Drowning our sorrows/getting in the holiday spirits

Recently I said that various stresses that shall remain unnamed had not yet driven me to drink.

I may have to amend that.  Now – don’t worry mom – I’m not swilling beer after beer in an attempt to calm down.  But I do occasionally enjoy a tipple after accomplishing a task or two or to relax the old noggin after thinking too hard or worrying too much.

And today we made something that will help a lot, I think.  Homemade Irish Cream.  Well, sort of Irish.  Instead of using up the rest of our precious Irish whiskey hoard, we opted to make a version that we’ll call Kentucky Cream.  You got it.  We made it with Bourbon.  Later we’ll be enjoying it with coffee and pie during our pre-Thanksgiving pie-baking, card-playing, relaxing time with our friends Seth and Christine.  You’ll be hearing more about that later.  I promise.

Right now, though, run to your kitchen and make this!

Kentucky Cream

Adapted from Serious Eats, who tells us that this concoction should keep in the fridge for about two months. I trust them. Except that ours won’t be around that long.

• 1 1/4 c Bourbon (we used cheapie Old Granddad)
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened, condensed milk (bless you, Eagle Brand)
• 1 T vanilla extract (we went with homemade bourbon vanilla)
• 1 t almond extract
• 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 T espresso (we used mocha pot coffee in lieu of real espresso)
• 1 T honey

1. This part’s easy: put it all in a blender and blend it up.
2. This part’s hard: refrigerate it for two hours. Shake before enjoying.