Guest Blogger: Thirsty Thursdays by Zack

Today, I have a very special guest blogger!  I am pretty pumped about this.  It's my little brother!  When our spring breaks lined up this year, we spent some time hanging out.  I told him about how I really wanted to get my blog going again and he told me about how he wanted to be a bar tender.  I was like, hmmm....how can we combine both of these fun/fantastic ideas?  And here we are: Thirsty Thursdays by Zack!  The little bro is going to share with me drink ideas that he has and I am going to share them here! 

Z shared this recipe with me along with some cute photos.  He took this recipe from Cookin Bug, and jazzed it up into his own frozen version.  I give you: The Frozen Pineapple Almond Upside Down Cake! 

Frozen Pineapple Almond Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Cake Vodka

1 1/2 oz Amaretto

3 oz Pineapple Juice

1 Pineapple Slice

splash Grenadine

Strawberry Vodka Whipped Cream

1 Maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Blend with ice: Cake Vodka, Amaretto, Pineapple Juice and Pineapple slice

2. Pour into glass

3. Add splash of grenadine

4. Stir gently to gradually combine grenadine with frozen drink

5. Top with whipped cream and a cherry

Enjoy :)

Green Smoothie

I figured I should kick off 2015 with a healthy recipe after all this celebrating over our engagement, the holidays, Cancun, and New Years. This smoothie is great because it has so many healthy ingredients and it can also be a meal supplement when you are looking for a healthy detox sort of smoothie.  I was inspired by the recipe over at Sally's Baking Addiction and made a few changes based on my preferences.  So, grab your blender, get some fresh ingredients, and get ready for a delicious way to be a little more healthy!

Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pineapple coconut water
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1 cup fresh mango, chopped
2 cups baby spinach, packed
1/2 avocado, cubed

Directions:
1. Throw everything into a blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy :)

Red White and Blue Sangria

Happy 4th of July! Today's recipe is a drink recipe that is super festive.  Enjoy my Red White and Blue Sangria!

I am off to go for a run and then see the parade! Later today, Bri and I are meeting up with friends to see some more fireworks!  I am excited to celebrate and enjoy a day off from camp!

Last night, we had an awesome potluck dinner with a bunch of my friends.  I made veggie flatbread and this drink and then we headed over to watch the fireworks in my home town.  It was such a fun evening and it made me so happy to be surrounded by such amazing friends.  I really feel so blessed to have them in my life and it was a great way to start celebrating the 4th!

Red White and Blue Sangria (adapted from Group Recipes)

Ingredients:
1 bottle dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup triple sec
1/4 cup citrus vodka
blueberries
raspberries
pineapple, cut into chunks
strawberries, quartered
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Directions:
1. First place 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for a minute or two and then turn off heat and let cool.
2. In a large pitcher, pour wine, triple sec, and vodka.  Stir in sugar mixture and add in fruit.  I would just add in as much fruit as you want.  Also, you can cut the pineapple into chunks or cute shapes!
3. Serve over ice.

Enjoy :)

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Apparently this is the "most amazing thing" I have ever made.

With that being said, you should all run right out and make these asap.  I was really unsure about how these guys would go over.  I mean, there is an avid group out there that does not like desserts without chocolate.  I had to make a dessert for 30ish people (thus the use of the GIANT mixer) for a "luau" themed party.  I decided on Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes, but I was nervous about how people would like them.

Not only did they turn out FANTASTIC, but I had enough extra cake batter to make a bundt cake and people were obsessed with them.  The cupcakes were amazing, and the cake was delicious with some fruit or whipped cream on top.  The desserts fit perfectly with the theme and were an overall huge success! In fact, they went so fast, that I didn't really have time to take any pictures! I apologize for the poor lighting here, but please take my word for it, they are amazing.


Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes (adapted from The Comfort of Cooking)

Before flip...

After flip! 

Ingredients:
36 pineapple slices
18 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
6 tbsp light corn syrup
9 eggs
6 cups sugar
3 cups canola oil
3 cups (24 oz) sour cream
6 tsp vanilla
7 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt





Directions:
1. Grease enough cupcake pans to make 36 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Scoop 1 tbsp of this mixture into the bottoms of each cupcake well. Place 1 pineapple slice in each well.
3. In a large bowl (or giant stand mixer) beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the oil, sour cream, and vanilla until well combined.  Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Beat until just combined.
4. Fill each cupcake well to the top with batter.  Bake for 25-28 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes before flipping.
Enjoy :)