Liquor

Leopold Bros. Rocky Mountain Peach Whiskey

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Leopold Brothers Peach WhiskeyTaking a break from all of the house talk to discuss some food.

Well drinks.

The more we live in Fort Collins the more we get exposed to amazing local resources.  Some right here in town and some from other parts of Colorado.

I feel amazingly lucky to live here and have access to the wide variety of things.

Micro-distilleries are becoming more popular and are popping up with more frequency.

Something that caught my eye recently is this Rocky Mountain Peach Whiskey by Leopold Bros.

Peaches from Colorado are pretty freaking amazing.  As in, probably would be one of the best peaches you have ever eaten. Georgia peaches are like Colorado peach’s little cousin.

For serious.

And since I love Colorado peaches and I adore whiskey, well this was a no brainer.

This stuff is pretty spectacular.  The proof is 30% so it’s not going to knock you on your ass.  It has strong peach flavor and is sweet and goes down smooth.

You can drink it straight with an ice cube for a slight chill or you can mix it.

Or you can cook with it.

I’ve done all of those things and have some recipes coming soon!

If you can find this stuff in your area, snag it up and give it a taste.  It’s that good!

 

Disclaimer: I bought this on my own with Scott’s money. I was not asked to write this post as Leopold Bros. has no idea that I even exist. I just like it.

Superbowl 2013 Snackies

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Braised Pork Ribs Someone said that there was a big athletic event this weekend. All I know is that hockey is back and the Pens play the Capitals (I can’t stand the Capitals and their website looks horrible. Ahem.)  on Sunday, so I’ll be focused on that.

If you’re having a big event on Sunday for the game of your choice, I’ve got some great ideas for you that will power you through the afternoon.

Braised Ribs are easy to make and the perfect “messy” game day food.  They can be served hot or room temperature and will keep you and your guests satisfied during the big day.

Pair it with some bourbon or green chili barbecue sauce for some extra kick!

If you’re looking for something a little less messy, then this honey mustard chicken salad is where you should turn.

Honey Mustard Chicken SaladThere’s no mayo so it can sit out without a problem.  Everyone can make their own sandwiches or wraps, or even put it on top of a mixed salad.

Chips and dips are always a must on game day.  Make your own horseradish onion dip the day before and it will be ready for when your guests arrive! Can be served with chips or veggies!

Horseradish Onion Dip If you’re looking for a different cocktail to serve, my friend Lori has a great one using sriracha! Head over to check it out!

Have fun this weekend and get your snacking on!

 

 

Christmas Goodies

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Rum Gingerbread Christmas is almost upon us! I didn’t do any baking this year. None. Oh I had good intentions of making some goodies but time quickly got away from me.

I still have plans to make some quick snacks this Christmas and if you’re in the same boat, I do have a few suggestions!

Rum Gingerbread is easy to make and pretty tasty on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning.

Buttered Bourbon and Cider

If you’re looking for a drink to warm you up, how about some Hot Buttered and Bourbon Cider?

Christmas morning we always have a Breakfast Casserole.

Breakfast casseroleCheesy, eggy, and delicious! Prepped the night before and can be put in the oven first thing in the morning as you start opening presents.

Figgy Bourbon Refrigerator JamIf you need something sweet to go with an appetizer tray (and some brie!) or perhaps just something a little different for biscuits in the morning, Figgy Bourbon Refrigerator Jam is perfect.

Now I just have to decide what I’m making!

 

 

 

Figgy Bourbon Refrigerator Jam

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This is the recipe that got Scott to love figs. I have always had eyes for figs, even those silly Fig Newtons.

And once I had fresh figs sauteed in a little butter and sugar, I thought that was heaven.

Figs are in season now and I purchased a little pint of them to have for dessert one evening.

Scott wasn’t impressed.  He would eat them, he said, but figs weren’t something he would get excited about or look forward to.

Oh really?

The glove was thrown down.  I accepted this challenge and thought about how to make figs exciting for him.

Andrea’s Figgy Bourbon Refrigerator Jam

  • 12oz or One Pint of Fresh Figs
  • 3/4C Water, Plus another 1/4C
  • 1/4C Bourbon of your Choice
  • 2tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2TBSP Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/4tsp Ground Cinnamon

Split the figs in half and cut off the stem.  To a small sauce pan add, 3/4C water, figs, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Bring to a simmer and simmer until the figs are tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and place contents in a blender.  Add the other 1/4C water and blend until smooth.

The jam will be thick.

Scoop the contents out of the blender and back into the sauce pan.  Add in the vanilla and the bourbon and stir.  Heat pan over a medium-low heat just to thicken everything up a little more.  About 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour into a glass container to cool.  You can either eat immediately or cover in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The bourbon flavor is prominent in this jam so you best like bourbon when you make it! It’s slightly sweet from the added brown sugar and has a nice vanilla background to it.

No canning involved since it’s refrigerator jam, it’s simple and super quick to make!

Guess who is excited about figs now?  Someone couldn’t keep his hands off this jam and demanded we get more figs at the store.

Figs 1, Scott 0.  WIN!

Other ideas for the jam:

You can eat it straight up on crackers or biscuits.  Or pair with a lovely extra sharp cheddar.

Maybe a little brie and prosciutto?

Or heck, drizzle a little on top of some vanilla ice cream!

However you choose to eat it, I’m pretty sure it will be tasty.

Have fun guys, and remember always play with your food!  Enjoy!

 

Hot Buttered Bourbon and Cider

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The weather is starting to get chilly and the leaves are falling. It’s apple season and you all know how much I love cider!

I wanted to come up with a drink that would be warm, spicy, and have a little kick to it with some bourbon.

Of course there are hot toddys and hot buttered rum drinks, so making something along those lines with bourbon seemed reasonable.

We had some lovely Kentucky small batch bourbon gifted to us by Lori (foodie friends rock!) so I busted that out for this warm drink.

Andrea’s Hot Buttered Bourbon and Cider
4C Cider

1/2 tsp Cinnamon or 2 Cinnamon Sticks

1/2tsp Ground Ginger or 1/2 inch of Fresh Ginger

1/4 tsp Ground Clove or 5 Whole Cloves

2tsp Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Bean split

4oz of Bourbon split into 2 oz portions

2 TBSP Butter split into 1 TBSP portions

In a medium sized sauce pan add the cider, spices, and vanilla.  Stir and bring up to a gentle simmer.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.

In two mugs, put 2 oz of bourbon in each mug and 1 TBSP of butter.

Remove the cider from the heat and if you used whole spices be sure to remove or strain those out first before serving.

Fill each mug with 10 oz of cider mixture, pour right on top of the bourbon and butter.  Gently stir just to mix in the bourbon.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Serves two.

Scott and I loved this drink!  So much that I immediately made another batch that night so we could have another mug of it.  I highly recommend making extra because you’re definitely going to go back for seconds.

If you’re having a party, this recipe can be easily adjusted to accomodate more people.  You’ll just need more cider and to increase the spices a bit.  Each mug still gets 2 oz of bourbon and a TBSP of butter.

Though if you ask me, I would go ahead and up the butter amount to 1.5 TBSP.  You won’t be sorry.

Fresh and local cider is best if you can find it.  If you’re in Fort Collins, Ela Family Farms has great cider that you can get at the market on Saturday.

Gin Joy

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I’m not much of a hard liquor kind of girl.  I mostly stick to wine or beer and lately it’s been more beer than wine.  I cannot get enough of the Belgian beers!  More on that at another time though.

Scott enjoys the harder stuff and through him I’ve learned about a little more about them and my taste preferences.

I’ve always been fascinated with gin because it smells amazing.  It smells like old timey men’s cologne.  Like something a dapper gent would have worn back in the 1930s or 1940s.  I know that might not be the most appealing description but I do mean it in a complimentary way.  I love it!

I finally ventured into drinking my own gin drinks after tasting a few of Scott’s experiments. I found two styles that I love and those are what I tend to stick with.  I also have two favorite gins that I keep on hand at all times.

My most favorite gin is Death’s Door.

I like small batch and craft style gins which is precisely Death’s Door’s style.  It’s not a harsh gin but it does have some heat behind it.  It’s very smooth, not overly piney, but does have that lovely juniper smell to it.

Subtle men’s cologne, if you will.  It’s amazing and if you like gin I highly suggest seeking it out and giving it a go.

My next favorite gin is Smooth Ambler:

Smooth Ambler gin is so smooth you might not even realize you are drinking gin.  It is a great gin for mixed drinks because it blends well.  It doesn’t have a strong smell to it and there’s no burn or spice on the aftertaste.

Both of these gins are perfect in a glass and I highly recommend them!  If you’re new to gin each of these are great introductory gins.

Next week I’ll post the recipes for the two gin drinks that I enjoy!

Tequila Brined and Roasted Chicken

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You all know I love brining up some chicken and this one was inspired by Scott.

Scott has fallen head over heels in love with Tequila.  We have several different styles here on hand to cover all the bases, sipping, mixing, and cooking.

A good mid-range anejo style tequila is perfect for this dish as it has a little more depth and smokiness to it.

Andrea’s Tequila Roasted Chicken

For The Brine:

  • 1 Whole Chicken (about 5lbs)
  • 1/3C Tequila
  • 1/4C Brown Sugar
  • 1/4C Kosher Salt
  • 2 Fresno Peppers, cut in half
  • Huge Bunch of Cilantro
  • Water to cover

Basting Sauce:

  • 3TBSP Tequila
  • 4TBSP Olive Oil
  • 8 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1/2tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1tsp Chili Powder
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1tsp Garlic Powder
Extras:
  • Lime, cut in half
  • Half an Onion
  • Cilantro
  • 2 TBSP Olive Oil

In your largest tallest bowl (or perhaps a stock or pasta pot) add in the salt, sugar, tequila, and 2 cups of hot water (not boiling).  Stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved.  Add in cold water until the bowl/pot is almost full.  Add in the chicken, peppers, and cilantro.  Add in more water until the chicken is fully submerged.

Place in fridge for at least 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove chicken from brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Place chicken in a baking dish, add in a little water or stock at the bottom, along with some olive oil. Place lime, onion, and cilantro inside the cavity of the chicken.  Rub olive oil over the chicken, about 1/2TBSP and place in oven.  Roast and occasionally bast with the water or stock that is in the pan.

Place all ingredients for the basting sauce in a food processor or blender and blend until totally smooth.

Once the chicken is about half way cooked (after about 30 minutes) start basting with the tequila mixture.  The mixture should get through two bastings.

Do the first basting and wait another 10 – 15 minutes before doing the second basting.

After the second basting allow the chicken to finish cooking until it is completely done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I got the idea for the basting sauce because I wanted something that would not only add some flavor to the chicken but also add some color to it.  Similiar to that deep red color you find on a smoked or barbequed chicken.

The paprika and the chili powder is what brings the roasted chicken to life and the tequila is what makes it stand out.

The reason you wait until the chicken is halfway through the cooking process before basting is because garlic can easily burn.  Adding in the basting sauce too early and you run the risk of garlic burning on you and creating a bitter taste.

We both really enjoyed this chicken dish and Scott’s excited for another reason to purchase tequila.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy! 

Bourbon BBQ Sauce

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I’m pretty sure that I’ve stated it before but I’m a huge BBQ sauce fan.

None of this vinegar based stuff, I want a nice thick tomato based sauce.  That’s sweet and spicy.

You can dip with it or you can slather it all over some ribs.

Or you can toss it with some pulled pork and call it dinner.

That’s BBQ sauce to me.

I’ve been experimenting with making my own at home.  Sometimes I use ketchup as a base and sometimes I don’t.  Ketchup seems to yield the best results though and this latest version is by far our favorite.

Andrea’s Bourbon BBQ Sauce

  • 1/2C Bourbon
  • 1C Ketchup (look for one without HFCS)
  • 1/3C Dijon Mustard
  • 2TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 1 Fresno Pepper
  • 1/2 Medium Onion, chunked
  • 1/2 Green Pepper, chunked
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 2tsp Garlic Powder
  • 2tsp Chili Powder
  • 1tsp Smoked Paprika
  • Big Pinch of Salt
  • 1TBSP Light Olive Oil for sauteeing

In a medium sized sauce pan add olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Add in the peppers, onion, and garlic along with the pinch of salt.  Stir and sautee for about 3 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and add in remaining ingredients.  Add in the ketchup and mustard first before adding in the bourbon.  Take caution when adding the bourbon, add slowly to avoid a flare up.

Stir and combine everything.  Place back on medium heat.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Place mixture in blender and blend until very smooth.  Pour back into sauce pan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer again for another 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour into a glass container.  Either serve immediately or cover once cooled and store in fridge for up to a week.

Both of us really love this BBQ sauce.  We’ve had it on sandwiches, dipped fries in it, used it for shredded pork and even had it on pizza.

I’ll be making it again for sure!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Rum Gingerbread

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I know that it might not be the holidays any longer but it technically is still winter and that means winter foods are still acceptable.

One of my favorite flavors of all time is that of gingerbread.  The combination of clove and molassess is a match made in heaven.

Gingerbread is so spicy and not overly sweet which makes it the perfect dessert for me.

I experimented a lot this winter with cooking and baking with bourbon and rum.  This is one of those experiments and it turned out to be a favorite.

Andrea’s Rum Gingerbread
Dry:

  • 1C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 1/2tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4tsp Ground Allspice
  • 1/2tsp Ground Clove
  • 1/2tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
  • 2TBSP Brown Sugar

Wet:

  • 1/2C Unsweetened Coconut Milk (the kind found in the dairy aisle)
  • 1/4C Rum
  • 1/2C Molasses
  • 2TBSP Light Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a square baking dish (9×9) with oil or nonstick spray.

In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients and whisk together.  In a medium sized mixing bowl combine wet ingredients and whisk.

Gently pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir.  The batter will be slightly thick and sticky.

Pour gingerbread batter into the greased baking dish and place in oven.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about five minutes before cutting.  Serve and enjoy!


This gingerbread is spicy and a bit denser in texture providing a hearty dessert.  Or breakfast in case you roll that way.  I definitely do sometimes.

I tend to lean more towards the clove and molasses flavor so if you would like more ginger punch, feel free to add in some more.

You can use your favorite nondairy milk of choice or regular milk if you have it.

Perfect for a party or just a lazy Sunday at home.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pie

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Pumpkin pie is one of those items that I stopped making for our Thanksgiving dinner a few years back.  Don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin!

But we have it all the time and I use it in a lot of different applications.  Sweet potatoes were something that was completely traditional for Scott to have at Thanksgiving so we couldn’t skip them.

What to do? They had to be part of the menu yet as a side dish would put us way over the edge.

I decided to remove them as a side dish and return them as dessert.

This has worked out very well!  We’re still getting sweet potatoes for the big day but not as a sticky gross mess (sorry but that whole marshmallow thing needs to go!).  Instead it’s served up in pie form!

And if you’ve got folks who claim they hate pumpkin (GASP!) you can serve them this instead!

This year I experimented a little and added a crumb topping and some good rum into the mix.

Andrea’s Rum and Sweet Potato Pie

For The Crust:

  • 2C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1/4C Coconut Oil
  • 1TBSP Light Olive Oil
  • 1/2TBSP Sugar
  • Cold Water

Combine flour, oils, and sugar into a food processor.  Pulse and slowly add in the cold water, 1/4C at a time.  Pulse until the mixture comes together and starts to form a ball.  The mixture should be easy to handle and come out of the food processor without sticking.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least two hours.  Can be made up to two days ahead of time.

For the Filling:

  • 1, Very Large Sweet Potato
  • 2TBSP Butter, room temperature
  • 1/4C Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 1/4C Dark Rum
  • 1tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4tsp Ground Clove
  • 1TBSP Molasses
  • 2TBSP Brown Sugar, Packed
  • 2tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2tsp Baking Powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Poke holes in the sweet potato and place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake until a knife can be inserted easily.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Remove the outer skin and place sweet potato into a bowl for your stand mixer.  Add all the remaining ingredients for the filling and mix until everything is well blended.

For The Topping:

  • 1C Pecan Halves
  • 1C Oats
  • 1/4C Rum
  • 1TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 1TBSP Butter

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it resembles a crumble mixture.

Assembling and Baking:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pull out a 9inch pie pan and grease using nonstick spray or olive oil.  Roll out pie dough until it’s about 1/4inch thick.  Place and fit into pie pan.  Crimp the edges and use a fork to poke holes in the bottom to allow steam to escape.  Add filling and smooth the top.  Sprinkle crumble topping on top using all of the mixture.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes.  A toothpick inserted will come out clean.  Remove and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Serve and enjoy!

This pie went over very well this year!  The crust was flavorful but since I used whole wheat pastry flour, it had some great chew to it.  I like pie crusts to have some heft and not be too much like a pastry.

The rum was extremely prominent in this pie!  Next time I would probably leave out the rum in the crumble topping but feel free to play around with it and see what you like! I would probably add a little bit more olive oil or butter to the topping as well so it has a little bit more moisture to it.

Leftovers can be frozen and pulled out when you feel like a little slice of the holidays is necessary.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!