This post was made in partnership with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Recipe and ideas are my own.
How’s your summer going? I keep hearing from other people that their summer is pretty much over… as of August 12th (!!!) because their kids are starting school. When did that start happening? I’m all for changing up the school system a bit but come on. August!!?? It’s so hot! Everyone should be eating popsicles!
And speaking of popsicles, I hope all you adults reading this with or without kids are getting in your quota of popsicles this summer. Based on a single comment from an Instagram reader earlier this year I made it my goal throughout summer to offer up a handful of “adult” popsicle ideas (no, not sexy popsicles, boozy popsicles). Today I’ve based this popsicle on what was my favorite ice cream flavor as a kid: mint chocolate.
Mint and chocolate are such a perfect pairing in my mind that every time my husband tells me he ABHORS the two flavors together I want to throw a shoe at him. The nerve! It’s SO good! And I hope you all agree with me!
As some of you might know, I’ve teamed up with Kerrygold Irish Cream this summer to create some FUN recipes to enjoy in these warm months (Southern Hemisphere readers, bookmark these for your summer!). And today, Kerrygold Irish Cream is kicking in some creamy, chocolate flavors with a touch of Irish Whiskey with these minty fresh popsicles. To make them extra rich, we’re using two types of coconut milk, and a touch of chocolate liqueur for additional chocolate flavor! These aren’t dairy free (because Kerrygold has cream in it) but I find that using the coconut milk creates a much richer popsicle with a better mouth feel. Sometimes just milk creates an “icy” popsicle and I wasn’t looking for that here. Optionally, I’ve also added as a topping some white chocolate that I’ve colored green… reminiscent of that classic ice cream color. Also, I like any excuse to create some magic shell.
If your summer popsicle quota is starting to lag, consider making this sweet treat! At least the adults can enjoy what’s left of the summer.
Kerrygold Mint Chocolate Popsicles
2.5 ounces Kerrygold Irish Cream
1 ounce chocolate liqueur
3/4 teaspoon mint extract
1 ounce rich syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
6 ounces light coconut milk
4.5 ounces full fat coconut milk
In a large mixing glass with a spout, combine the Kerrygold Irish Cream, chocolate liqueur, mint extract, rich syrup, and both coconut milks. Whisk to combine and strain into popsicle molds. Freeze for 24 to 48 hours. When ready to serve, let sit about 3-5 minutes, and then un-mold.
Green Chocolate Magic Shell
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 to 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil
1 pinch sea salt
In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips, coconut oil, and salt. Microwave on high 30 seconds, stir, and then repeat microwaving at 20 second intervals, stirring between, until melted and smooth. Let cool to room temp and use. Can be stored in the refrigerator up to one month. Gently rewarm cold magic shell in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between.
This post was made in partnership with Truvia®. Recipes and ideas are my own.
I will take any excuse to wear one of my many oversized hats, and it’s even better when cocktails are involved. The Mint Julep is the traditional drink in Kentucky, and I know that some people have very strong opinions about the drink in its purest form… but I am not one of those people. While a Mint Julep is refreshing on a hot day out in the sun, I wanted to give my race day drink a little tropical twist.
Together with 
If you’re hosting a racing party, these drinks are easily batch-able too! I’ve included a note in the recipe if you’d like to serve up multiple of these cocktails.
Tropical Toasted Coconut Mint Julep
This post was made in partnership with 
What I’m getting at is this, Tiki cocktails have come a long way and these new modern nods are just as interesting, and sometimes, much more complex and delicious, than the originals. And today I have a very out there, very delicious, addition to this new wave, the Port Dues Cocktail.
If you’re a familiar reader around here you may have noticed that I partnered with 
So I’m super excited about this cocktail, with nods to some of my favorite tiki drinks and especially to the Missionary’s Downfall with the herbal, minty notes from the fernet. You’d be surprised, but there are actually quite a number of tiki drinks out there that incorporate a hint of chocolate in them too. Using the creamy, rich Kerrygold Irish Cream here gives this dry, rum forward cocktail with a sour punch an unexpected twist with a hint of chocolate at the end.
Port Dues
This post was made in partnership with 
We’re making Grasshopper Brownies today with Kerrygold Irish Cream. Based on the components of the classic dessert cocktail, The Grasshopper, these decadent brownies are minty, chocolatey, boozy, and so that no one goes into a sugar coma, small batched. A Grasshopper cocktail includes crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream, all of which in some form are found in these brownies. So hopefully it goes without saying, but 21+ please!
These brownies might look like a labor of love, THREE layers! But rest assured, they come together pretty easily. Let’s look at each layer for a minute. First, the base of this dessert is the brownie, which, in my opinion, is the essential layer to all of this. Because I wanted this to be a small batch recipe and only yield about 8, 2″ pieces, I looked to my favorite brownie recipe from 
Next you have two different chocolate layers: the green mint layer with crème de menthe, and the chocolate top layer. These require a little more patience and a little stove-top stirring. The green layer can be achieved by one of two ways. Your first option is to add green crème de menthe. Second, you can use peppermint extract (or clear crème de menthe) with green food coloring. If crème de menthe in any color is hard to come by where you are, then peppermint extract can be found through online retailers. And for the final layer, you can optionally add in some crème de cacao to the ganache although I found it chocolate enough for my tastes. Both these layers will set up firm, but not hard.
Now, will this be the most amazing dessert to bring to your St. Patrick’s Day party? Yes, probably. Will people ooh and ahh about what you made? Definitely. Will you be able to leave with a few spare brownies? I doubt it. But you can make more next week too. Let’s get baking!
Kerrygold Irish Cream Grasshopper Brownies
This post was made in partnership with Master of Mixes. Recipes and ideas are my own.
Yes, I love the spooks and the change of season, but free candy always topped the list of reasons why October 31st was THE BEST. Now, as an adult, I can hop in my car, or rather, have Instacart deliver, all the candy my heart desires. At any time of year. But I’ve learned restraint and I don’t usually buy any until the week before Halloween when stores start having candy sales. And then again the day before Halloween because I’ve eaten it all the past week.
Lastly, Almond Joy bars in my opinion are far superior to a Mounds bar. Because… almonds!! When I think coconut cocktails, I think Piña Coladas, and Master of Mixes has a perfectly balanced 
So grab some extra candy this year, a couple of Master of Mixes bottles, and let’s plan a sweet Halloween party!
This post is brought to you by El Mayor Tequila. Recipe and ideas are my own.
Not long ago a Mint Julep was a Mint Julep: bourbon, mint, sugar, silver cup. Bam. But as bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts have brought an inquisitive eye to old recipes, here today we’re riffing on this classic with our partner, 
El Mayor Añejo Tequila is fantastic sipped on its own, but the tequila also mixes quite well in cocktails. Especially when the spirit needs to be strong and shine through a whole lot of crushed ice! The 100% blue agave añejo is aged in white oak barrels for 18 to 36 months, giving it the distinctive oak-y nose, golden color and slightly sweet and spicy flavor profile. If you’re going to use a tequila in a julep recipe, this is the one.
For this recipe I forgo the muddled mint (*gasp*) and instead opt for a creme de menthe liqueur to add the minty flavor and a touch of sweet. I like the bracingly cool mint liqueur up against the tequila. Also, if you’re serving this up at your party it’s going to save you some time since you won’t have to muddle all those mint leaves. To round out the drink, I’ve added in a few dashes of aromatic bitters and a touch more sweetness with some demerara syrup. The drink needs that last touch of sugar to balance it out along with the bitters.
Lastly, I gave this julep a crown of mint (I couldn’t leave the fresh mint out completely), like its own little laurel wreath. And you don’t have to make it rain powdered sugar on your julep for a garnish, but it sure does look pretty.
So, let’s jump start this Cinco de Derby party and mix up a batch of Tequila Juleps. It’s a sure bet!
