Jamaican Breeze

Welcome to the first cocktail I ever invented!

Jamaican Breeze
 
1 cup Jamaica Tea
1 shot vodka
1 shot Tuaca - a vanilla-orange liquour
Ice

Shake together in a martini shaker, or simply combine in a glass and stir.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

I've seen a few blogs with instructions on how to make your own vanilla extract but I can't for the life of me remember where I found those blogs. This was so simple ... so so simple. All you do is get a little bottle, add a vanilla pod and filled the bottle with vodka. Leave for six weeks and come back to find beautiful vanilla extract !! I love it !!

My little bottle at the front was cute but the alcohol evaporated ! So .... from now on I'll use the little bottles from store bought vanilla extract ... I've bought a few of them so that I can making new ones as I finish the previous ones ...

Vodka Pasta

Vodka Pasta
Serves 6-8

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies or jalapenos (sometimes I add 2 cans)
4 tablespoons tomato paste (or enough to thicken sauce a bit)
1/4 cup of vodka (give or take…I usually just buy two Skyy Vodka tester bottles at the liquor store and add both)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pint of heavy cream
½ cup shredded Parmesan
1 lb. Rigatoni or Penne cooked
1 lb. cooked spicy Italian sausage

Mix the first four ingredients together in a large saucepan.
When the pasta sauce has simmered for 20 minutes or so, add the cream.
If you add the cream too early it could curdle in the sauce. Its okay if it does curdle, it just looks prettier and smoother if it does not.
Add ½ cup parmesan.
Add a little crushed red pepper to make it spicier.
Add cooked pasta and sausage.
Garnish with extra parmesan and chopped flat leaf parsley. (Dried parsley works fine and adds that little bit of color if you don’t have fresh on hand.)