Every year around St. Patrick’s Day a box of Lucky Charms falls into my shopping cart. It is a funny thing, most of the year it is granola or healthy fiber filled cereals playing the role of breakfast champion in my house, but not as March approaches! While I am sure there is a leprechaun hanging out at the local grocery store, my decision to take my love of Lucky Charms and combine it with another childhood favorite… an ice cream shake! But, of course, let’s be adult about this, and add some booze for a Boozy Lucky Charm Cereal Shake!
Note: I say the above fully tongue in cheek. The most adult thing to do is to know when and when not to drink alcohol and be safe about imbibing. This drink is absolutely delightful without the alcohol. It is not a low-calorie or low-sugar drink however. It should be an occasional treat!
How to make Cereal Milk
This St. Patrick’s Day Boozy Shake only has a few ingredients but does take a little time to really get it right. The time is to create the “Cereal Milk” ingredient. It is literally the BEST part of cereal as a child… the flavor of the milk after you’ve eaten all the cereal and you’re drinking it up out of the bowl! And, it is an easy step. Simply add the cereal to milk and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Strain for use in your shake.
Cherry and chocolate belong together. It is a fact and there is no disputing it. They especially go together on Valentine’s Day (despite Cherries not being in season in my area). Black Forest Cake is my favorite cake and so when I started to think about a chocolate martini to serve for Valentine’s Day I naturally wanted to lean into trying to create a Black Forest Martini.
When creating this cocktail I knew I wanted it to have the essence of Black Forest Cake without going too far into dessert territory. The key to a good chocolate martini though is to not allow it to be too sweet. If a chocolate martini is so sweet that feels like you’re drinking dessert, you’re done with the meal and ready for bed before the night has even started. Also, I knew that adding in cherry could be a dangerous mix. Some cherry cordials or cherry syrups can just make your cocktail taste like a bad nostalgic take on children’s medication. I needed to find a balanced mix that wasn’t overwhelming nor cloyingly sweet, but still taste like cherries and chocolate.
The secret to not going overboard in the sweetness department was using good quality ingredients and ingredients that didn’t rely on sugar to carry flavor. I used a dark chocolate syrup rather than a sweeter milk chocolate. Cherry bitters and cherry liqueur carry the cherry flavor and scent rather than a grenadine.
Black Forest Cocktail — Cherry Chocolate Martini Recipe
Black Forest Cocktail
Jenni
A delicious dessert cocktail reminiscent of the traditional black forest cake where chocolate and cherry create a decadent treat.
2-3maraschino cherries on a bamboo skewerfor garnish
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Take a chilled martini glass and swirl the glass with chocolate syrup
Add ice to a shaker
Top the ice with 1 ounce of vodka, 1 ounce of half and half, 3/4 ounce cherry liqueur, 1/2 ounce chocolate liqueur, and a few dashes of cherry bitters.
Shake the mixture over ice, strain into chocolate drizzled martini glass
Garnish with maraschino cherries
Keyword cocktail, drink
Saving I love you to someone is one of the most important things you can do. It has meaning every time. Whether you are celebrating the love you have of your friends, your partner, or yourself… this cherry and chocolate martini, this Black Forest Cocktail will be.a drink worth celebrating that love.
I love love. I also love cherries and chocolate. 😉
The end of the year is here. Again. And, if you’re like me, you’re not going out for the evening but rather, staying in and inviting others to join you! Per our usual style, we are inviting our family and a few friends over to enjoy an evening of delicious foods, sparkling cocktails, and board games while we wait to ring in the New Year together. Need a few last minute ideas to throw together the best New Year’s Eve party in a pinch? Look no further! Watch my recent spot with KATU’s Afternoon Live and read below for my tips!
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I feel like the entire year of 2024 has been last minute and behind. And, this year is no different. While I have a strong plan for tomorrow, my actual preparation time has been limited by work, life, and all the things that can get in the way of these things. But, by 6 PM on the 31st, ready or not, I’ll have a house full of people who don’t really care about much of anything other than getting to spend time together celebrating and having a good time. I’d still like to wow them a bit, and I’m sure you feel the same when people come to your home!
Decadent & Easy to Make Bites for New Year’s Eve
One of my favorite things to do for a NYE party is to serve an evening full of delicious appetizers and finger foods. I love to make them a bit fancy. Suggestions include:
Do some of these rich and decadent appetizers with a great charcuterie board, vegetable platter, and a selection of sweets and you’re set for your last-minute New Year’s Eve menu needs.
Layer on the Sparkle and Shine for NYE Decor
My favorite thing about New Year’s Eve is the excuse for sparkle. I mean, to be fair, I don’t need an excuse. But, what I love about this holiday is EVERYONE enjoys the sparkle. Gold and silver, sequins and mirror balls, twinkle lights and candle lights… it all goes!
Household Items to Gather for Last Minute NYE Decor
Dig into your holiday decor and pull out all the white lights, white/gold/silver bulbs and baubles, and any and all tinsel available! No need to go out and buy new things, dig into your holiday decor and I bet you find a few things that’ll pile together to make great elements to set your New Year’s Eve party apart.
Find every single clock in your house and pull them together. The thing about NYE is that everyone is counting down to one single time. Midnight. Bring out all your clocks and utilize them throughout the party space.
Utilize white, silver, gold, and black linens and paper goods to layer together a cohesive look.
Cut off the top of balloons and slip them on stemless glassware to give glassware a custom look. You can then write on then balloons with a paint pen to mark glassware!
If you want to add in another color —DO IT! Use all the tips above to add in some fun color.
New Year’s Eve Cocktails
Whether you are spending the evening with kids and celebrating with the best mocktails available or with friends enjoying a great cocktail… New Year’s Eve is the time to bring out the drinks! My favorite tip to make sparkling cocktails or sparkling mocktails even more sparkly and delicious is to garnish them with a stick of rock candy*. It adds a special and sweet twist to a traditional drink. Need cocktail ideas? Check out these great recipes!
NYE Cocktail Recipes
Bourbon Apple Punch: A good punch is fantastic for a NYE party with friends at home. They can serve themselves and still get feeling of having a crafted cocktail!
Spiced Negroni Cocktail: This cocktail is tart and spicy and delicious. It is not for the weak. If you need a lighter cocktail, for sure cut this one with soda water!
Classic Manhattan: The classics are classic for a reason. This one is perfect for the new year. Subtle, sweet, and nuanced. Search for your word of the year deep in one of these!
Hopefully this post serves as a helpful tool for a.quickly thrown together ( but who would know that!?) NYE celebration. Wishing you and yours the best in the new year!
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