Bourbon Bacon Burger

Alright if you have kept your New Years Resolution so far, do not make this burger. Oh, this burger has bacon on it with cheese plus a sweet glaze. This burger is so good. Since my husband doesn't always want to drive about an hour so I can order a Jack Daniel's burger, I decided to look up a copy cat recipe. The glaze is very sweet and sticky. You will need a lot of napkins for this burger. I make pretty good burgers but my husband said this is the best burger I have ever made.Why Jim Beam and not Jack Daniel's? It is what I had in my cabinet. Sorry, Jack!

Bourbon Bacon Burger
1 1/2 lbs. ground hamburger
Bourbon glaze (see below)
4 hamburger buns
4 slices of cheese (provolone or American cheese)
toppings: lettuce, red onion, tomato, and bacon

Directions: 

1. Once the glaze is thick and syrupy, cook your hamburger in a skillet to the desired doneness.
2. Brush on the glaze on top of the hamburgers and allow to cook for a minute.
3. Top the hamburger with the cheese. Cook until the cheese has melted.
4. Serve the burgers with lettuce, red onion, tomato, bacon, and more glaze if desired. 

Bourbon Glaze:
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
2/3 cup water
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce
1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp Bourbon
pinch cayenne pepper

Glaze Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil.
Add the minced garlic and saute for a minute.
Add the water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Add the lemon juice, onion, Bourbon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Allow the mixture to simmer until thick and syrup for about 45 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Top Secret Recipes.

One year ago..........................I made Banana Bread Cookies.
Two years ago........................I made Jalapeno Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms.

Did you already know.............
-Bourbon must be produced in the United States.
-Bourbon is a type of whiskey.
-Bourbon must be made in new charred oak barrels.

Bourbon Cookies

Any surname with an O'..., you know is Irish. You don't have to guess their family nationality. When I met my husband, I knew he was Irish. (It really wouldn't have mattered his family origins anyways.) Now if he had told me his last name was O'Trouble, I may have waited for a longer courtship. 

My nationality is English, French, American Indian, Martian, and etc. I am just kidding about the Martian. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. I am 100% Earthitarian. Earthitarian sounds more intelligent than Earthling. 

Since Saint Patrick's Day is next Saturday, I figured I would make some clover shaped cookies. I could not find a clover cookie cutter. I even had a 101 cookie cutter kit and it didn't have a clover. I ended up making one. I made some with currents and green sugar. I was pleasantly surprised how sweet they were even with the Bourbon. These cookies taste great the first day but the next day they taste a little flat. 

Bourbon Currant Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour, sifted (plus more for work surface)
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
3. Add 1 egg, flour, bourbon, and the currants.
4. Mix until well combined.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Cut out desired shapes.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg with the heavy cream.
8. Brush the cookies with the egg cream wash.
9. Space the cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
10. Bake until pale golden brown about 12 to 15 minutes.
11. Allow to cool on wire rack.

 Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies.

Did you already know......

-O'.. means descendent of ...
-A lot of Irish surnames have a coat of arms.
-There are maps to trace your family clan and surname to a specific location in Ireland. 

Since we are all Irish on Saint Patrick's Day, I figured we all need Irish names. I guess I'll go by Brianna next Saturday. Here is a site to pick your Irish name. Hopefully, I will remember to answer to the name.

Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes

Normally, I make children friendly recipes. This is an adult dessert. There is alcohol in the cake, filling, and frosting. My husband's work was having a holiday get together and I thought this would be a popular dessert to bring. My husband agreed.

I made sure the kids did not have one of these. I will remake these at a later date with no alcohol. I did ask my husband if he could taste the alcohol. He said no but then admitted he had a cold. I asked my favorite friend if she could taste the alcohol and she said yes. I hope you enjoy these cupcakes.

Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
1 box Dark Chocolate cake mix
1 cup skim milk/water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 Bourbon whiskey
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolates squares/chips
1/3 cup butter
3 Tbsp Godiva chocolate liqueur


Frosting:
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
 3-4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp Godiva White Chocolate liqueur
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:
Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
3. Mix cake mix, milk, oil, bourbon, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full.
5. Bake about 20 minutes or until done.
6. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Filling:

1. Heat the heavy cream with the squares in a microwave safe bowl for about 1 minute. Stir and repeat in 30 minute increments until the chocolate is melted. Stir between increments.
2. Stir in the butter until melted and then add the liqueur.
3. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Frosting:

1. Cream the butter with 2 cups of powdered sugar until fluffy. 
2. Add the liqueur and the vanilla. 
3. Combine and continue adding 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.

Assembly:

1. Cut off the top of the cupcake and place to the side. 
2. Cut a small hole in the center of the cupcake and set to the side. 
3. Add the filling into the center and on the top of the cut piece. 
4. Place the center and top of the cupcake back to its original place. 
5. Frost each cupcake top. 
6. Repeat process until all the cupcakes are frosted. 
7. Take the filling and heat in the microwave about 30 seconds. 
8. Stir and drizzle over the top of each cupcakes. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker website.

Did you already know.............
-In 1926, Joseph Draps founded Godiva Chocolatier in Brussels, Belgium.
-The company is named in honor of the Lady Godiva legend.
-Lady Godiva legend tells about an Anglo-Saxon Lady in the 12th century who was dared by her husband to ride through town naked. If she did it, he would lift his oppressive taxes on his people. She asked the town to stay inside and not peek. She accomplished the dare with only Tom peeking (Peeping Tom) and helped her people.

If you eat too many of these cupcakes, your world may become a little tilted. Please do not follow Lady Godiva's example.