Party Starter Jello Shots

I have a hard time with foodies that take themselves too seriously. While I do definitely share their passions for food, I often feel that they are lost in snoby restos and miss out on the simple cheap and easy delights.

You would not believe how many parties go from "pretty alright" to "take your clothes off, and start a conga line into the neighbour's back yard!" with these fantastically deadly little shots. I truly believe that the bar scene could actually do pretty well with these things; if they are done properly.

Here is the basic recipe:

1 pack Jello
1 cup Boiling Water
1/2 cup of alcoholic beverage
1/2 cup of cold water

Mix ingredients. one at a time in a juice jug. Stir until mixed and pour out mixture into plastic shot glasses.

Now here are three takes on the above recipe that will blow you, and your party guests away:

Jello Mojito Shooter:

1 pack of Lime Jello
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup of Brown Rum (aged, if you want to be a little posh)
1/2 cup of 7-up
a handful of mint leaves

Make sure that when you are pouring the mixture into the shot glasses, that you pass it through a cheese cloth or some sort of other filter.

Ameretto Cherry delight:

You guessed it, Amaretto for the alcohol and cherry jello.

Tequila bandidos!:

In this recipe, you will use lemon jello as well as 7-up in place of the cold water.

Remember to encourage your guests to drink responsibly. The only thing left to say is, "Here's to a sweetheart, a bottle, and a friend.
The first beautiful, the second full, the last ever faithful."

Have fun, and CHEERS!

BBQ Blue Cheese stuffed, Roasted Pepper burgers

It's pretty hard to get through summer without eating bbq at least once. Actually, the truth is we end eating so much of it that we become more and more discerning over the quality of the meal. Maybe we don't judge every bite like a foodie writer who is reviewing a chef's hard work for a posh magazine, but we can definitely tell the difference in quality between say... someone who took the time to prepare their meal using fresh ingredients rather than the frozen, mass produced , boxed variety.

Here is a simple, delicious recipe for some burgers that will knock your friends off their lawnchairs.

Here is what you need.

1 1/2 Pounds of minced meat (medium... A little bit of fat is good...)
6 tbsp Blue Cheese
2 Roasted marinated peppers
2 Cloves of garlic
1/2 Red Onion
1 Egg (large)
salt and pepper to taste
6 fresh egg buns
6 thin capicollo slices

Finely chop the onion and the peppers; mince the garlic and mix it into the bowl with the meat and the egg. Get dirty, use your hands, but be gentle. Separate the meat into 6 equal portions, place blue cheese into the center of each patty and close the meat over it. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

When you are ready for the burgers, get your BBQ good and hot. Cook the patties for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes per side to ensure that the finish is medium done. Make sure not to press down on the burger (you want to preserve the juices and make sure that the cheese stays in your burger and not all over the bbq).

During the last 2 minutes of cooking, place the buns on the grill to brown. Place the burgers in the buns and top with hot capicollo slice and serve. Watch your guests melt with each bite.