Love My Messy Messy Mess: Hot & Boozy Caramel Apple Cider for #AppleWeek

Messy Messy Fail - Did I mention in previous posts that the front left burner on my cooktop only boils now? I'm so mad about this that I feel as though I may have ranted about it on another post, but I'm going to again because I'm that mad. Regardless of the setting on the dial, that burner only boils. I discovered this after pretty much burning two separate meals in my NON-STICK pan which is now my NON-USABLE-CANCER-CAUSING pan. Did you know you aren't supposed to cook above medium heat on a non-stick pan? That's right folks - it can't take any more heat than medium and the pan will be of no good. So thank you to my only-boils-on-the-left-burner cooktop for ruining my non-stick pan. Rant finished.

Tidy Victory - After months of just stuffing and CRAMMING linens into my linen closet to make them fit, I decided it was time to clean out and reorganize. I love organizing the sheet sets so that you fold the fitted sheet, top sheet and one pillowcase in a stack together then insert the stack into the other matching pillowcase, fold the end over and TA-DA - all together and ready to go. No searching anymore. AND I found a plastic bag full of travel size toiletry items that I forgot I had also stuffed in that linen closet :)

Welcome to my first post for #AppleWeek with the #BlogFriends!

We declared this week of September 26th - 30th to be #AppleWeek because, well, we just love apples!

In fact, we love apples so much that we got together, gathered all of our best apple recipes and activities and organized them into quite the blog hop for you to check out.

Here is the #AppleWeek schedule:

Monday September 26th - Appetizers & Drinks

Tuesday September 27th - Main Dishes & Sides

Wednesday September 28th - Sweet Treats

Thursday September 29th - Apple Projects

Friday September 30th - Anything Apple Goes

So now I'd like to start off with my contribution to #AppleWeek with my drink recipe........

Western New York is a big place for apples!!! They are usually ready in the beginning to middle of September and we always make a point to go out and pick some ourselves.

SOOOO much cheaper, and the kids do all the work!

We make lots of recipes with our apples - applesauce, apple pie, apple crunch, caramel apples or even just eat plain fresh apples.

However, we cannot make fresh apple cider - that one has to be bought.

I have always been an apple cider fan, hot or cold either way, sooooo delicious and tasty.

I would even drink it in the summer if I knew people wouldn't judge me.

I like to make this tasty hot apple cider and pomegranate punch at the holidays to keep everyone warm and toasty.

But for the adults, we LOVE to drink our apple cider with a boozy twist - caramel vodka!

I was first introduced to this amazing little adult treat at a Buffalo Bills game last fall - we were at a pre-game party and someone brought this in a giant thermos and poured steamy apple cider goodness to help keep us warm.

I'm telling you, it absolutely hit the spot on a cold Sunday in late fall, getting ready to watch some football with my little cup full of boozy apple cider.

I must now share this deliciousness with you so you can see for yourself.

Here's what you need:

A mug of apple cider (about 9 oz.)
1 shot of caramel vodka (about 1 oz., I use Smirnoff Kissed Caramel)
1 cinnamon stick

Here's what you do:

Go ahead and float your cinnamon stick in your mug of apple cider.
Place the mug of cider and cinnamon stick in the microwave for about 1 minute and 20 seconds (or until your cider is hot and steaming).
When the microwave is done, pour one shot of caramel vodka into your steamy mug of cider and stir.