shaker into the glass.
4. Top off with Sprite.

NOTE: The Grinch was everyone's favorite drink.

• Pinot Grigio • Champagne/Sparkling Wine • Ginger Ale • Cran-Pomegranate Juice •

1. Freeze cranberries, mint sprigs, and water in bottom of bundt cake pan to make a wreath and place in punchbowl.   
2. In the same bowl combine 64 oz Cran-Pomegranate Juice, 1 bottle Champagne/Sparkling Wine, 1 bottle Pino Grigio, 1 liter Ginger Ale and stir.
3. Ladle into wine glasses.

Even though the holidays are over, enjoy and make sure to do so responsibly!

Day Drinking: Saint Patrick's Day Style...

Recently Day was looking for something to do due to an increase in her free time and I suggested that since she is an excellent bartender that she do some guests posts for me on making various drinks. She agreed and thought it would be a fun thing for us to do (Plus it gives us an excuse to hang out and drink during the week), thus "Day Drinking" was born.

Since Saint Patrick's Day is tomorrow we thought that we'd kick off "Day Drinking" with a few themed drinks...

• Jaume Serra Cristalino • Midori • Orange •

The St. Paddy's Day Mimosa is a great way to start off the day in a boozy way. Pour 1oz of Midori into a champagne flute, top with a dry champagne or sparkling wine (We like Jaume Serra Cristalino because it's cheap nicely price and tastes good), garnish with a slice of orange and enjoy.

• Midori • Orange Juice • Sprite • Lime •

The Green Lantern is a great tasting drink with a cool name. In a shaker with ice mix 1.5oz of Midori, 1.5oz of Orange Juice and 1.5oz of Sprite. Shake. Pour into a whiskey glass with ice, garnish and drink away.

 • Dekuyper Sour Apple Pucker • Vodka • Lemon Juice • Simple Syrup • Sprite •

A Leprechaun Kiss is a great martini to have with the girls. In a shaker with ice mix 1oz Sour Apple Pucker, .5oz Vodka, 1oz Lemon Juice and .5oz Simple Syrup* (We used lemon simple syrup because Misfit always has some on hand for her cold brewed iced tea). Shake away. Pour into a martini glass, add a splash of Sprite or your favorite lemon-lime soda and sip away.

* To make simple syrup bring mix equal parts sugar and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, make sure all of the sugar is dissolved in the water, cool and enjoy in various beverages.

• Creme de Menthe • Baileys Irish Cream • Jameson Irish Whiskey •

To create this ode to the Irish flag in a shot glass you have to carefully layer Jameson on top of Baileys on top of Creme de Menthe (I recommend pouring the liquor very slowly or over the back of a spoon). Say your favorite Irish toast and knock it back.

Our favorite Irish toasts from Irish Toasts by Karen Bailey...

Here's a health to your enemies' enemies!

  • • • • • • •
May you live to be a hundred years,
With one extra year to repent.

Enjoy and make sure to do so responsibly!

NOTE: This is not a sponsored post. This is just the booze Day and I like to drink minus that vodka, we got that because it was cheap and we needed it for that one drink. But as always, if someone wants to sponsor me that would be awesome.