Bourbon chili and bourbon cornmeal muffins

 

Just add vodka. A few years ago for Christmas, my sister gave me some flavored frozen drink cubes that came with that simple instruction. For these two recipes, it's more like just add bourbon.

Kentucky bourbon chili

Adapted from “The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook,” which in turn got the recipe from Tom Hoge’s “Bourbon Cookbook”

Ingredients
¼ cup butter
½ cup chopped green peppers
1 large onion, diced
1½ pounds ground beef
2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup bourbon

Method
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven. Saute peppers, onions and ground beef until beef is browned. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, ketchup, chili powder, chocolate, salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about a half hour. Remove lid, add bourbon and cook for another 10 minutes.

Rating: The bourbon-chocolate combo gives a nice fudgy-sludgy texture and flavor component. This comes together pretty quickly for a chili. I'd make this one again.

 

Kentucky bourbon corn muffins

From “The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook,” which in turn got the recipe from Tom Hoge’s “Bourbon Cookbook.” Makes 10 muffins.

Ingredients
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cornmeal
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
½ cup milk
¼ cup bourbon
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Method
Preheat oven to 425. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add cornmeal and lemon zest.

Blend eggs, milk, bourbon and butter. Stir into dry ingredients.

Put greased muffin tins in the oven for 2 minutes to preheat. Scoop batter into muffin tins; it will fill 10 muffin cups almost to the top. Bake for 10 minutes until it passes the toothpick test.

Rating: They’re cornmeal muffins. Both the lemon and bourbon aren’t particularly detectable. But as always, they make a good carrier for butter.

Fish with crunchy Ritz-panko crumbs

 

As a kid, I really liked fish sticks. All that breading, no doubt, plus an excuse to slather on tarter sauce. This recipe needs none, but it has some of that same crust crunch factor on top. A white wine/lemon pan sauce elevates it from just kid fare.

Baked cod with garlic and herb Ritz crumbs

Adapted from “Modern Comfort Food” by Ina Garten, as published in the Star Tribune Sunday Taste section

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ to 2 pounds cod fillets
½ cup Ritz cracker crumbs (grind 15 crackers in a food processor)
⅓ cup panko
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
Zest of half a lemon
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Select a baking dish that’s just large enough for your fish. Pour in the olive oil and tilt it to coat the pan. Place fish in pan, turning to coat fillets. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.

While fish bakes, in a small bowl combine cracker crumbs, panko, parsley, garlic and lemon zest. Mix in melted butter to moisten. Set aside.

Remove fish from oven. Pour wine and lemon juice directly over the fish. Press crumb mixture onto fish. Return to oven and bake an additional 12 minutes until fish flakes easily. Serve with pan juices.

 Rating: Super fast, super tasty, absolutely repeatable. I made it for Sunday supper, but it's a perfect weeknight quick-prep. I'd say you can serve it to guests without chagrin.