Maker's® Mule
Ingredients
2 parts Maker's Mark Bourbon
1/2 part fresh lime juice
4 muddled pieces of fresh fruit or a squeeze of puree*
1 dash Angostura® aromatic bitters
Cold ginger beer
Muddle your fruit in a shaker. Add Maker's Mark, lime and bitters. Shake and strain into a glass with ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with fruit of your choice.
Beer Dip
Makes about 2-2 ½ cups
Ingredients
½ stick unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
2 tablespoons flour or more as needed
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces light yet flavorful beer (or use vegetable or chicken stock, or milk, for a non-beer option)
3 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
8 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese or any similar melty cheese
Instructions
First, make your cheese by melting the butter in a pot over medium heat.
Next, add the flour and stir. Cook for 10 minutes while continually stirring, until the roux begins to brown a bit. If it does not thicken up into a good roux, add another tablespoon or 2 of flour, then continue to stir until it thickens to a paste, and until it begins to brown lightly.
Add the chili flakes and salt, then stir in the beer, still stirring continually, until the mixture thickens a bit, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream cheese until melted and incorporated throughout.
Finally, stir in most of the shredded cheddar cheese a bit at a time, continually stirring, until it melts through and becomes a smooth, delicious cheese sauce. Serve with garlic knots or sourdough pretzels.
Bacon Wrapped Bourbon Pork Chops
Makes 4
Ingredients
1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 center cut pork loin chops
4-6 strips of applewood smoked bacon - NOT thick cut
Instructions
Wrap the pork chops with a piece of bacon. If the bacon doesn’t adhere, secure with a toothpick. Set aside until ready to cook.
Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes. Add bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup and whisk to combine. Bring to a heavy simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining olive oil and pork chops to the pan. Once browned on the first side, flip then brush with bourbon glaze. Flip again and glaze the second side. Because the glaze has brown sugar in it it can burn easily so make sure the heat doesn’t get too high in the pan. If bacon hasn’t cooked all the way, take the tongs and cook by holding the pork chop on it’s side. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Easy Sautéed Greens
1 8 oz. clam shell of mixed power greens, spinach or kale, rinsed, dried and chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, smashed
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper
Generous drizzle of olive oil
Grated parmesan
In a large sauté pan, over medium heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil and add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Then add the greens and toss until they are just wilted. Remove from the heat. Toss with grated cheese.
Rosemary & Thyme Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
3 to 3 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes, washed
¼ cup olive oil
2 heads garlic, cloves separated
4 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the fingerling potatoes in half and place the fingerling potatoes in a large baking sheet with the garlic cloves. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs and roast the fingerlings until golden brown and tender for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and toss with butter. Serve hot.
Salted Scotch Whiskey Fudge
Makes about 50 pieces
17 ounces milk chocolate chunks
9 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces Scotch whisky
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Grease and line an 8”x8” cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Melt the chocolate by adding a bowl over a pot of simmering water, then add the chocolate and stir until melted.
Once the chocolate is melted, carefully remove the bowl from the pot of simmering water. Add the condensed milk, vanilla extract, Scotch whisky, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
Pour into the lined cake tin and smooth over the top.
Sprinkle the remaining salt over the top. Chill for 2 hours. Cut into cubes and enjoy.
