Christmas Bombardier

10 oz Bourbon
6 oz Compari
4 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 oz Aperol
2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz All Spice Liquor

Makes 4 cocktails

Courtesy Mike Retherford

Mike’s 60th Birthday Hot Toddy

Mike’s 60th Birthday Hot Toddy

¾ c water (heat just shy of boiling)
2 tea bags
4 cardamom pods
4 black peppercorns
1 ½ oz Rossville Union Rye Whiskey
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz maple syrup
Lemon peel (for garnish)
Cinnamon Stick (for garnish)

Crush 4 cardamom pods and 4 peppercorns. Place in a tea bag and steep with the 2 black tea bags in the hot water. Steep for 4 minutes. Removed the three tea bags. Add the whiskey, lemon juice and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Garnish with lemon peel and a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!

Roasted Porchetta (Pork Shoulder)

Roasted Porchetta (serve with Barbera Barbera)

3 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1 (5½ - to 6-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), excess fat trimmed with thin layer left intact
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp stone ground mustard
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1.5 cups low-salt chicken broth


Stir fennel seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until slightly darker in color and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to spice mill and cool. Add kosher salt, peppercorns, and dried crushed red pepper. Grind to medium-fine consistency (not powder).

Place pork in 13 x 9 x 2–inch glass baking dish. Rub garlic and mustard all over pork, then coat with spice mixture. Loosely cover pork with waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place roast, fat side up and coating intact, in center of sheet. Drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast pork 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Roast pork until very tender and thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 190°F, about 3 hours, 15 minutes longer. Transfer pork to cutting board; reserve baking sheet. Let pork rest 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour all pan juices into 2-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat that rises to top. Place reserved baking sheet across 2 burners. Pour broth onto baking sheet and bring to boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until broth is reduced to ¾ cup, about 4 minutes. Add degreased pan juices and whisk to blend. Pour pan sauce into small bowl (sauce will be thin).

Thinly slice roast. Serve with sauce.

Brown Butter Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies from "A Common Kitchen"
Makes about 24 Cookies

Ingredients:

16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup White Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 Cup Rye Flour
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, plus more for sprinkling on top
8 Ounces Good Quality Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped *see note
Directions:

Make the Brown Butter:

In a medium-sized saucepan, add the butter and turn the heat to medium. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will start to spatter as the water starts to evaporate. Keep cooking until the butter turns a deep amber color and smells toasty and nutty, about 7-8 minutes.
Transfer the butter to a bowl and let cool completely to room temperature. If you're in a rush, place the brown butter in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
Make the Cookies:

In a large skillet, add the rye flour and turn the heat to medium. Toast the rye flour, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn, until the rye flour starts to turn a light golden brown color and smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the flour to a bowl and let cool completely-- you don't want to use hot flour or else it will burn/melt your other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350ºf and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together the rye flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the brown butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat the mixture on medium-high until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix again until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add all of the dry ingredients and turn the mixer speed to low and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Stop the mixer and add the chocolate chunks and mix low just until combined.
Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to portion out 1 tablespoon balls of dough on the parchment paper lined baking sheet about two inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Once done baking, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool down.
The cookies can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze the dough you can pop the baking tray with the uncooked balls of cookie dough (in step 5) into the freezer and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen balls of dough to a large ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake the cookies directly from the freezer, just add 1-2 minutes to their baking time.

Notes:

*Use a good quality chocolate bar, such as a Ghirardelli 65-73% bar.

Mini chocolate Wine Cake

1/3 Duncan Hines Cake Mix
1 egg
1/3 c red wine
2 T oil

Mix together and bake in a 4 inch round cake pan at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool then slice into thirds. Fill and coat with buttercream frosting. I use a very thin (naked cake style) coating of buttercream on the outside. Chill and cover with chocolate wine ganache - https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2018/01/15/red-wine-chocolate-ganache/

Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

1 large spaghetti squash
1 pound Italian sausage
1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped
4 cups tomato sauce
2 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
or combine these by using Italian Street Food Spice Blend - Smoked black peppercorn, sea salt, garlic, red and green bell peppers, onion, smoked sea salt, sweet onion, sugar, fennel, anise, crushed red pepper flake.
3 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2 Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise.
3. using a large spoon, scrape out all the seeds and lose fibers from each half.
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
5. Place the spaghetti squash face down on the baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes.
6. While the squash is cooking, in a medium pan over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned.
7. Add the baby spinach, tomato sauce, basil and oregano. Turn to low and simmer.
8. Remove the squash from the oven, and turn the halves over so they are face up. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 350.
9. Scrape the insides of the squash halves with a large fork to create "spaghetti" strands. Put the spaghetti in a 9 x 13 inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
10. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, and add them to the baking dish.
11. Pour the meat and tomato sauce mixture into the baking dish, and carefully stir to combine all ingredients.
12. Bake for 1 hour.
13. Allow the dish to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.