It's National Kahlua Day!

"Warning"

If you have an aversion to "intense coffee flavor with rich notes of caramel and vanilla" leave right now! This post is meant to heat you up to the alluring taste of Kahlúa! After all, it is National Kahlua Day!!! What's the best way to put a fire under the festivities you may ask. How about we begin with a hit of this Kahlúa Black Tie recipe?

Now that we've whet our whistles, it's time to give credit to where credit is due. It all begins at the Kahlúa website and one of their Signature Kahlúa drinks.

"The Kahlúa Perfect Serve is a testament to the culinary belief that if it grows together, it goes together. Kahlúa's two main ingredients, coffee and sugar cane are grown under the shade of orange trees in Veracruz. Capturing the dynamic flavor of the region, the citrus notes of the fresh zest of orange in the drink brings out the sweet, chocolaty characteristics of the Arabica coffee and buttery notes of summer fruits in the sugar cane spirit. Served on the rocks and garnished with engaging conversation, this is how Kahlúa is meant to be enjoyed."

The remaining recipes and images were harvested from the Kahlúa recipe books you see pictured above. There is one exception, but you will see that a little further down this post. Oh, okay, I'll give you a clue. It has something to do with today not only being National Kahlúa Day, it also happens to be International Polar Bear Day too! Kahlúa and Polar Bears what more could they have in common besides sharing the same celebration day? You'll see:) Let's eat!
Have you ever heard of Kahlúa Kugel? Me either, but, I must admit, it sure does sound intriguing, if you're a kugel kinda gal:) And I am!
Kahlúa Kugel
Ingredients:
8 ounces lasagna noodles
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Kahlúa
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
1. Cook noodles in 4 quarts boiling water until tender - about 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs with sugar, cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, Kahlúa and melted butter to blend well.
3. Pour 1 cup of the mixture into a buttered 9-inch square baking dish.
4. Top with about 1/4 of the noodles, arranging in a single layer. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used up.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces whipped cream (optional)
In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, chocolate and expresso powder. Using fingers, rub cold butter into mixture to form coarse crumbs. (Topping can be made up to two days ahead.) When ready to bake, sprinkle topping evenly over Kugel. Bake at 350°F until firm in center, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Cut warm Kugel in squares and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
The next recipe for Kahlúa Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauce was contributed by Star Chef Nancy Silverton.
Last but most certainly not least, we have a Kahlúa Polar Bear drink and two adorable Polar Bears who look like they just may be celebrating International Polar Bear Day just as any little ones would. Which reminds me, please indulge safely:) A special thanks to livescience.com for providing this adorable image.

revised February 2013