Cocktail Hour

With Erin of the Tylwyth from Goblin Fires

Heyla, Wayfarers!

Erin here, goblin handmaiden of the Lady Ceridwen. Our bartender Katarina had some hoity-toity cider martini on tap for today's cocktail hour, but I accidentally misplaced her recipe card. So while she's digging through old bar statements and her secret trivia notes, it looks like it's up to me to serve up something decadent and delicious. So today On Tap, allow me to suggest the candy-coated, chocolat-y, crazy saccheriferous...

Vanilla-Fudge-Mocha-Cafe-Brownie-topped Freakshake!

Ready to lose your mind from sugar overdose?

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 oz Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
4 oz milk
2 oz coffee
1 square of chocolate brownie
Whipped cream
4 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
4 tbsp Nutella spread
1 tbsp chocolate sauce
Optional caramel drizzle
4 tbsp sprinkles (round rainbow ones are my favorite!)

Using a tablespoon, smear Nutella spread inside a mason jar mug and over the rim. Drizzle caramel sauce inside the glass if desired, then roll the rim in sprinkles. Blend ice cream, coffee, Baileys and milk to a smooth consistency, then pour into glass. Whip the cream, or if you're like me and you like your whipped cream really light and airy, simply give your drink a healthy shot of Reddi-Whip. Top with more ice cream, whipped cream, a chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce and more sprinkles.

Enjoy the best sugar rush of your life!

Pumpkin Fudge Bites

(Original recipe from AllRecipes.com)

What goes great with mountains of mind-numbing sugar? More sugar, of course!

Great for Halloween parties or just whenever you feel like bingeing on something really bad for you, I've picked out some delectable pumpkin fudge bites to help you along toward your inevitable candy coma.

2/3 cups evaporated milk

2 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup white chocolate chips

7 oz marshmallow crème

2 tbs butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

Line a 9x9 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. Mix in pumpkin and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, for 18 minutes. Remove saucepan from the heat and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour white chocolate chips in a large bowl, then pour fudge mixture over them. Let stand 5 minutes to allow white chocolate to soften; stir until smooth. Mix in marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla, stir until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into squares (or, if you're feeling festive, use cookie cutters to dice into fun autumn-y shapes!)

Watching your sugar?

(Original recipe from DiabeticLiving.com)

If you're like our favorite Lady Knight, Reagan, and not such a fan of sweet, sugary tastes, you can always mix up her favorite cocktail,

Spicy Tomato and Basil Bloody Mary

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped heirloom tomatoes

5 large fresh basil leaves

Ice cubes

3 oz pepper vodka

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8-1/4 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce (Reagan likes it really spicy!)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Pimento olives to garnish

Cucumber spears (optional)

Blend tomatoes and the large basil leaves. Cover and blend until smooth, then chill for 30 to 60 minutes. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the mixture through the sieve, using a spatula to press the liquid through (you should have about 1 cup strained liquid, depending on the tomatoes). Discard the pulp.

Add a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and pour the strained liquid into the shaker. Add vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salt, celery salt, and black pepper to the shaker. Cover and shake. Strain into two glasses. Garnish with two pimento olives each and cucumber spears.

You can also mix up a little extra salt, celery salt and ground pepper to rim the glass.