Cocktail of the Month: Tequila Mint Hot Chocolate

Since you may be home indefinitely due to the impending snow storm, there's no better way to booze up your hot chocolate than with tequila. Am I right?!

Enter Tequila Mint Hot Chocolate. The recipe contains ingredients to make fresh hot chocolate, but it also works if you just want to heat it up from the package. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• pinch kosher salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces tequila
• 2 ounces peppermint schnapps
• Whipped cream and mint leaf garnish

Instructions:

1. In medium saucepan, stir cocoa with sugar and salt. Stir in milk, milk chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Heat over medium heat until, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is hot. Gently whisk until smooth.

2. Add tequila and peppermint schnapps. Divide into serving cups and top with whipped cream and mint.

As I said, if you want to use packaged hot chocolate, simply add in the tequila, peppermint schnapps, top with whipped cream and voila! Your day stuck at home is immediately better. Cheers!

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Photo Credit: seriouseats.com 

Cocktail of the Month: Hot Buttered Rum

Looking for the perfect Christmas cocktail?  Instead of eggnog (although I love it when properly spiked), try something different.  Enter Hot Buttered Rum.  This cocktail is a great wintertime drink because it's warm, sweet and full of dark rum.  

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Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted soft butter
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 ounces of dark rum
• 3/4 cups of boiling water
• Whip cream
• Other spices to be added as desired: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger
• Vanilla ice cream*

Directions:

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and desired spices in a bowl.  Be sure to mix thoroughly.  

2. Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to a mug.  Then add the rum and top with hot water and whip cream, if desired. 

*Note: To up the ante, you can also added 2 scoops of ice cream into the butter mixture.  The butter mixture can be saved in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or longer if frozen.

While it seems like there are a lot of steps, they are well worth it.  Get into this hot buttery goodness.  You won't regret it!

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