Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye Toddy

By: The Food Hunter

Looking for a soul warming drink this holiday season? Why not try a Basil Hayden Dark Rye Toddy. Made with, you guessed it BH's Dark Rye this cocktail will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye Toddy

By Charlie Schott (Chicago, IL)
 

Serves: 1 

1 1/2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Dark Rye
3/4 part Honey Simple Syrup*
1/4 part Lemon Juice
7 parts Hot Water
Cinnamon Stick
Star Anise
3 Allspice Berries
Candied ginger

Heat 7 parts of water over stove in a pot. Once water is hot, add remaining ingredients into pot and stir into flavors are absorbed. Strain mixture into a glass mug and garnish with candied ginger.

(when batching for a larger group, multiply parts by number of guests and combine in a large pot)

*To create Honey Simple Syrup, combine equal parts honey and equal parts water over heat until dissolved.

Gingerbread Fudge

By: The Food Hunter

This decadent fudge is a delicious and festive holiday treat featuring Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract from Nielsen Massey. Their Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is the perfect all-purpose vanilla that boasts a full, sweet, creamy and mellow flavor with velvety after-tones. I use it whenever I bake!



Gingerbread Fudge

(recipe from Nielsen Massey)

• 3 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with wax paper or tin foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray, making sure to get the corners.

Place all ingredients except Vanilla Extract into a medium saucepan. Stir to mix and heat over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until it’s smooth and melted together nicely.

Remove from heat and immediately add Vanilla Extract. Stir again until vanilla is completely mixed in. Pour into the baking pan and refrigerate until set.

Top with sprinkles to make it festive and fun!

Once set, cut into small squares. This fudge is soft and very rich, so smaller squares will do the trick.
 

The Black Russian Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter

 

The holidays, are a wonderful time to enjoy a festive cocktail with friends and family. The Black Russian is a nice mix of Kahlua and vodka making it easily loved by all. 

The Black Russian

Ingredients:
1 part Kahlúa
2 parts Absolut

Method: Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add one part Kahlúa, two parts Absolut Vodka. Then mix and enjoy your very own Black Russian. Oh, and don't forget to garnish with a cherry on top.

Jack of Spades Cocktail

By: the Food Hunter


Think bubbly cocktails are just for woman...think again. This cocktail features Italian Prosecco and cognac. Not only will everyone love this champagne drink its also seasonal and festive. Pour one tonight.

Jack of Spades Cocktail

Instructions

2 parts Ruffino Prosecco

1½ parts cognac

¾ parts lemon juice

1 part apple cider

½ part honey syrup (2:1 honey to water)

Apple slices

Method

Shake the cognac, lemon, apple cider, and honey syrup. Strain into a lowball glass with ice and top with Ruffino Prosecco. Garnish with an apple slice.

Cran-Barrel Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter


This holiday season get your cranberry fill sipping on a festive cranberry sauce alternative...The Cran Barrel Cocktail.

Cran-Barrel

1 ½ parts Hornitos® Black Barrel® Tequila
1 ½ parts fresh cranberry juice
¾ fresh lime juice
½ part simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura® bitters
Cranberries

Preparation: Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cranberry skewer.

Butterflied Chicken with Lemon & Fennel

By: The Food Hunter

An delicious and healthy weeknight dinner the entire family will love. This butterflied chicken is perfect for those that want to eat healthy but just don't want to fuss over meals.

Don't fret about have to butterfly the chicken. It is easy enough to do using kitchen shears, or you can always have the butcher do it for you.

Butterflied Chicken with Lemon & Fennel
 Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Year-Round Roasting (Weldon Owen, 2011)

1 whole chicken, about 4 lb. (2 kg), butterflied
1⁄4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. crushed fennel seeds
1 lemon, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 garlic cloves

Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C).

If the giblets are in the chicken cavity, remove them and reserve for another use or discard. Lay the chicken skin side up in a roasting pan large enough to hold it comfortably. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and fennel seeds. Rub the chicken all over with the oil mixture. Squeeze 1 lemon half over the chicken and sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper. Cut the remaining lemon half into small pieces and sprinkle them over and around the chicken along with the garlic cloves.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400°F (200°C) and roast until the skin is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone registers 170°F (77°C), about 40 minutes longer. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

To serve, using clean poultry shears or a chef’s knife, cut the chicken into 10 serving pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings and 4 breast pieces). Transfer to a warmed serving platter and spoon the pan juices, including the garlic and lemon pieces, over the chicken. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Say I Love Yout This Valentine's Day With The Cironge Cosmopolitan

By: The Food Hunter


This Valentine's Day if you honey is more into cocktails than chocolate win them over with one of these Citronge Cosmopolitans.

Citrónge Cosmopolitan 

INGREDIENTS 

1 oz. Patrón Citrónge Orange

1.5 oz. Ultimat Vodka

.5 oz. Cranberry Juice

.75 oz. Fresh lime juice

.25 oz. Simple Syrup

Orange Twist 

METHOD

1. Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and shake to chill.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass or cocktail coupe.
3. Garnish with an orange twist.

Lavender Chill Cocktail

By: The Food Hunter

Our holiday celebration would not be complete without exquisitely crafted cocktails.  The Botanist Gin, made with 22 hand-foraged botanicals from Islay, makes it easy to create a unique beverage.

Mixed with homemade cold brew and lavender syrup the Lavender Chill is something I could sip on all afternoon.

Lavender Chills

·         1.5oz The Botanist Gin

·         1.5oz Cold Brew

·         .5oz Lavender Syrup

·         2oz Tonic Water

Pour The Botanist Gin, Cold Brew and Lavender syrup into cocktail shaker. Shake and strain over ice into a Highball glass. Top with Tonic Water.

To make Lavender “Tea” Syrup - 1:1 sugar to water. Bring to Boil, turn off, add lavender and let sit for 10 minutes to infuse lavender. Serve when cooled.

Bacon & Honey Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

By: The Food Hunter


How do you make Brussels sprouts taste extra delicious? The easiest, tastiest and best way to enjoy Brussels sprouts is to wrap them in bacon and drizzle them with honey. Trust me, this recipe will make Brussels sprout fans out of the finickiest eater.

Bacon & Honey Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
makes 24 pieces

12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

salt and freshly ground pepper
6 slices of bacon
honey

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the Brussels sprouts with salt and pepper.
2. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut each piece of bacon in half length wise discarding the fattier half. Cut the remaining meaty bacon into smaller pieces.
3. Securely wrap each sprout half in a bacon strip and place it, seam side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake until the bacon is crisp and the Brussels sprouts are fork tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drizzle the bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts with honey and serve warm.

Cointreau Ginger Snap

 By: The Food Hunter

I know it is only November but I'm thinking ahead to long winter nights by the fire sipping a cocktail. The Cointreau Ginger Snap is a delicious libation that can be enjoyed all season long. Featuring hints of orange, cinnamon and muddled ginger, it's a warming winter drink you don't want to miss.

Cointreau Ginger Snap

2 oz Cointreau
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
0.25 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 Slices Muddled Ginger (quarter sized)
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Egg White (optional)

Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake will with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with two slices of candied ginger.