Recipe: Grilled Pork with Maple Habanero Glaze and Sauteed Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

For the Pork

2 1/2 lbs. of bone-in pork chops (4 large chops)

2 cups of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of soy sauce

1 cup of bourbon

3 habanero peppers, finely minced

1 cup of maple syrup

For the Chard

2 large bunches of green or rainbow chard, de-stemmed with leaves roughly torn into pieces

4 slices of uncured, thick sliced applewood smoked bacon, diced

1/2 of a large sweet onion, diced (approx. 1 1/2 cups)

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. black pepper

3 tbsp. of unsalted butter

Directions:

Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, and bourbon together with a wisk to make the brine. Reserve 2/3 cup of the brine. Place the chops into a large plastic bag or bowl, pour the brine over, and cover. Place in the refrigerator to brine at least 24 hours.

In a small saucepan, heat the maple syrup, habanero peppers, and 2/3 cup of the brining liquid over medium heat until it bubbles vigorously. Remove from heat and place into a heatproof glass container, seal, and place in the refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours to chill until it thickens.

Brush your grill grate with olive oil and heat the grill to medium-high heat. Before placing the pork on the grill, coat all over with the maple/habanero glaze. Cook for 4 minutes, turn over, then cover with more of the glaze. Continue cooking for 4 minutes on each side, glazing after each turn, for a total of about 18 - 20 minutes for medium-well. The glaze will produce a nice blackening on the pork as the sugar caramelizes. Place in 180 degree oven covered in foil to keep warm.

In a large pan, melt the butter. Add the bacon and saute the bacon until it starts to crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes partially translucent. Add the swiss chard and black pepper, in bunches if necessary, covering the pan to wilt the chard. Cook, covered, checking and stirring every minute or two until all the chard is fully wilted.

Serve the chard on top of or alongside the pork.

Serves 4 very hungry people.

Recipe: Spicy Beef Stroganoff

This ended up a total winner... so very tasty... and comforting :)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean beef tenderloin, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp. peanut oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

3 habanero peppers

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 large sweet onion (Vidalia or equivalent)

4 cups crimini mushrooms

1 cup beef broth

1/3 cup bourbon

2 cups of sour cream

1 1/2 lb. egg noodles

Directions:

Heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the beef and sear lightly on all sides. Remove beef from the oil and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Finely chop the onion, mushrooms, and habanero peppers. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cover, sweating them for about 5 - 6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms, habaneros, salt, Dijon mustard, beef broth, and bourbon and stir to combine. Turn heat to high and bring to boil, boiling on high for about 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add the beef back to the pan (including any juices), cover, and simmer for about 45 - 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Remove cover from beef mixture and turn heat to high until the pan returns to a boil, boiling vigorously for about 10 minutes to reduce the mixture to a very thick consistency (mix 1 tbsp. of corn starch with warm water and stir in to thicken more quickly if not the right consistency within 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream as a final step. Serve over the egg noodles.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Cocktail Recipe: Classic Manhattan

Ingredients:

2 parts Knob Creek or other good Kentucky bourbon
1 part sweet vermouth
4 splashes of Angostura bitters
3 cherries, pits removed, soaked in cognac or other brandy at least overnight

Directions:

Fill a tall cocktail shaker with ice. Add the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters to the cocktail shaker. Drop the drunken cherries into the bottom of a standard martini glass. Shake the cocktail mixture vigorously and then pour through a strainer into the glass. Serve immediately... but sip it slowly... you have been warned! :)

Cocktail: Atlanta Iced Tea

Ingredients:

1 part Maker's Mark bourbon
2 parts Lemonade
2 parts Iced Tea (Unsweetened)
Maraschino cherries for garnish

Directions:

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the bourbon, lemonade, and iced tea. Stir with a cocktail stirrer. Top with a couple of cherries. Drink on your front porch while rockin' in the swing... with a gnat swatter by your side ;).