Whiskey Spiked Meatloaf and Veggie Loaf w/Whiskey Gravy

The Boozy Homemakers booze up an American classic.

Meat Loaf:

1.5 lbs ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 large *on-the-vine tomatoes (or 4 oz stewed tomatoes, puree)

3-4 tbsp ketchup

½ cup ‘oven toasted’, old fashion oats

½ cup cracker crumbs (mixed grain)

4 dashes Worcestershire, Braggs, or Maggi Seasoning

2 generous pinches herbs de provence (or thyme/marjoram/rosemary combo)

salt & pepper

2 tbsp ketchup

4 strips bacon

douse in whiskey

cooking time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

oven temperature: 350 degrees

makes: 1 large loaf or 2 regular loaf pans

–       Mix everything together in a large bowl, except for the bacon and whiskey, save some ketchup for topping as well.

–       Place contents of bowl in loaf pan(s) of choice (we used a large Le Creuset casserole dish for our loaf which was 2 lbs ground beef).

–       Douse top of loaf(s) with whiskey (3/8 cup).

–       Spread top with a layer of ketchup.

–       Lay strips of bacon lengthwise over loaf.

–       Place in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, 25 minutes

*there is a lot of stuff in here

Vegetarian Loaf:

2 cups lentils, cooked

½ cup grain (mix or bulgar), cooked

Faux ‘ground beef’ (vegetable protein)

1 pack crimini or button mushrooms

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2-3 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 cup kale, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups vegetable stock

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup oats*

1/4 cup bread crumbs*

1/4 cup crumbled crackers* (*you can use just one of these)

3 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acid

coriander

garlic powder

thyme

rosemary

salt & pepper

ketchup for topping

3/8 cup whiskey

cooking time: 50 minutes baking + 15 minutes stovetop

oven temperature: 350 degrees

makes: 3 regular loaf pans

–       Starting with the vegetable stock in a large saucepan, mix everything together. Chop everything as little as possible for loaf to meld together well. Cook 15 minutes.

–       Place contents of bowl in loaf pans of choice (3).

–       Spread tops with a layer of ketchup.

–       Place in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes

Whiskey Gravy

vegetables (celery, carrots, mushrooms, onion, tomato)- cook down slowly in butter on low, add veggie stock, add whiskey, + flour for consistency, salt & pepper.

Thank you to the lovely Miss D!

Naju’s Guava Cheesecake

 NAJU’S GUAVA CHEESECAKE

Topping

Melt together guava paste, 1/2 cup white wine, juice of 1/2 lemon. Set aside.

Crust

12 graham crackers

6 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp sugar

pinch of coarse salt

Cheesecake

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 large eggs, room temperature

– Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) in a double layer of foil.

– Process graham cracker in food processor until fine. Mix crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Pat mixture evenly into bottom of pan. Put in freezer for 15 minutes. Then bake crust for 15 minutes and set aside to cool while assembling the cheesecake.

– Beat cream cheese with paddle mixer for 3 minutes until fluffy.

– In a large bowl whisk together sugar and flour. Switch to mixer on low speed gradually adding flour/sugar to the cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time until just combined; do not overmix.

– Pour cheesecake filling into pan with crust. Place pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the springorm pan.

– Bake 45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue to bake about 30 minutes more until the sides are set and center still wobbly. Turn off oven; leave cake in the oven with the door ajar for 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

– Spread guava topping all over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 6 hours or overnight, before un-molding cake by running a knife around edges of the pan.

Storage- Wine, Beer, Liquor

 

Bottle Storage:

Wine

Store in a cool, dark place at 50-55 degrees, (do not fluctuate temperature, keep constant). Wine turns/oxidizes at 75 degrees. Store horizontally to keep the cork moist and prevent it from drying out. Keep still. Try not to move the wine bottles once stored. Dark green bottles are preferable.

Beer

Store upright to minimize oxidation between beer and bottle cap, and so unfiltered beer sediment stays on bottom. Like wine, it is recommended to find a cool, dark place with a temperature of 50-55 degrees. Most beers have an expiration date and are not recommended for aging, except for those heftier beers that are ripe for maturation, such as: vintage beers, barleywines, imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, lambics, and old ales…

Liquor

Store upright. The theory is that lids are less reliable and can leak. A bottle of vodka will not go bad due to its alcohol content.

Tequila Shrimp Tostadas w/Fresh Squeezed Oranges and Zesty Guacamole

Cilantro Margarita Martini

(like a Mojito Martini, but with cilantro instead of mint and with tequila instead of rum)

– Muddle cilantro (crush), add tequila and triple sec, fresh squeezed lime and ice, shake, strain into a margarita glass.

Tequila Shrimp Tostadas w/Fresh Squeezed Oranges

– Sauté raw, peeled shrimp (whole bag thawed frozen shrimp, about 30) with garlic in butter and preferably in a cast iron pan, with salt & pepper on high heat for 2 minutes, then add a half cup of tequila. After the shrimp are cooked and with some nice char marks, deglaze with the juice from 3 squeezed oranges and 1 lime. Cook together 5 more minutes.

– grill tortillas quickly over an open flame.

Zesty Guacamole

– mash fresh avocado (2), add fresh squeezed lemon juice, diced jalapeno, diced tomato, diced onion, chopped cilantro, dash of hot sauce, drizzle of olive oil, + salt.

– build your tostada.

Bourbon Banana Bread

Bourbon Banana Bread

1 stick butter, melty

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of half & half with 1/2 tbsp vinegar)

1/2 cup bourbon

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

– Heat oven to 350, and move oven rack to the lowest position. Grease the insides of one 8 inch loaf pan and one muffin pan.

– Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and blend well. Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, bourbon and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix in well. Then stir in the walnuts last, pour into your baking pans and place in the oven.

– Bake 8″ loaf pan for 1 hour, take the muffin pan out after 45 minutes. Test done-ness with a knife: if it comes out clean you are golden.

Pan-Seared Red Snapper in Vodka Lime Butter Sauce w/Capers & Zucchini Gratin

Cosmopolitan

2 oz vodka

1 1/2 oz cranberry juice

2 tsp lime juice / lemon juice

3/4 oz tripple sec or cointreau

Herbed Zucchini Gratin

(*not original recipe – need to trace origins – except for the vodka – that was our idea)

6 medium zucchini, shredded

vodka, generous splash (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup basil, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups parmesan, grated

salt & pepper

1 cup bread crumbs

– Heat oven to 400 degrees. Shred zucchini, and sweat by letting sit 30 min in paper towel. Toss with the vodka, herbs, garlic, shallot, half of the bread crumbs and cheese, salt & pepper, in a 9″ baking dish.

– Brown the butter and add to the remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Add this mixture on top of the other. Bake 40-45 minutes.

Pan-Seared Red Snapper w/Vodka Lime Butter Sauce & Capers

(*not original recipe – need to trace where found)

2-4 filets Red Snapper

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup vodka

1 oz fresh lime juice

2 tbsp capers

4 tbsp butter, cubed

– Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dry fish and season both sides with salt & pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the fish on one side 3 minutes, then turn over and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Place fish in the oven for 5-7 more minutes.

– Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lime juice and vodka. Place the same pan back on the stove top and melt in the butter. Add capers last before spooning ove the fish. Serve with the Herbed Zucchini Gratin and a side of Lemon Wilted Kale.

Vodka Sorbet w/Berries

– exactly like it sounds. We used Raspberry sorbet and doused it with vodka, topped with fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Port Braised Pot Roast w/Mashed Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

Here we have Six Grapes Port as well as a gifted custom-made batch of port, and started off Christmas Dinner with an appetizer of Tom de Savoie, some creamy Le Delice de Bourgogne, a dried fruit and nut brick from Bristol Farms, black & green Spanish olives and black pepper crackers.

Christmas Port Braised Pot Roast

1 4lb Chuck Roast

2 tbsp Flour (for dipping)

2-3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Onions + 1 Shallot, quartered

8 Carrots (or 6 for large), cut in 2-inch pieces

6 cloves Garlic, halved

1 cup Port

2 cups Mushroom Stock

4 sprigs Rosemary

Salt & Pepper to taste

Our recipe is adapted from Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman, but instead of wine we used port, in place of beef stock we used mushroom stock, we added shallots in with the onion, added garlic cloves, and used extra sprigs of rosemary in place of using thyme.

Start your roast by selecting a choice piece of grassfed Chuck Roast with plenty of marbling. The fat is where the flavor comes from and also texturizes the meat so that it is not so compressed.

– Generously salt & pepper both sides of the chuck roast, and dip each side in flour.

– Heat olive oil on medium-high in a roasting pot. Add onions and brown each side. Remove Onions.

– Add carrots to the same oil. Stir around till they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove.

– Add more oil if needed, sear both sides and edges of the chuck roast. Remove.

– Pour in the port and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a whisk.

– Throw everything back in the pot, starting with the meat, then the onions and carrots, add garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary on top. Pour in the mushroom stock. Cover. And put in the preheated oven for 4 hours at 275 degrees.

*This is an oven recipe. Using a crock pot is also possible.

Make Mashed Potatoes to accompany the stew-like roast (russet potatoes, lots of butter, half & half, salt & pepper, and a dash of nutmeg):

The Brussel Sprouts are simply roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. The secret is to toss them thoroughly halfway through and add butter. Roast in same oven as the Roast for the last 40 minutes.

Merry Christmas!

Swiss Raclette w/Kirsch

Had to share this great winter meal. The Swiss eat Raclette when it gets cold. Lesser known than Fondue, Raclette is a type of cheese which you melt in a special burner, in a special tray, using special scraping utensils. It is paired with either gold potatoes or red russet potatoes as well as pickled items of any sort, here it is: cornichons, cocktail onions, pickled mushrooms, pickled artichoke, and pickled garlic.

Serve with butter lettuce and französische salatsauce (a mayonnaise dijon dressing).

*Sliced baguette is not traditionally served with this dish.

pair with kirsch or white wine

 

Chilean Sea Bass vs Striped Bass

Random Fact:

Striped Bass (^) and Chilean Sea Bass are not related.

Drum and Grouper are the better substitutes for recipes involving Chilean Sea Bass, which is not a bass at all, but a Marketing decision to rename the Patagonian Toothfish.