Blissfully Boozy Bites: Alcohol-Infused Foods

Pairing food with alcohol can be a fun learning experience. What works, what doesn’t and everything in between. But sometimes you just want it to work and not have to consume so much liquid to find your sweet spot. That’s why we’ve put together a collection of booze-infused foods so all you have to do is enjoy a meal to enjoy yourself.

These are some of our favorite alcohol-infused food recipes covering everything from appetizers and soup to entrées and dessert!

Melon Booze Ball Salad

Ingredients

• 1 small, seedless watermelon
• 1 cantaloupe
• 1 honey dew melon
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup raspberry vodka
• ½ cup triple sec

Directions

1. Slice the fruit in half and remove the seeds from the cantaloupe and honeydew.
2. Use a melon baller to scoop out the melons and place in a shallow container with a lid. (Roughly 7 ½ cups of melon balls.)
3. Add pineapple juice.
4. Pour in raspberry vodka and triple sec.
5. Toss the fruit and arrange so that the melon balls are submerged if possible.
6. Cover and freeze just until partially frozen. You can also chill them for a few hours if you don’t want them partially frozen.
7. Enjoy!

Fireball Grilled Pineapple

Ingredients

• 1 ripe pineapple, peeled, quartered, and cored
• 1 ½ c. Fireball Whiskey
• 1/4 c. cinnamon sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Cut pineapple into wedges and place in a large bowl. Add Fireball and refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring once after 30 minutes have passed.
2. Drain pineapple and reserve Fireball for future use. In a large bowl, combine pineapple, cinnamon sugar, and cayenne, if using. Toss until pineapple is fully coated.
3. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Place pineapple on grill and cook, turning occasionally, until you can easily insert a paring knife into the center of a wedge, 8 to 10 minutes.

Tequila Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 yellow pepper
• 1 lime
• 3 oz. tequila
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder

Directions

1. Dice tomatoes and yellow peppers and place them in a mason jar.
2. Chop jalapeño and onion, add to jar and mix it all together.
3. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
4. Add lime juice.
5. Pour in 3 shots of tequila, shake to mix, put top on it and refrigerate overnight.
6. Open and enjoy!

(Strain extra liquid for shots if you’re feel feisty)

Mezcal Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. very ripe tomatoes – peeled, quartered and seeded (seeds strained and juices reserved, about 1 to 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 small green bell pepper – halved, seeded and cut in 3″ pieces
• 1 small cucumber (about 1/2 lb.) – peeled, seeded and cut in 3″ pieces
• 1/4 small red onion – peeled
• 1 garlic clove – skinned
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1/3 cup mezcal
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• Lime infused oil as garnish
• Fresh cilantro sprigs as garnish

Directions

1. Place all ingredients, including the reserved tomato juices in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse at high speed with a steel blade until all ingredients are finely chopped, then process until soup is very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Transfer to a large bowl and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, until well chilled.
3. Place the soup in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving so it is very chilled. Ladle the soup in bowls. Drizzle a little Lime Oil in the center. Garnish with the fresh cilantro sprigs and serve immediately.

Vodka Pizza Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz. pomace olive oil
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 can peeled tomatoes, coarsely ground in a food mill or smashed by hand
• 2 quarts heavy cream
• 1/2 stick butter
• 8 oz. grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
• 3 pinches salt
• 3 pinches pepper
• 1 pinch oregano
• 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped Italian parsley
• 5 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded or cut into small pieces

Directions

1. In a food processor, chop onions until a paste consistency is reached.
2. In a medium sauce pot over medium high heat, sauté the onions and olive oil until onions begin to brown.
3. Add the vodka and cook for two minutes, or until reduced and alcohol is cooked off.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook on medium high heat for 15 minutes.
5. Add the heavy cream, butter, Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley, and bring to a boil.
6. Spread on pizza dough, bake as directed, and enjoy.

Beef & Beer Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsps. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. ground coriander
• 5 lbs. ground chuck
• 2 tbsps. canola oil
• 2 1/2 lbs. onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs. red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 lbs. yellow bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large jalapeño chiles with seeds, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 7 tbsps. chili powder
• 2 tsp. (packed) minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes with added puree
• 2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, drained
• 1 12-oz. bottle dark stout beer
• sour cream
• chopped green onions
• coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Toast cumin and coriander in skillet over medium heat until darker and beginning to smoke, about 4 minutes. Cool.
2. Sauté beef in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink, breaking up with spoon, about 8 minutes.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, all bell peppers, and jalapeños.
4. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
5. Add mixture to pot with meat. Mix in toasted spices, chili powder, and chipotle chiles.
6. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, and beer.
7. Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally.
8. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and cheese.

Fireball Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 box of white cake mix (and the ingredients – eggs & oil – that the box outlines)
• Fireball whiskey
• sprinkles of your choice
• red food coloring
• cupcake liners
• white frosting

Directions

1. Make the cake mix as directed but replace the water required with Fireball whiskey & then add a tablespoon or two of red food coloring.
2. Add a tablespoon to the frosting and mix.
3. Bake as directed and enjoy!