Grown Up Root Beer Float

Summer BBQs are a great time for classic root beer floats; you can take it to the next level with vanilla vodka and make my Grown Up Root Beer Floats. While of course the vanilla vodka is an extra little treat your guests won’t necessarily be expecting, you can dress this up even more with some fancy straws and your iced tea spoons, if you have them. What a fun reason to break out the silver. Guests will love the whimsy- talk about comfortable, elegant entertaining. When it comes to ratio, it’s all about personal preference in a Grown Up Root Beer Float. Definitely let guests mix their own so they can get just what they want. And you may wish to put out bottle of classic coca-cola as well. For many people a vanilla coke will take them right back to memories of old fashioned soda fountains. To prevent a spill over, start with the ice cream. When you add the soda, the Grown Up Root Beer Float will foam and fizz. Make sure you go slowly, kind of like pouring champagne. With a little vanilla vodka in the Grown Up Root Beer Float, kids and big kids alike … Continue reading

Rose and Raspberry Float

Summer, Summer, Summer, wherefore art thou… Fall? Really? It’s Labor Day weekend already? But it’s not here just yet, so I’m going to squeak in a few more truly Summer recipes, like this Rose and Raspberry Float complete with fresh raspberries and a gorgeous pink color. Added bonus, it looks super fancy and elegant, but all you need is a blender and no one will ever know the ice cream is only sorta homemade. Can you just buy raspberry ice cream pre-made for this Rose and Raspberry Float? Maybe. I set out to buy some and discovered three and a half stores later that I was making it myself… and way too late in the game to start from scratch. But it was a good lesson in impressing your guests with ease. Start with a really good vanilla and add your own special twist, and voila! homemade ice cream. Go nuts with wacky flavors, or pick something that will pair with a special soda like my Rose and Raspberry Float. Check out these gorgeous double pink roses I found for the occasion. I can’t help but think this would be a lovely dessert for a tea party. Sometimes monochromatic flowers … Continue reading