A Less Processed Life: bourbon

Showing posts with label bourbon. Show all posts

What I'm Drinking: Boulevardier Cocktail

It's almost 5 o'clock (hooray), and I'm (SO) ready to toast the arrival of the weekend.

Boulevardier Cocktail || A Less Processed Life

This versatile sweet-and-tangy flavored Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce will knock your socks off.

Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce || A Less Processed LIfe

You can't have barbecue without barbecue sauce. It's just that simple. While more often than not I tend to purchase my favorite barbecue sauce from the store, when I have the time, I like to make my own batch from scratch. Don't be scared off by the laundry list of ingredients – they are all there for a reason, and honestly, you probably have everything you need in your pantry already.

Making your own barbecue sauce gives you way more control over the ingredients and the flavor profile. I tend to like a sweet and vinegary sauce, and this Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce hits my tastebuds just right. You can play with the heat by adding in more crushed red pepper or a dash (or more) of hot sauce to make it a bit spicier.

Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes about 3 cups

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
fine sea salt
1/4 cup bourbon (I used Maker's Mark)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup water
1 cup Simply Heinz ketchup
1/4 cup organic molasses
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add in the chopped onion and garlic along with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Pour in the whiskey, and simmer for two minutes.
3. Add in the chili pepper, black pepper, allspice, and cloves. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the spices become fragrant.
4. Stir in the maple syrup, water, ketchup, molasses, mustard, cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low/medium-low and simmer for about 30 - 45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
5. After the sauce has thickened, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. (Alternately, use a blender, but allow the sauce to cool a bit first before pureeing.)
6. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Maple-Bourbon Pulled Pork || A Less Processed Life

Although as I type this I can see snowflakes flitting about outside, this weekend we're supposed to reach 45 degrees. (Heat wave!) Which can only mean one thing – spring must be right around the corner. With the big caveat being that up here in the Northwoods, a big dump of snow in late April is not unusual.

All that to say that we have started looking into finding our next batch of pigs to join the farm this summer. (Is it weird to talk about raising pigs on a post about pulled pork? Not if you're into hyper-local food, I suppose.) Last year we raised three Tamworths, and this year I think we'd like to find the same breed. Let's just say they are just as tasty as they were friendly. (OK, now that's a weird sentence.) If we can find the customers (which proved to be quite easy last year), we may in the very least double our number to six pigs, although we are considering getting a full litter (8-10 pigs). I really enjoyed having the pigs around last year, and I definitely shed a tear or two when D drove off with them in the back of the trailer last October. But it was a bittersweet moment, as it's also super important to me to know exactly where the meat I'm eating came from, and you can't get any more local than your own backyard.

Pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt) is my favorite cut of pork, I think, solely because I love pulled pork so much. And it's just so dang easy to make! This recipe features a smoky-sweet flavor with the addition of maple syrup and Bourbon. Once pulled apart, you can eat the pulled pork as-is, or stir in some of your favorite barbecue sauce before serving.

Maple-Bourbon Pulled Pork (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 red onion, cut in half and sliced (half-moons)
1 3-4 pound pork shoulder
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup Bourbon (mid-range is fine)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses (unsulphured)
bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce, if desired

1. Add the sliced onion to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Pat the pork shoulder dry and season all sides liberally with salt and pepper, then set atop the onion layer.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Bourbon, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and molasses. Pour over top the pork.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or until the pork is tender and shreds easily.
5. Use two forks to shred the pork into bite-size pieces. You can then serve as-is, or stir in barbecue sauce as desired. (I stirred in about 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce, but we like our pulled pork lightly sauced; you may opt to add in more.) Serve on toasted buns (I highly recommend pretzel buns) with coleslaw.

Autumn Orchard Boulevardier || A Less Processed Life

The day before Thanksgiving calls for as much prep work as possible. Thus far I've made cranberry sauce and prepped ingredients for an apple strudel (which we'll eat for dessert tonight). Still on the docket: dough for a pie crust. I'm not quite sure what kind of pie I'll be making, but currently it's between a classic pumpkin pie or pecan pie. I already have a pie pumpkin (and pumpkin puree, if I decide to go the even easier route) on hand, so it looks like pumpkin pie might be the winner.

Our Thanksgiving forecast calls for sleet and snow, so I think a hot cocktail might be on order. In this simple recipe, the classic Boulevardier cocktail gets an autumnal twist with the addition of simmered apple cider. This cocktail recipe can easily be scaled up for a crowd.

Autumn Orchard Boulevardier
makes one cocktail

4 oz (1/2 cup) apple cider
2 oz Bourbon
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari
1 cinnamon stick, for garnish

1. Add the apple cider to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add in the Bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Campari. Stir to combine.
2. Carefully pour into a heat-proof mug or serving glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and serve.

(lightly adapted from a recipe by María del Mar Sacasa via Serious Eats)

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple-Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

What do you do when you have about a half-cup of pumpkin puree left over after making a batch of pumpkin pancakes? You make a dozen pumpkin spice cupcakes, of course! Or at least, that's what I do.

A friend of mine hosted a clothing swap on Sunday, and of course, trying on clothes requires a variety of snacks and plenty of wine. I decided freshly-baked cupcakes were in order, especially since I didn't have too many clothes to add to the pile because I had done a major closet cleanse a couple of months ago and donated all of my castoffs to Goodwill.

Somehow I managed to come home with more clothes than I came with. . .and we still managed to fill up several huge bags of clothing to donate to a local charity. And the cupcakes were a hit, although they had plenty of competition from treats others had brought including a freshly-baked pie, a pumpkin-chocolate chip bundt cake (yum), and savory snacks as well.

While this recipe calls for a relatively small amount of pumpkin puree, the cupcakes still pack quite a pumpkin-y punch, which is complemented by the requisite pumpkin pie spices including cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.

And the frosting! I mustn't forget to mention the frosting. A classic cream cheese frosting gets an added oomph of flavor with the addition of pure maple syrup (always use the real stuff – you'll never go back) and bourbon. I literally had to restrain myself from licking the mixing bowl clean. Too much information? I apologize. But, really, it is that good.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple-Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
(printer-friendly version)
makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the frosting:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons bourbon

chopped pecans, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
3. Use an electric mixer with the beater attached to cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the pumpkin puree and vanilla and stir to combine. Then beat in each egg, one at a time. Turn the mixer to low and stir in the flour mixture in several batches. Continue stirring until fully incorporated.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake cups. Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until well-combined and light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the sifted powdered sugar. Then add the vanilla, maple syrup, and bourbon and beat until thoroughly combined. If the frosting seems too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes before using. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with chopped pecans.

(lightly adapted from this Down Home with the Neelys recipe)

Is it just me, or are work weeks after a three-day weekend just, like, the longest ever? Long story short, I'm so glad that it is Friday. This week, I'm making a toast to the weekend with a raspberry-lemon bourbon smash.

Like last week's strawberry bourbon smash, this cocktail gets a boost of flavor by muddling fresh berries with mint. Simple syrup gives the cocktail some additional sweetness while a touch of lemon juice gives it just a tiny bit of sour flavor. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint and you've got a lovely cocktail to celebrate the beginning of another wonderful summer weekend.

Raspberry-Lemon Bourbon Smash
makes one cocktail

2 tablespoons fresh raspberries
4 fresh mint leaves
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces bourbon
ice cubes

To garnish:
3 raspberries
mint sprig

1. Muddle the raspberries and mint leaves with the lemon juice and simple syrup in the bottom of a bar glass or cocktail shaker. Add the bourbon and shake with ice.
2. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
3. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprig.

When it's hot out, I love to cool down with a bourbon smash. You can go about a million different ways with a bourbon smash -- the "smash" refers to muddling fresh fruits such as berry or citrus, typically with mint leaves, to give a fresh fruit flavor to the cocktail.

Strawberries are abundant in the marketplace these days, so I chose to feature this sweet berry in today's bourbon smash. Garnish with a couple of blueberries, and you've got a cocktail fit for celebrating the 4th of July.

Strawberry Bourbon Smash
makes one cocktail

3 strawberries, leaves removed and quartered
4 fresh mint leaves
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces bourbon
ice cubes

To garnish:
1 strawberry
1 blueberry
mint sprig

1. Muddle the quartered strawberries and mint leaves with the simple syrup in the bottom of a bar glass or cocktail glass. Add the bourbon and shake with ice.
2. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
3. Garnish with a strawberry, blueberry, and mint sprig.

I am a terrible blogger. If I was a good blogger, I would have posted this recipe for chocolate pecan bourbon pie sometime last week, so you could make it in time to celebrate the Kentucky Derby. But, I didn't. Instead, I baked this pie on Saturday afternoon right before the big race. (A race that, if we're being real, I watch solely as an excuse to drink mint juleps.)

Or, if I was a good blogger, I would hold onto this recipe for a year, and then post it right before the 2016 race. But, honestly, this pie is too good to not share now. And, well, technically, as you can see from its name, you aren't even allowed to call it derby pie. So, let's instead enjoy this delicious chocolate pecan bourbon pie any day of the year. It is ooey, gooey, and full of crunchy pecans and melted chocolate. And, well, as the name implies, there's a little kick of bourbon, too.

Do you serve pecan pie at your holiday functions? I highly recommend you save this recipe for later and bring it out for Thanksgiving. Your friends and family will thank you for it. Wait, maybe I am a good blogger . . . look at me, already sharing recipes for your Thanksgiving feast! You're welcome in advance.

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie (printer-friendly version)

makes 8 servings

For the crust:

1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/3 cup cold buttermilk

For the pie filling:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup (200g) dark corn syrup (light corn syrup or golden syrup would also work)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons bourbon
1 2/3 cups toasted pecans, very coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Make the crust: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the (cold!) butter cubes and use your fingers to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. The mixture will have large pea-sized pieces and flaky oat-like butter pieces. Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Use a fork to bring the dough together. If the dough is not coming together, add in a little more buttermilk, one tablespoon at a time. The dough will be very shaggy.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough into a small disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

3. After the dough has chilled, unwrap it and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thick and about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the dough around the edges so it only slightly overlaps the edge. Then fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Return the crust to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the pie filling: in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, dark corn syrup, vanilla, salt, melted butter, and bourbon. Stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

5. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and no longer jiggles excessively when lightly shaken. Let cool completely before serving.

(adapted from these recipes from David Lebovitz and Joy the Baker)

I've posted a few other caramel recipes on the blog, but I think I love this one the most because it takes only a few minutes and involves zero candy thermometers. The recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, but I took it up a slight notch with the addition of bourbon after the caramel sauce has thickened. This step is entirely optional, but I think the bourbon adds a nice additional layer of flavor to the sauce.

This rich and thick caramel sauce is delicious served warm over ice cream (or a slice of warm apple pie, or bread pudding, or cheesecake, really, the options are endless). But it's also a key component of the truly decadent cookie bar recipe I have coming up for you next.

Easy Bourbon Caramel Sauce (printer-friendly version)

makes about 1 cup

1 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

pinch fine sea salt

1 tablespoon bourbon [optional]

1. In a medium sauce pot, stir together the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt. While whisking constantly, heat the ingredients over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue cooking until the mixture thickens, 5-7 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon.

3. Use immediately or refrigerate until cold.

(lightly adapted from this recipe from The Pioneer Woman)

I bought the most beautiful bunch of carrots last weekend at the Wausau farmers market. My go-to vendor of late has been Stoney Acres Farm, and their produce never fails to impress me. For a measly $3, I came home with a ginormous bunch of carrots and I immediately set to work trying to decide how to use them up. For one easy option, I made a side of maple-bourbon glazed carrots to go with our dinner one night. I worked from a maple-glazed carrots recipe that I figured could use a little more oomph, so I of course added just a dash of Bourbon. (Because maple and Bourbon flavors go hand-in-hand, am I right?!) These carrots are fork tender, full of flavor, and the perfect complement to a autumnal meal. (I'm thinking roasted pork, venison, or roasted chicken would all be ideal accompanying entrees for the next time I make this.)

Maple-Bourbon Glazed Carrots (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

4 cups sliced (on the diagonal) carrots
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Bourbon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup water

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covering the skillet with a lid. Continue to simmer until the carrots are tender and the liquid has thickened to a glaze, about 15-20 minutes. If carrots have tenderized and the liquid has not thickened, remove the lid completely and increase the heat to medium-high until a glaze forms. Serve immediately.

(adapted from this Real Simple recipe)

I will be the first to admit that I like to end my day with a little sweet treat. D mentioned a desire for chocolate pudding the other day, so the following afternoon I put together a simple chocolate pudding treat, using almond milk in place of dairy milk. Of course, I couldn't let enough alone, and ended up putting in a dash of bourbon in addition to the vanilla the recipe I was working from called for. (Feel free to leave out the bourbon; you can double the vanilla instead if you'd like.) This pudding tastes like a rich treat, though it lacks any high-fat dairy products typically found in pudding recipes. You can dress up the pudding in a variety of ways; the three options I've shown include chopped pistachios, a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt flakes, and shredded coconut. The pudding tastes just as good on its own without any toppings; or consider making it an even more decadent treat by stirring in some semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Vanilla-Bourbon Chocolate Pudding (printer-friendly version)
makes 5 servings

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bourbon [optional]

1. Sift together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in a medium sauce pot.
2. Whisk in the almond milk. Continue stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.
3. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until thickened. (This should take about 5 minutes.)
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and bourbon.
5. Pour the pudding into individual cups or ramekins.
6. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
7. Garnish with shredded coconut, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or other topping of your choice.

(adapted from this recipe)

I fully intended to post this yesterday to finish out my homemade gift-giving ideas, which should have been easy to do, given it was supposed to be my first day of holiday vacation. Unfortunately, our production schedule at work barrels through the holidays, so instead of sleeping in, lazily making breakfast, and finishing this post, I instead spent 11 hours glued to my laptop and iPad reviewing items. I'll spare you the details -- let's just say that "spotchecking" doesn't go over so well with this not-so-reformed perfectionist.

But, let's get back more interesting topics and the focus of this post -- bourbon-vanilla candied pecans! I will be the first to admit that these are dangerously, dangerously good. So good, in fact, that I am glad that we are set to give these as gifts to others, as neither D nor I can be trusted around them.

One of my favorite websites, A Practical Wedding (which I first started reading during the days of my own wedding planning back in 2009, and still read today) recently featured free downloadable favor or gift labels, which I took full advantage of in packaging my candied pecans. You can download the labels here and here (there are two different styles to choose from).

The candied pecans themselves come together pretty quickly. You'll need a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the sugar mixture. You can find these at cooking or home goods specialty shops, some grocery stores, and online. (I bought mine from Amazon.)

Bourbon-Vanilla Candied Pecans (printer-friendly version)

makes 3 cups

3 cups pecan halves

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup filtered water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon bourbon

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place the pecans in an oven-safe container and place in the oven to warm.
3. In a large sauce pot, combine together the sugar, water, salt, and cinnamon. On low heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Increase the temperature to medium-high and cook (do not stir) until the temperature reaches 236 degrees (use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature). Depending on your range, this should take between 5 and 20 minutes.
5. Take the sugar mixture off the heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon. Add in the warmed pecans and stir until evenly coated.
6. Pour the coated pecans onto a parchment- (or silpat-) lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Spread the pecans onto a large sheet of parchment paper to cool.
8. Package the candied pecans in an airtight container.

(adapted from this Taste of Home recipe)

I made a batch of caramel sauce last summer, and this time I thought I'd take it up a notch by adding in some bourbon and a pinch of salt. This caramel sauce would make an excellent present -- all you need to do is tie a ribbon around the jar and you've got a homemade gift ready to be given. (Or, bring a gallon of vanilla ice cream along with the caramel sauce to a holiday party, and you've got an instant-sundae bar!)

Bourbon-Vanilla Caramel Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes about 2 cups (enough to fill three 8-oz jars)

2 cups raw sugar
1/2 cup filtered water
1 cup organic heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, beans scraped out and reserved
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons bourbon
pinch sea salt

1. Add the sugar and water to a 2-quart sauce pot. Cook until the mixture is dark amber in color, gently swirling the pot (do not stir) over the burner. This process should take about 20 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low. While stirring vigorously, slowly add in the heavy cream. Then add in the vanilla beans, vanilla bean pod, lemon juice, butter, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Add in a pinch of sea salt.
3. Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into (cleaned and dried) jars. The caramel sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to one week. Reheat before using.

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)

Given my love for baking, I go through a lot of vanilla extract. Though my go-to source for ginormous bottles of pure vanilla extract (for a great price) is typically Costco, I thought it was about time I made my own vanilla extract at home. Turns out, it's quite simple to do -- some vanilla beans and a bottle of liquor are all that is required. A quick Google search led to two main options for the alcohol -- vodka or bourbon. I thought I'd do a little experiment and try both ... I'll check back in two or three months from now and report on any taste differences. Yep -- you read that right -- it's going to take about three months until the vanilla extract is ready for primetime. So don't use this recipe if you need to use the extract immediately -- I think you'll want to buy the pre-made stuff instead. (And when buying vanilla extract at the store, I highly recommend getting the "real" stuff! Stay away from the "imitation" options.)

As to the quality of alcohol -- from what I've read, you don't want to go totally bottom shelf, nor do you need to use the high-end stuff. I ended up purchasing Kirkland American Vodka and Kirkland Bourbon (both Costco house brands), which were relatively inexpensive and yet had good taste reviews online. And, for the vanilla beans -- you can often find them in the spice section of grocery stores; I've also found them in World Market; for this project, I bought the beans online from Amazon.

Homemade Vanilla Extract (printer-friendly version)
makes 2 cups
[Note: This recipe requires a three-month waiting period before using!]

2 cups vodka or bourbon
6 vanilla beans (rule of thumb is 3 vanilla beans per 8 ounces (1 cup) of alcohol)

1. Wash and dry a 2-cup capacity bottle with an airtight stopper/closure. Set aside.
2. Split each of the vanilla beans down the center.
3. Place the split beans into the bottle.
4. Add the alcohol to the bottle. The beans should be completely submerged in the liquid.
5. Seal the bottle closed. Give the bottle a little shake. Place the bottle in a cool, dry, dark place (such as in the back of a cabinet.)
6. Shake the contents of the bottle once a week.
7. After two to three months, the vanilla extract is ready to be used. As you measure the vanilla extract for a recipe, you can pour it through a strainer to remove the beans or any fibrous material, if desired.

Spiked Eggnog

makes one cocktail

3 oz organic eggnog

1 oz Maker's Mark Bourbon

ground nutmeg

1. Pour the bourbon into a small glass.

2. Add in the eggnog. Stir to combine.

3. Top with a generous sprinkle of nutmeg.

Introducing the Holiday Cocktail Hour

As of late tomorrow afternoon, D and I will be on a plane on what will be the first of several flights that will take us from Denver to London to New Delhi to Kathmandu. Yup, it's December and we're headed to the Himalayas in Nepal. To say I'm excited would be quite the understatement -- even if it will be really (really!) cold in the mountains. I have a feeling the views will make up for it.

Though we will be out of the country for three weeks (and likely not near to many, if any, Internet connections), no worries, as the blog will still continue to have new posts each weekday during our absence. Since it's the holiday season and thus also the season of holiday parties, I've dedicated the month of December on the blog to holiday cocktails and other fun concoctions to make and drink!

So, happy holidays to you and yours -- and I'll see you back here sometime during the last week of December. And, to start it off, let's begin with a classic -- The Manhattan.

Manhattan

makes one cocktail

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey

1 dash bitters

1 sweet (or maraschino) cherry

1. Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker.

2. Pour in the sweet vermouth, bourbon, and bitters. Shake gently to combine.

3. Place a sweet cherry (or maraschino cherry, but, gah! the ingredients!) in the bottom of a small cocktail glass.

4. Pour the bourbon mixture into the glass.

5. Serve!

You can't have a Thanksgiving Feast without a slice of pumpkin pie, right? At least this was the case in our household. By popular request, I made the traditional Libby's pumpkin pie recipe, only substituting in some fat-free evaporated milk for the regular kind. (Mainly because I had some richer plans for a whipped cream topping.) Clearly, this recipe is not exactly unprocessed -- and, horror upon horrors, I actually used a frozen pie crust! (Which, though I used the excuse that I've already packed my pie tins, it really was more that I was too lazy to make a crust from scratch . . .) But let's face it, there's a reason why this blog isn't called "An Unprocessed Life"! Sometimes convenience wins out. Anyway, on to the actual less processed part of this dessert -- the bourbon whipped cream! Making the whipped cream was the last hurrah for my Kitchenaid Mixer -- it is now happily boxed away and waiting to be opened back up and placed in a place of honor in our Philly kitchen (if we can find the room for it!)

Bourbon Whipped Cream

makes about one cup

1/2 cup organic heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon Maker's Mark bourbon

1. Chill the bowl of your mixer in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

2. Add the heavy cream, sugar, and bourbon to the chilled bowl.

3. Whisk on high until soft peaks form.

4. Serve a generous dollop on your slice of pie!

A Less Processed Life

What I'm Drinking: Boulevardier Cocktail

It's almost 5 o'clock (hooray), and I'm (SO) ready to toast the arrival of the weekend.

Made From Scratch: Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

This versatile sweet-and-tangy flavored Maple-Bourbon Barbecue Sauce will knock your socks off.

What's For Dinner: Maple-Bourbon Pulled Pork

What I'm Drinking: An Autumn Orchard Boulevardier

What's Baking: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Maple-Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

What I'm Drinking: Raspberry-Lemon Bourbon Smash

What I'm Drinking: Strawberry Bourbon Smash

What's For Dessert: Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

Made From Scratch: Easy Bourbon Caramel Sauce

What's On the Side: Maple-Bourbon Glazed Carrots

What's For Dessert: Vanilla-Bourbon Chocolate Pudding

What I'm Giving: Bourbon-Vanilla Candied Pecans

Made From Scratch: Bourbon-Vanilla Caramel Sauce

Made From Scratch: Vanilla Extract

Holiday Cocktail Hour: Spiked Eggnog

Introducing the Holiday Cocktail Hour

What's Baking: Pumpkin Pie