I got whipped by a Carmel Apple Pie Martini

I like to read recipes all of the time, well at least their titles, and if they sound good, I usually try to make them. Most of the time, on my first go round with a recipe, I follow it to a T and use it for what it was intended, but sometimes, I go off the beaten path and hope to find something amazing.

Pumpkin Spice Latte. That sounds good, right? But doesn't a Pumpkin Spice Martini sound better? Yeah, I thought so too.

I was busy reading Chicagotribune.com when I came across this recipe. The title was intriguing, since it is seasonal and I am a pumpkin lover, I thought, hmmmmmm, wouldn't this be a wonderful addition to the Harry Potter Party tonight, but in martini form?

Yes, Harry Potter, and no, we were not serving these to teenage kids. My dear friend Tracy and I LOVE the Harry Potter series and I know some of you out there are thinking, these are grown women, please ladies, give up the Potter, but instead of persecuting us for this love of Potter, join forces with us and prepare to have a party. You will not find a person anywhere that can plan a party better than Tracy.

Tracy is the Queen of planning and when she threw this idea of a Harry Potter Party out to me, of course I said, I'll be there! So her planning began. We were going to have a Harry Potter marathon with tons of snacks, some dinner and drinks and of course our kids.

Carefully reading the recipe.

Anytime I am in the kitchen one or both of my children are interested in what is going on in there. They seem to share my love of cooking and also my hate for not cleaning up after. Stop by our house on any given day and you will see, I'm telling the truth. So, back to the story of the Pumpkin Latte adaptation into Martini. I am in the kitchen, day of the party, with my recipe, trying to concoct this drink and of course, someone took notice. Little Payten. Little Payten can be quite a helper. She always wants to be on the big stool so she can see and she always and I mean always wants a taste.

Little Payten on her big stool, helped me read the recipe and also helped me measure and pour everything together all while saying, can I have a taste?

Here is what we did:
2 cups of milk
3 TBS canned pumpkin
2 TBS white sugar
1 TBS vanilla
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and a little for garnish
1 cup of coffee, which we all know, I didn't use. We are making martinis here people!
Whipped Cream, optional, but please do not make it an option. You are going to want it. Trust. Trust me.

I also added on my own after tastes and tastes:
2 TBS cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Combine milk, pumpkin and sugar in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat, continually stirring until steaming. I thought to myself, I don't work at Starbucks, how in the world am I going to know if this milk mixture is "steaming". I kept staring at the pot, got down low and close to the pot, no steam. Give it time. The steam will come. You will see it.

Remove the pot from heat and stir in the vanilla, 1/2tsp pumpkin spice, all of my extra addition spices, if you want and wisk rapidly until foamy. Again, not a barista here, but it foams and rather quickly. You will know it when you see it.

Original recipe, transfer into a mug, fill half way and top remainder with coffee, garnishing with whipped cream and spice.

My way, pour into a sealable container and refrigerate until using to make a martini.

Carmel Apple Pie Martini

Now, imagine a good 5 hours later, at Tracy's having this Harry Potter Party/Impromptu Fall Martini Showdown with my drink nemesis, Jimothy. He has already created this delicious Carmel Apple Pie martini, which I promise I will get the recipe for, but what I could see was the vodka, apple pucker, carmel, ice cream, which according to him is the secret ingredient and may be the reason he won, and some cinnamon, but I promise, promise, promise to get the real breakdown, and now it is time for me to shake up a tasty Pumpkin Spice Martini. F that latte.

So, shaker in hand, filled with ice, I pondered, how much vodka should I add to this? Logic struck, the latte said half pumpkin mix to half coffee, seems logical to me to deduct that I should do the same, only substitute the coffee with the vodka. The shaker was filled with ice so it wouldn't be that strong, right? WRONG!

Tracy and Jim loving the
Carmel Apple Martinis

I put in my half to a half and gave it a great big shake. I was working it. All shook up. Glasses ready. Pour. Man, these smell awesome! Imagine fresh baked pumpkin pie with that warm smell of spicy goodness, it was all there, wrapped up in a martini glass. We all take our glasses, the moment of truth, the first sip. Oh please, please, please let mine be better than Jim's! PLEASE! OMG! Too much vodka, toooooo much vodka! Hairs on the back of everyone's

Although Jim continued to disagree, Tracy and I came to the conclusion, this was too strong. My thought, next time, three parts mix, one part vodka. Start there, then increase the vodka if you want them stronger. What was I thinking? So much for reason.

Raspberry Martini to the rescue!

Tracy then brought out her tried and true, Raspberry Martini. Again, I promise I will get the recipe for it. You want it, trust me. This was the perfect refreshing drink to wash away that Pumpkin disaster. Thank you Tracy for saving the day, hosting an awesome Harry Potter Party/Impromptu Fall Martini Throwdown and for all of the fun.