Irish Cream

Well throw me a pair of curly toed shoe's and call me an elf~ it's actually been cold here in good 'ol Phoenix, AZ! For us desert dwellers, we start doing a little jig when the cool weather hits, only because we know that all too soon, our AC will be back on and our utility bills will rise. Here, cold weather is a welcome reprieve.


We actually enjoy sitting outside on a cold winters night with a fire pit blazing, a blanket to snuggle in, and a wee bit of the Irish to keep us warm.

Years ago, my sister gave me a recipe for Irish Cream, and it was amazing. But the one thing I wasn't too crazy about was that it contained raw egg. Arizona + raw egg = potential problem. So deep in the throes of an Irish cream crave when our temps dipped to a frigid 45 F the other night, I found this recipe for an egg- less, deliciously rich Irish Cream. With ingredients I already had on hand, my little elf toes are not only curly, but nice and snugly warm tonight.

Irish Cream
adapted from Kathy Fredricksen, as submitted to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel

1 c half and half
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 c Irish whiskey (I used what I had- Jim Beam)
2 tsp instant coffee
3 Tbs chocolate syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used my homemade Bourbon Vanilla)
1 tsp almond extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until well blended. Pour into a covered glass bottle and store in refrigerator. Shake before serving. Serve over crushed ice or in a steaming cup of coffee. Recipe makes exactly 4 cups and keeps approximately 2 months refrigerated.