Autumn in a Glass

Happy Friday and the First Official Day of Fall! I can't believe it's already fall, but here in Kansas City, it feels like we're in the middle of July! It's hot, ya'll! 

Regardless of the heat, I'm embracing fall and all that comes with it. And when I think of fall, I think of apple picking, apple pies, making homemade apple butter, and making candy apples. You can see that apples are a fall favorite over here. And because it's Friday, why not celebrate with an apple inspired cocktail that I'm calling Autumn in a Glass! Want one? Then keep reading!

Here's what you'll need:

You're favorite Brandy, Vanilla Vodka, Simple Syrup with apple pie spice, Sweetened Condensed Milk, and Whipped Cream

In a glass filled with ice, add a shot of Brandy.

Then add a shot of Vanilla Vodka.

Into the that, add two large spoonfuls of the simple syrup with apple pie spice and a tablespoon of the sweetened condensed milk. Stir. 

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of apple pie spice on top!

Isn't it so pretty? And it's so good! Nothing like a little autumn in a glass over ice to help combat the heat! 

Cheers!!

XO,

Andrea

Mama Drinks: The Bloody Eyeball

With Halloween right around the corner, I started thinking about fun and spirited cocktails. While browsing through my parents liquor cabinet, I found orange liqueur and vanilla vodka. Blood orange came to mind and then I took it a step further.....Bloody Eyeball. Gross right? But tasty at the same time!

Here is what you'll need:

Orange Liqueur, Vanilla Vodka, Simple Syrup, Peeled Grapes, Red Food Color, Club Soda (not pictured)

Add one shot of orange liqueur and another shot of vanilla vodka to a glass filled with ice. Add a splash or two of the simple syrup.

Add several drops of red food color to the drink and watch it swirl around the drink. So cool!! 

Peel grapes to resemble an eyeball. Poke a small hole in the center of the grape and add a drop of red food color to the hole. Watch it spread..... Plop it into the glass!

I added a little cupcake pick to the grape for a little added decoration. Such a cute, eerie drink!

 

Just look at that "eyeball" floating around in your drink. If you want to make it even more realistic, purchase a bag of fake eyeballs. Just wash them before adding them to your drink. Totally gross!

Side Ingredient: Upon tasting the cocktail, it was a little sweet. We added club soda to cut the sweetness and it was perfect! 

I have another concoction up my sleeve for next week! We need to get our spells ready for the big night, right?

Cheers!

XO, 

Andrea

Mama Drinks: Chilled Tiramisu

It was a typical Tuesday morning, I woke up before the sun, although it's not really rising until roughly 7:00 these days, so that's not hard to do. I was lounging in bed, browsing through Facebook, taking it easy while taking my time getting out of bed. McKinley rose around 6:30 and woke up in a mood. My easy morning immediately came to a hault. Cue the screeching sound of brakes! Good Morning!

From there it went downhill. He lost TV privileges last night after crying and gagging over eating cooked carrots, and this morning he lost video privileges for the rest of the day. And when I say he lost videos, this is huge! He loves to watch the Zamboni song video, Axel and Daddy YouTube videos, and TwentyTrucks, so this is big! So what prompted me taking away such privileges first thing this morning? Well let me tell you. Do you have your coffee in hand? Settle in.....

He has started the sing song phase of "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" and he sings it for everything. I took away PJ Masks on Disney because I think that started the whole thing. But now he's taken it to a whole different level. "Nanny nanny boo boo. It's all because of you." That's sung to me often when he gets mad about something I've told him to/asked him to do. And I've tried to brush it off, but it's gone too far. Then there's the blowing raspberry sound! Again, when he's mad, he makes that awful noise. I have put him on the stairs for it numerous times, but only when it's used in anger. But today was the breaking point. After he decided to blow a raspberry, on my way out of his room this morning (for something I can't even remember now), I broke. I went back in his room, spoke sternly (with a slightly raised voice), and proceeded to take away videos. And I told him that for every raspberry he blows from this point forward, videos will be gone another day. I will not be disrespected, especially at 6:30 in the morning!

So now it's 8:45, he's happy as a lark at school, and I'm drained! And I'm currently dreaming of this Chilled Tiramisu drink I made last week! I think I've earned it after the morning I endured! I'm thinking I will make a pot of coffee later this afternoon, let it come to room temp, and get ready for this drink around 5:00! In the meantime, let's talk about it.

Here's What You Need:

Coffee (cold or hot), Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, Vanilla Vodka, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Syrup

Add coffee to a glass filled with ice. If you're making this hot, which I know will be amazing, add your hot coffee to a mug.

Add a shot of Kahlua to the coffee.

Add a shot of the Vanilla Vodka to the Kahlua and coffee. Stir.

Add a dollop, or more, of whipped cream and then drizzle with chocolate syrup. Or, you can be super fancy and add shaved chocolate instead.

And there you have it! A Chilled Tiramisu! It's incredible and incredibly dangerous so sip responsibly. And when I say responsibly, just make sure you have no where to go later because you're going to want to just sit, sip, and enjoy!

Cheers!

XO,

Andrea

Mama Drinks: Two Ginger Beer Cocktails

With fall weather finally here, I've been thinking more and more about fall cocktails. I had apple cider on the brain and really wanted to mix it with ginger beer. Guess what? I didn't have any apple cider on hand. Apple brandy? Nope. So, my mom and I brainstormed about flavors that mixed well with ginger and it turns out most berries work. And in true research form, I made two cocktails just to make sure. That's right, it's a two for one post with one main ingredient, ginger beer.

Cherry Ginger Cocktail

Here's what you need:

Cherry Liqueur, Ginger Beer (we used Crabbie's), Club Soda 

Add a shot to an ice filled glass. Or in my case, over pour a shot and have it run all over the place!

Add the ginger beer leaving a little room at the top for the club soda.

 

Add a splash of club soda for a little extra fizz and to cut the sweetness. Stir and enjoy!!

Creme de Cassis Ginger Cocktail 

Here's what you need:

Creme de Cassis, Ginger Beer, Club Soda (optional)

Add a shot of the Cassis to an ice filled glass.

Fill with ginger beer and stir. I opted not to add the club soda to this version.

I love the color! This was our favorite, but we had my dad test both, and he sided with the Cherry Ginger Beer Cocktail. Why you ask? Because it wasn't as sweet. Turns out the club soda really does cut the sweetness, so add a splash if you want something a little more refreshing. And he was right. Once we added a splash to the Cassis version, it really did change the taste! 

Both of these drinks were delicious! If you aren't one for ginger beer, you need to give it a shot. A shot of liquor that is! I am still going to try it with apple cider because I'm thinking it would be divine. And, I'm even thinking something on the pumpkin spice wagon as well. I mean when in fall, right?

 Hope you guys enjoy them! Till next cocktail time, cheers!

XO, 

Andrea

 

 

Mama Drinks: Apple Cider Cocktail

Happy First Day of Fall! Here in Kansas City, it doesn't feel anything like fall, but next week things are changing! I'm not really ready to say goodbye to summer, but I do love this time of year. All the fall festivals are in full swing, visiting pumpkin patches where we pick our fair share of variety of pumpkins for the front stoop, and yummy fall drinks. And I'm not just talking about pumpkin spice drinks! However, I do have one of those I'll be sharing. But today, I'm talking about apple cider!

This drink was inspired by our apple picking trip several weeks ago. It's too hot for a warm apple cider, but it is warm enough for an iced drink! And that's what I'm bringing you. An iced versions of an Apple Cider Cocktail.

 Here's what you need:

Apple Jam/Jelly, Cinnamon Simple Syrup, Vodka, Club Soda

Let's talk about the cinnamon simple syrup. I made my own, but I guess you could buy some. To make it you need a cup of water, a cup of sugar, and one cinnamon stick. Allow the sugar to dissolve in the water over a low heat. The cinnamon stick will infuse at the same time in the water. Allow the mixture to cool before removing the cinnamon stick and use. You can store this in the fridge for a couple of weeks in an air tight container. Would be so good in your morning coffee for a little taste of added warmth. Or yummy in a bowl of oatmeal!

And while we're talking about the ingredients, seen below, I will now talk about the apple jam/jelly. I had a little remaining in my jar, not enough to use on toast, so I decided to use it in a cocktail. Place a tablespoon or so of jam into a bowl and add a little bit of water. Stir to combine and then heat for a few seconds at a time in the microwave. You want the jam to be thin but not soupy. You still want to see the color in the cocktail. Set aside.

Fill your glass with ice and add several teaspoons of the apple jam mixture to the bottom of the glass.

Add a shot of vodka or more to taste.

Fill the remaining glass with club soda and top with the cinnamon simple syrup. Mix well. You want to make sure you get all that apple jam mixture from the bottom of the glass. Top with a slice of dried apple or apple chip! 

Sip and enjoy!

Another great apple substitute would be apple cider beer or apple brandy!

I loved this drink and I'm ready to make it again soon. There is nothing like fall when blended with apple, cinnamon, and vodka!

Cheers!

XO,

Andrea 

Welcome to This Kansas City Mama

Hello Everyone!! I am so excited to welcome you to the first ever post with This Kansas City Mama! I've been thinking about this kind of blog for a while, and with a "Leap of Faith" kind of attitude I've got going for me these days, I just decided to go for it!

This Kansas City Mama is all over the metro. McKinley and I are on constant adventures. If we're not at the Deanna Rose Farmstead, we're at the Kansas City Zoo. We live at Crown Center and Union Stations on rainy days and ride all the rides in Planet Snoopy at World's of Fun in the summer. We seek out new things to do all the time and I plan to share all the fun things this city as to offer. And it won't all be child's play. The hubs and I like to get out from time to time, and This Kansas City Mama will share those outings as well. 

With this space, I hope to share with you my ups and downs of motherhood. How I'm dealing with bad attitudes and rewarding awesome behavior. How I want to kiss McKinley's face off all the time, but how I want to lock myself in my room and hide under the covers on other days. Instead, I concoct Mama Drinks and they're pretty tasty too! I'll be sharing those recipes with all of you. 

 

Again, it's a space to share! However, I won't accept judgment. Any comments related to how you don't like my mothering skills will be deleted. Cyber bullying will not be tolerated!

As many of you know, I wrote a personal style blog for roughly six years, so the fashion side of things will spill over. I mean, I can't give up the fashionista inside of me. I'm not one to wear gym clothes or leggings while running errands, and I would wear a ball gown to lunch if given the opportunity, so I'll be sharing my Mama Style File with all of you. Just little styling tidbits about how to look cute, and trendy, while at the zoo. You can still look fashionable in the carpool lane or drive-thru at Starbucks. If you don't believe me, I'll show you how!

For the most part, this blog is simply my way of sharing my life with whoever wants to read about it. I'm the kind of girl that needs at least 10 irons in the fire, a creative outlet, and someone to talk to. I hope that someone is you!

Can't wait to chat more! 

XO,

Andrea