So, how’s it taste?

It tastes more like pineapple juice than anything else. There’s a slight citrusy hint of orange, and coconut from the Malibu rum. It’s on the sweet side, but not sickeningly sweet or thick and syrupy. It’s a good drink for the beach with the tropical flavors. Even with all that liquor, you can’t taste any of it. I’m not kidding when I say it goes down way too easily, so drink with caution!

It’s pretty similar to the original served at Gallettes in Tuscaloosa, although I have no idea what their recipe is, except for the pineapple juice. I couldn’t find the true recipe anywhere, so I took bits and pieces and adjusted it myself for taste. (Tough job, I know.) Of course you can adjust the amount of alcohol to your liking. The recipe below is for a huge drink, about 20 ounces. The math is obnoxious, so remember 1 tablespoon equals 1/2 ounce and you’ll be set. I plan on making a pitcher for my friends tonight and I’ll be enjoying mine out of my official Yellow Hammer cup. Roll Tide Roll!

Yellow Hammer

inspired by the Gallettes original
makes 1 (about 20 oz.) drink

Ingredients:

3 oz. vodka
2 oz. Malibu rum
1/2 oz. dark rum - not 151
10 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
3 1/2 oz. orange juice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and serve over ice.

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So, how’s it taste?

Now that you’ve had a bit of Alabama football history, on to the fun. For the Jell-O shots, I used vanilla vodka. I really like the flavor of cherry and vanilla and I made the Bama Bombs with vanilla vodka as well. I chose to use 3/4 cup of alcohol because the bombs have such a kick. You could increase it to 1 cup but I think they would be too strong. The bombs are much easier to tolerate surrounded in a Jell-O shot. They’re sweet with just a slight alcoholic aftertaste. Not as powerful as a Bama Bomb by itself, but really tasty. I made my shots with stemmed and stemless cherries. I was thinking the ones with stems would come out when you pulled the stem. Nope, it just pulls out the cherry, but it does make for a cuter presentation.

The Van Tiffin is addictive. I only made one when I was prepping for this post because I want to save some for my friends on Monday. Talk about having some willpower! The cherry and vanilla vodka mixed with Sprite is awesome. I used 1 1/2 ounces of the cherry juice, so your recipe may vary with the alcohol level depending on how you make your Bama Bombs. The alcohol in this drink comes from your Bama Bomb juice, so if it’s too weak, add more juice or add a bit more vodka to the drink. Adding more juice will make your drink sweeter and more syrupy. This is one of those drinks where you won’t realize how much you’re drinking because it’s that good…dangerously good. I garnished my drink with two Bama Bombs on a toothpick, but you could also put a few in the drink. You can also easily serve a non-alcoholic version using cherry juice and cherries that haven’t been soaking in alcohol.

Roll Tide Roll!

Rammer Jammer Jell-O Hammers & The Van Tiffin

inspired by fans from TideFans.com
makes about 24 Jell-O shots

Ingredients:

Rammer Jammer Jell-O Hammers
1 (3 oz.) package cherry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup vodka or vanilla vodka
1/4 cup cold water
cherries from Bama Bombs

The Van Tiffin (recipe for one drink)
1 1/2 oz. cherry juice from Bama Bombs
Sprite

Directions:

1. For the Jell-O shots, add boiling water to gelatin mix and stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.

2. Stir in vodka and cold water.

3. Place one Bama Bomb cherry into each shot cup. Add the gelatin mixture. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

4. For The Van Tiffin, fill a glass 1/2 way with ice. Add 1 1/2 oz. of cherry juice from Bama Bomb. Fill the rest of the glass with Sprite.

Copyright © 2009-2020 Leah Claire - Leah Claire

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So, how’s it taste?

The name suits them well. They are bombs of alcohol going off in your mouth! They look so sweet, delicious, and innocent. Bright red cherries in their sweet cherry juice, just waiting to be popped in your mouth. They’re sweet for about a second and then it’s like taking a shot of vodka. They pack a kick! I can taste why these would be a hit tailgating. I could barely handle two in a row. I’ve heard of making these with PGA, but since I’m not 20 anymore, I chose vodka and vanilla vodka. I liked the vanilla vodka better because it tamed the “bomb,” and vanilla and cherry go really well together. Mine have been in the fridge for about two weeks. I hear they get better and better the longer they “marinate.” Some Bama fans start their batch on A-Day and they’re ready just in time for football season.

You can use Bama Bombs to make Rammer Jammer Jell-O Hammers and The Van Tiffin. Roll Tide!

Bama Bombs

inspired by fans from TideFans.com

Ingredients:

1 jar maraschino cherries
vodka or vanilla vodka

Directions:

1. Pour half the cherry juice out of the jar. (You can save this cherry juice for a non-alcoholic version of The Van Tiffin!)

2. Fill the jar with vodka or vanilla vodka.

3. Refrigerate at least 3 days before serving. They get better the longer they sit. Some make them 6 months in advance.

Copyright © 2009-2020 Leah Claire - Leah Claire

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So, how’s it taste?

I had so much fun with the different flavors and my fellow tailgaters really enjoyed them, too. I call these gourmet because they aren’t just vodka mixed with Jell-O. They are strategically planned to make a tasty, alcoholic concoction.

First up was Peach Pie. Spiced rum mixed with peach Jell-O. It didn’t taste exactly like peach pie, but pretty close. The spicyness of the rum paired nicely with the sweet peach.

Next was Cherry Amaretto. You guessed it, amaretto mixed with cherry Jell-O. This one was good, but I ran out of amaretto, so I only used half of the amount I should have. I could smell the amaretto, but couldn’t taste it. It’s supposed to taste like the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries, but it tasted like plain cherry to me. I’ll have to make these again soon.

The third batch was Dreamsicle. Vanilla vodka mixed with orange Jell-O. This was one of my favorites. It really did taste like the popsicle. Sweet vanilla with a splash of citrus. Very tasty.

Lastly, was the Jolly Rancher. Sour apple schnapps mixed with watermelon Jell-O. It was hard to pick a favorite between this one and the dreamsicle. It tasted just like the candy. Seriously, just like it.

Surprisingly, the Bushwacker shots didn’t do as well as the other four. Most people had never heard of a Bushwacker (which made me shed a little tear). Those shots are best served slightly cooler than room temperature. Eaten fresh out of the cooler, they tend to be way too chewy, so I think that turned people off.

The good news is that the other four are much easier to make with only three ingredients and everyone loved them! There are a lot more of the flavor combinations I’d like to experiment with, so you may see Jell-O Shots part two on the blog soon.

You’ll find the original recipe below and they make very strong shots. If you want to tone it down a bit, I’d suggest using 3/4 cup of the alcohol instead of a full cup. You’ll need to add 1/4 cup water to that to have the right amount of liquid. I wouldn’t suggest using less than 3/4 cup of alcohol or you won’t be able to taste much of it and the shots will be too weak.

Enjoy!

Gourmet Jell-O Shots

by My Science Project

Ingredients:

Basic Recipe
1-3 oz. box Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup alcohol (or 3/4 cup alcohol plus 1/4 cup cold water)

Peach Pie
1-3 oz. box peach Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup spiced rum (Captain Morgan's or Bacardi)

Cherry Amaretto
1-3 oz. box cherry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup amaretto

Dreamsicle
1-3 oz. box orange Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup vanilla vodka

Jolly Rancher
1-3 oz. box watermelon Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sour apple schnapps

Directions:

1. Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved.

2. Stir in cold water and alcohol combination or all alcohol. You'll need whatever you use to total 1 cup of liquid.

3. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Store in refrigerator.

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cornhole, tailgate trailer with TV

big Arkansas made his debut this year after Big Al towered over little Arkansas two years before

I brought this Chex Mix and it was a huge hit! Sure to be a crowd pleaser and pretty easy to make, although messy (but who minds a little bacon grease on your hands, right?).

So, how’s it taste?

This Chex Mix is addicting. I don’t care how full I got, I was still making room for this. It’s the traditional flavor of Chex Mix, which is deliciously savory, but the coating of this recipe is sweet and spicy. It’s a flavor explosion in your mouth with crunch. Butter, brown sugar, corn syrup…you know this is going to be good! I almost substituted regular chili powder for the chipotle chili powder but DO NOT DO IT! I had never heard of chipotle chili powder until this recipe and it’s now my new obsession. Smoky and spicy, it smells like heaven and tastes even better. That mixed with the sweet and savory, plus BACON and BOURBON and PECANS. It’s awesome. That’s why I’m screaming at you in all caps in this post. I used Jack Daniel’s in my version so technically it’s whiskey bacon Chex Mix, but feel free to use your favorite bourbon/whiskey. You could also use mixed nuts, or peanuts, or whatever nut combination you like instead of the pecan halves.

There’s always going to be some good eats when Jim ‘N Nick’s show up!

Mmm, ribs!

Yield: 20 servings (1/2 cup each)

Bourbon Bacon Chex Mix

Ingredients:

1 bag (15 oz.) Chex Mix® traditional snack mix
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 lb. bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp. bourbon (or whiskey, I used Jack Daniel's)
3/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix snack mix, pecans, and bacon. Set aside.

2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around edges. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Cool 2 minutes. Carefully stir in bourbon and chipotle chili powder. Pour over snack mixture; toss until evenly coated.

3. Spread snack mixture on pans. Bake 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, to caramelize mixture. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into pieces.

per serving: 230 calories, 12g fat, 24g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g protein

recipe by Pillsbury

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So I present to you my Roll Tide Sugar Cookies!

Now before you go thinking “yeah right, of course it didn’t land on anything but Alabama,” I was prepared to stick to my word and color icing some ugly shade of orange or that ridiculous purple/yellow combo. I also had intentions of surprising a few folks with some UT cookies, but the orange I used turned out to be more of a flesh color. While I’m not a fan of UT, I’m at least smart enough to know you don’t mess with team colors.

I’ve decorated a lot of sugar cookies, but learn something every time. My football cookie cutter not only cut the dough into cookie shapes, but also left some design impressions. When I outlined the cookies, I also outlined the design and that proved to be a major no-no. The flooding was very difficult around the lacing and spread all over the place since the outlined icing sunk into the impressions. I only iced two cookies fully and then went over the outline again. The writing spread too much, the red icing bled into the white icing, and they just didn’t quite have the look I was hoping for. Next time I’ll only outline the cookie, flood the entire cookie, and once that dries, pipe the rest of the design.

After decorating the two cookies above, I decided to not flood the rest at all since they looked pretty cute without it. I was happy with the detail and writing, but I’ll definitely be doing Football Sugar Cookies part 2 to get them right. Who knows, maybe it’ll be YOUR team for the next batch!

Football Sugar Cookies

cookie recipe by Bake at 350 via Love & Olive Oil
royal icing recipe by Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cold
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Royal Icing
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water

Directions:

1. For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and extracts and mix. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

3. The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling.

4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4" thick sheet, and cut into desired shapes. Place shapes on parchment or silpat lined baking sheets. Place entire baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes (this step is important in helping the cookies keep their shapes nice and clean). Remove and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just barely starting to turn golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely prior to decorating.

5. For the royal icing: Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes). Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container. This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating. Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated. Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping. (Remember, if you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick. Add a little more liquid and try again.) Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie. Let stand so the icing will set. Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.

6. Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container. Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl. If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again. Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie. If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along. Allow to set.

7. Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired. Gel icing color is best as it does not add a significant amount of liquid. Liquid food coloring can be used as well – add powdered sugar as needed to compensate for any thinning that occurs.

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