Gourmet Jell-O shots for the win!

I can't believe it's already been a year since Sarah's epic 40th birthday bash. I knew she had always been a fan of karaoke, so this year I threw an intimate karaoke house party in her honor.

We've come a long way since karaoke machines, which were quite limited. Now, YouTube has every song in every language for karaoke, complete with the lyrics. My husband got a mic, an LED-lined speaker, and we streamed YouTube through our TV. Along with dimmed lights and a disco ball, it was a pretty sweet set-up!

But what's a party without good food and drink? Though Sarah wasn't the hostess, it's damn near impossible to take the hostess out of her. She came with a glass bottle filled with a pre-made bourbon cocktail, and homemade candy bacon. It was crisp and addictive with its coating of brown sugar and maple syrup. She's such a Southern belle at heart. I also discovered that her bourbon cocktail and bacon went together like peanut butter and chocolate. 

With all that Sarah does for others, she deserved that same level of hospitality.

What makes a Jell-O shot gourmet?

Most people take fruity Jell-O packets and mix them with vodka, plain and simple. No complaints there. But if you are interested in a WOW factor, things that make Jell-O shots gourmet include:

• Mimicking actual cocktails
• Inventive toppings
• Multiple layers
• Premium liquor
• Exotic flavors
• The ability to serve it outside of a plastc cup, because of extra firmness/gelatin

Gourmet Jell-O shot recipes

I made three different types of gourmet Jell-O shots. These included:

A Cosmopolitan Jell-O shot 

I accented the top with zested lemon. A lime would have been better, due to the color contrast and authenticity. But knowing how to improvise in the kitchen is vital for cooking and hosting!   Recipe

A White Russian Jell-O shot 

I wanted to go for a more sophisticated clear-gel-like layer, and maybe one day I can perfect it on my own, but all the recipes I found online used vanilla pudding. It was still delicious, and strong. Perhaps the strongness was due to the fact that I used less Cool Whip, and it's not a complaint. It was already quite dessert-like! I topped this with crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans. Had I enough beans for every shot, I would have served them whole. Recipe

A Spiked Cherry Lime Rickey Jell-O shot 

This one took a total of six hours, because it was layered! In between each layer, you have to wait two hours, so that it may cool and set in the fridge. Otherwise, when you pour over the next warm layer, it's becomes a swirled mess. Now, the secret to a vibrant shot is to have a white layer in between - it makes the colors pop! I used a layer in the middle of sweetened condensed milk mixed with gelatin. I don't have an exact recipe because I winged this with cherry and lime Jell-O, but this recipe is nearly a replica. Recipe

We slurped down shots, sang our favorite songs and nibbled on the spread throughout the night. Though I estimate that 50% of our friends didn't show up, (everyone is sick right now), it was a great time.

Happy birthday, Sarah!