Summer’s Last Hurrah is quickly approaching- Labor Day weekend!  To the delight of parents with school-aged children everywhere, kids will be ensconced in their classrooms officially after this upcoming holiday weekend.  So what better way to celebrate than with a selection of shooters?  Does eschewing the conventional champagne toast for a quick boozy shot make us bad parents?  No, it makes us relieved parents, and relieved parents do shots.  Come to think of it, you don’t have to be a parent to drink shots, especially during a three day weekend.  And particularly with the variety of offerings below.  These drinks are all super easy to prepare and most can also be enjoyed on the rocks if you want to savor the flavors.

 

Bayou Juice

Equal parts-

Coconut rum

Captain Morgan spiced rum

Amaretto

Cranberry juice

Pineapple juice

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into the appropriate number of shot glasses.

The combination of liquors in this drink is delightfully tropical, with the extra nuttiness of amaretto.  These can sneak up on you, since they go down so easily but are fairly strong- so beware!

 

Apple Pie Ala Mode
Equal parts-
Vanilla rum
Bacardi Big Apple rum
Fireball or cinnamon schnapps

Pour ingredients into shot glasses- no need to chill.

What’s more patriotic on a national holiday than apple pie? This has a nice flavor and will warm you up (even if you are already warm enough on this summer holiday). If you don’t want to shoot it, then sip it- I wouldn’t recommend drinking this on the rocks.

Fuzzy Monkey
3/4 oz vodka
3/4 oz peach schnapps
3/4 oz creme de banana
1 – 1/2 oz orange juice
Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into two shot glasses.

If you like peach and banana flavors, you will love this combination. This is a sweet but not too sweet drink.

Razzle Dazzle
1 oz raspberry rum
1 oz pomegranate vodka
2 oz cranberry juice
splash pineapple juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into two shot glasses. This one will dazzle you with its fruitiness!

Naked Yellow Bird
Equal parts-
Vodka
Raspberry schnapps or liqueur
Blue Curacao liqueur
Sweet and sour mix

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the appropriate number of shot glasses.

This drink will kick your butt and warm your innards. I don’t know why it’s called anything but a Naked Bluebird, because it’s certainly NOT a yellow drink! You will like the raspberry taste of this one.

Okay, so now you can’t say you don’t have a few decent options to celebrate that most wonderful time of the year, when those little juveniles get off the streets and go back to school. Enjoy your long weekend and here’s hoping you don’t get stuck behind a bus on your way back to work on Tuesday. And if you are home-schooling your kids, you’d better pre-make these drinks ahead of time and keep them handy during the school year.