A little over a year ago I started working for Sheknows.com writing a daily dinner column called “Tonight’s Dinner”. I’ve had such a good time writing for them and creating these recipes, I thought I’d start sharing some of my favorites with you.  From now on every Monday I will pick my favorite recipe from the previous week and share the adventure I had in creating it.

As some of you may know, I’m a huge Top Chef fan.  As a fan, I not only love watching the chefs bicker over what they’re going to make, I adore watching them create recipes out of whatever they can find in the kitchen that day. Every so often one of the cheftestants makes something so interesting, I have to make it myself; and that’s exactly what happened a few weeks ago when Sarah made an Amarone Risotto with lamb heart for Charlize Theron. I’d never had risotto with red wine before, and since I love risotto, I just had to make it.  Although the end result was delicious, I did hit a couple snags while recreating it.

First, I had no idea where to get lamb’s heart. Since I don’t know of a butcher in the area I decided to forgo the lamb’s heart and go with a shellfish instead. There may not be a local butcher, but there is Captain Kidd’s – a wonderful fish market just a mile or so from my house which is where I purchase all my seafood. They’re very knowledgeable, so if I’m ever unsure of what fish to use or how to prepare it, they’re ready and willing to answers all my questions.  This visit was no different. I told the man behind the counter I was making a red wine risotto and didn’t know what shellfish to use. I was thinking shrimp but they seem to pair better with white wine. He agreed and told me clams were absolutely the way to go. I followed his advice, bought two pounds of clams and added them to the dish.

The first snag taken care of, I went to tackle the second issue: where on earth to get an Amarone wine… after I discover what the hell Amarone wine is, of course. I knew it was a red wine based on the blood red color of Sarah’s risotto, but I didn’t know if it was in the Merlot family or the pinot family. Turns out it’s neither. Amarone uses the same grapes that are used to make Valpolicella. But the reason it’s an Amarone and not a Valpolicella is because the fruit that’s used is harvested early and then left in boxes for a few months to dry out. The grapes actually turn into raisins and it’s those raisins that are then crushed and fermented to make the wine. It’s a delicious wine but this process also makes it a very expensive wine. The average price of a bottle runs at least 50 dollars. Since I wasn’t about to spend that much money on a bottle of wine I was going to use to cook with, I opted for an Allegrini Palazzo della Torre which dries only half of it’s fruit. The benefit of using this wine was I got a similar tasting wine for about half the cost.

Both snags taken care of, I was able to create a risotto similar to Sarah’s that you can find here. It tasted amazing and made me want to make it again and again.

I know I normally do cocktails on Fridays, but Sunday is the Super Bowl and I thought a beer drink would be more suitable than a cocktail made with hard alcohol. While most people drink beer out of the bottle during football season, there are those that choose to consume the elixir from a nice pilsner glass. Drinking the beer from a glass allows you to not only enjoy a good draft beef, but also allows the drinker to have those specialty drinks like a Black and Tan.

A Black and Tan is probably one of the simplest drinks to mix together as it’s half Bass Pale Ale and half Guinness. That’s all there is to it… which is why it tends to be one of the more popular drinks found in bars and pubs across the world.

The Black and Tan has a long history. It’s been around since the late-1800′s and was created in English pubs by combining a porter and a pale ale. While most Americans hear “Black and Tan” and think of the drink and its color combination, the Irish hear the term and think of something else entirely: the English paramilitary soldiers recruited by the British government around 1920 to help put down the Irish uprising that led to the Irish War of Independence.  The soldiers were called black and tans because their uniforms were a mix of black and tan khaki. They were accused of some of the worst atrocities of the Irish War of Independence, including burning villages, torture, abduction and political murder.

No matter what you think of when you hear the term Black and Tan, it’s still a delicious drink that deserves to be consumed on game day. Even better, it’s definitely classier than that same old bottle of Bud.

Black and Tan

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces pale ale (such as Harps or Bass)
• 8 ounces stout (such as Guinness)

Directions:

1. Pour the pale ale into a chilled pilsner glass. Gradually pour the stout on top and serve.

If you know anything about me, you know that I love chocolate. It doesn’t matter if it comes in ice cream, cake, brownie or bar. If it’s chocolate (dark or milk) I’m devouring it. My favorite chocolate dessert though is the brownie, hands down. So when I find new recipes for brownies, I run right out and get the chocolate I need to make the little bars. (That is if I don’t already have the chocolate sitting on the shelf.)

Well a week or so ago, a very good friend of mine delivered some recipes that she thought I’d like to sample. One of the recipes were for stout brownies. Brownies made with beer. I’ve always heard that cakes and cupcakes made with stout make the chocolate richer and the cake fudgier.  Because a heavier beer is being used, the chocolate isn’t nearly as sweet, giving it more of a dark chocolate flavor which makes me a very happy chocoholic.

Anyway, I’d heard about stout chocolate cake or brownies and I’d been wanting to make them, but never had a reason. Well, as I’m sure you know, Sunday is the Super Bowl. A day that’s dedicated to football, beer and men screaming at the TV. So what better time to make brownies that are beer based than on a day that’s all about football and beer? I couldn’t think of one.

The brownies sounded amazing. But they included a chocolate beer glaze. I thought that much chocolate and beer was just too much. Even for me. So in order to make the brownies really resemble a mug of stout, I decided to top them with a vanilla buttercream frosting. If you’ve ever ordered a glass of Guinness you know the mug is three-quarters black stout and one quarter white head. The white frosting would simulate the head perfectly. Yes, it’d be much sweeter than your standard head of beer, but it’d look the part and actually cut the richness of the brownie. It was perfect. And better yet, delicious.

Stout Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup stout (like Guiness)
• 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, divided
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsps vanilla, divided
• 1/2 cup pastry flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 inch metal pan with parchment paper.
2. Boil stout in a medium sauce pan and cook until reduced to a half cup.
3. Stir together the chocolate and 2 sticks of butter in a double boiler until melted and smooth.
4. Whisk together the sugar, eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the chocolate and stout until combined. Fold in the flour and salt. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool.
5. While the brownies cool, beat together the remaining stick of butter, powdered sugar and remaining teaspoon of vanilla until smooth and creamy.
6. Once the brownies are cooled, frost the brownies with the vanilla frosting, cut and serve.

I’m a big fan of bourbon. But having tried numerous different kinds over the past year due to all the different cocktails I’ve concocted, I’ve come to discover that so far Woodford Reserve is my favorite. Now I know there are plenty more out there that I have yet to try, but this is what I’ve discerned thus far. Why am I talking about different kinds of bourbon? Because the type of bourbon you use makes all the difference in the drink you’re mixing up. If you don’t like the bourbon, chances are you’re not gonna like the drink. So no matter what drink you’re making, be sure you like the alcohol you’re using.

I made this discovery this week when I created my very first Whiskey Sour. It was just too strong for me and I really don’t believe it had anything to do with the cocktail itself. Others that tasted the drink (my husband and mother-in-law) both loved it. But I felt the drink was just too strong for my palate. In case you haven’t guessed, I did not use Woodford. I was out of Woodford (which I need to remedy ASAP). So I used Blanton’s because that’s what we had. This is the third or fourth time I’ve used the Blanton’s and I gotta tell you, not one of my favorite bourbons. I couldn’t tell you why exactly, just that it’s not for me.

Now, that’s not to say the Whiskey Sour is not a great drink. As with all my cocktails, this one is a classic. And anything that’s been around for over 100 years can’t be all bad. But as with your favorite brownie or chocolate chip cookie, everyone has their preferred chocolate to use. And everyone (including myself) believe that their specific chocolate makes their brownie or cookie better than all the others. So if you’re a fan or Bulleit or Blanton’s or another bourbon I haven’t heard of (and I’m sure there are many) then use that to make this fantastic drink.

The Whiskey Sour is a smooth cocktail that’s definitely not for the weak. It may have a serious kick, but the tart flavor from the lemon juice make it the perfect choice this time of year when citrus can be found at every corner grocery store. You could use grapefruit, limes or even oranges in this cocktail. But if you want the original, then lemons are absolutely the way to go.  While it’s true the Whiskey Sour wasn’t found in print until the late 1800′s, many believe the cocktail was created decades before when sailors added citrus fruit to their alcohol to help prevent scurvy. Of course it’s been updated over the years by adding sour mix or a variety of citrus fruits and even herbs. But at this blog nothing compares to the original and the original is just four ingredients: bourbon, simple syrup, lemon juice and a maraschino cherry.

Whiskey Sour Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 maraschino cherry
• 1 lemon slice (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine syrup, lemon juice and bourbon over ice in a cocktail shaker. Vigorously shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry and lemon slice.

Last year I was lucky enough to attend Charlie Palmer’s Pigs & Pinot event in Healdsburg. If you don’t know about Pigs & Pinot, it’s a weekend long charity event that’s devoted to pinot noir and pork. While it lasts all weekend, hubby and I only attended the Taste of Pigs and Pinot which is a night dedicated to tasting 60 different pinot noirs and the delicious pork tidbits to go with them. They had everything from roasted pork loin to grilled pork chops. But they didn’t just have appetizers and main courses dedicated to the pig. Every dessert that was presented also had some semblance of the swine attached to it.  There was chocolate covered bacon, bacon chocolate chip cookies and my favorite, Twinkies filled with a bacon bourbon cream. These little Twinkies were so delicious, I must’ve had at least half a dozen. I wanted to go back for more, but they disappeared quickly.

Anyway, they left such an indelible mark on my palate, I just had to try and recreate them; and what better time than a few weeks before Super Bowl Sunday. Why did I want to make them for the Super Bowl? Because if you’re having a party there’s going to be plenty of savory tidbits for people to munch. So why not add something sweet they can pop in their mouths when they’re done with the burgers and chili? And since there’s both bacon and bourbon involved, it’s really the perfect sports-themed dessert.

But as you can see from the photos I didn’t want to make Twinkies. They’re just too big to pop in your mouth while you’re watching the game. I thought it’d be easier to make mini-cupcakes. But just because they’re cupcakes doesn’t mean you can’t stuff them full of bacon, bourbon whipped cream. I mean Hostess did it. Well, without the bacon or bourbon but imagine how good those chocolate cupcakes would be if they did.  Hey, there’s an idea… But I digress.

These little morsels are the perfect size to grab one or two or three, pop ‘em in your mouth, and take a swig of beer without missing a single play. So if you’re full up on chips, dips, and potato skins, add these sweet & salty cupcakes to your table. They’ll be gone before the end of the half.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Bacon Bourbon Cream

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup pastry flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For Bacon Bourbon Cream

• 3-4 slices thick cut bacon
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For Salted Caramel Frosting

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons smoked sea salt
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

For Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and set aside.
4. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the whites reach soft, moist peaks, set aside.
5. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture is very thick and a pale yellow color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg whites and then mix everything on low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold the melted butter mixture into the egg mixture until everything is evenly mixed, about 15 strokes.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake until the cake tops are light brown and spring back when touched, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the cupcakes bake make the Bacon, Bourbon Cream:

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until nice and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain.
2. Pour the bacon grease, bourbon, whipping cream and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Beat on high until cream is stiff, about 5 minutes.

To fill the cupcakes:

1. Once the cupcakes are cooled, take an apple corer and gently push it into the center of your cupcake. Rotate the corer a full 360 degrees and pull it out of the cupcakes. Remove the tiny cake round from the corer and repeat with the rest of the cupcakes. Make sure not to go all the way to the bottom of the cupcake as this will cause your filling to leak out.
2. Pipe the bacon bourbon cream into each cupcake and frost with the Salted Caramel Frosting.

For the Frosting:

1. Stir together sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue cooking, swirling pan occasionally, for 5 minutes until the mixture turns a dark amber color.
2. Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the vanilla and cream. Stir until combined and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
3. While the caramel cools, beat the salt and butter together in a large mixing bowl on high speed for about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add powdered sugar. Continue mixing until completely combined.
4. Pour the caramel into the butter mixture and mix for another 3 minutes.
5. Frost your cream-filled cupcakes and top each with a little piece of bacon. Serve immediately.

Note: If you’re rushing the day of the big game, and don’t have time to make these cupcakes, you can make the cupcakes, bacon bourbon cream and frosting all a day or two ahead. Then just assemble the day of the big game.