In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the egg, beer, and melted butter. Stir with a whisk until just blended—a few lumps are okay.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat with vegetable oil or cooking spray and spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the hot surface for each pancake. When bubbles appear on top of the pancakes, flip and cook until browned on the other side.

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and water; cook and stir over medium-low heat until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg substitute, milk, vanilla, rum, salt, and ½ tsp. cinnamon until combined well. Pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F and bring bread to room temperature.

Bake, uncovered, on center rack until puffed and lightly golden on edges (40–50 minutes).

Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Lime layer
Pour 1 c. water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle with ½ envelope of plain gelatin and soak 1–2 minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Add lime gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in ¼ c. cold water and then the vodka or rum. Pour into 9x9 glass or nonreactive metal pan and chill until almost set (about 45 minutes).

Lemon layer
Dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 c. hot water in a double-boiler. Add marshmallows and melt. Remove from heat.

Add pineapple juice and cream cheese. Beat until well blended. Stir in the crushed pineapple, if desired. Cool slightly. Stir in mayonnaise and whipped cream. Chill until slightly thickened.

Pour over the lime layer and return to refrigerator to chill until nearly set.

Cherry layer  
Pour 1 c. water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle with ½ envelope of plain gelatin and soak 1–2 minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Add cherry gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in ¼ c. cold water and then the vodka or rum. Chill until the mixture reaches the consistency of egg whites. Gently pour over lemon layer.

Chase any bubbles to the edge of the pan with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until firm, several hours or overnight.

To serve, cut into 16 squares and then cut each square in half to form 32 rectangular slices. Carefully remove slices from pan with an offset spatula.

In a large plastic bag, combine the grated cheeses and toss with the cornstarch to coat. Set aside until ready to use. In a fondue pot or large, heavy saucepan, bring the wine and garlic to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the cheese a bit at a time, stirring well to prevent clumping, and cook until melted. Add the kirsch, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Italian seasonings; stir well. Cook and stir until the mixture is smooth (3–5 minutes).

Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve hot with assorted dipping items on skewers.

Suggested dipping items
Lightly toasted cubes of French bread
Boiled baby new potatoes in their skins, or quartered if large
Lightly steamed broccoli florets
Lightly steamed cauliflower florets
Lightly steamed asparagus
Button mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed
Cubed smoked ham
Cooked sliced hot sausage
Large pretzel sticks

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the beer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the cream, cream cheese, and processed cheese, whisking until melted and smooth.

Stir in the crabmeat, lime juice, green onion, cilantro, and chili powder; simmer for 15 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and cumin. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and serve hot with tortilla chips.

About 2–4 hours before smoking the fish, combine the marinade ingredients into a bowl and let sit.

At least 1 hour before smoking, pour the marinade over the salmon in a shallow dish or plastic bag. Refrigerate.

30 minutes before smoking, drain the salmon and let it sit at room temperature, saving the marinade. Preheat the smoker between 225°F and 250°F. (Note: I prefer to use apple or hickory wood for this recipe.)

Place the salmon on the smoker, skin side down, and drizzle remaining marinade over the fish. Smoke it until just cooked through and flaky (50–60 minutes).

Add cocktail wieners to a slow cooker and cover with favorite brand of barbecue sauce. Add whiskey and a few dashes of Tabasco Habanero Sauce. Make sure to stir thoroughly; then heat until hot.

Combine beef, pork, onion, sour cream, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and spices with hands. Shape into 2-inch balls. Freeze on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. Reroll in hands.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs, shaking skillet, until browned and cooked through (about 6 minutes).

Pour off fat and large brown bits from skillet. Add wine; cook over medium heat, stirring, until mostly reduced. Whisk in flour and then add stock. Raise heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring, until thick (about 8–10 minutes). Pour through a sieve and top meatballs with sauce.

In a large bowl or food processor, combine cream cheese, half the thyme, pepper, salt, and gin or vodka. Beat or process until blended and smooth.

Add Swiss cheese and ham and beat vigorously until evenly mixed. If you are using a food processor, be careful not to overmix; the ham and Swiss cheese should retain some texture. This is a rather soft mixture and will be easier to form if it is refrigerated 2–3 hours first.

Combine remaining thyme and the chives; spread mixture on a large plate or sheet of wax paper. Dampen hands and divide the cheese mixture in half. Pat and press each half into a ball about 3 inches in diameter. Roll each ball in thyme and chive mixture, pressing so coating adheres. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and chill until served.

In a skillet, brown ground beef and pork while adding the Worcestershire sauce, dry peppers, a little Tabasco, ¼ c. onion, and cinnamon. Place the browned meat in a slow cooker. Then chop or slice the garlic, peppers, and tomatoes; add them to the slow cooker. WASH HANDS.

Add the chili starter, soup, tomato sauce, chili beans, beer, and port. Stir. Snip fresh sage and oregano and cover ¾ of the surface area with each herb. Add the bay leaves and stir. Next, add the dry ingredients and more Tabasco to taste. Hint: The peppers will provide most of the heat; the other spices are really for flavor, not intensity of heat. Add the brown sugar and a little honey to complement the heat while taking a little edge off the spicy kick.

Stir infrequently, making sure to taste each time and spice it up as needed. Serve with sides of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy! It is even better the next day.

Mix first 7 ingredients well to create a marinade. Place the roast and marinade in a large plastic bag and refrigerate 8–12 hours, turning the bag at least once to ensure even marinating.

Preheat grill on high. Sear the roast on each side. Then turn off burner directly under the roast and turn all other burners to medium. Grill roast on indirect heat 2–3 hours until a meat thermometer reads 150°F for medium to medium rare.

Note: A room-temperature ham will cook quicker and more evenly. Take out of refrigerator up to 2 hours before cooking. Glaze can also be used on a spiral-cut ham.

Combine sugar, Jack Daniel’s, vinegar, and orange juice concentrate in a saucepan. Bring to boil; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Score top of ham in a diamond pattern, making cuts ½-inch deep and 1 inch apart. Insert clove at intersection of each diamond. Place ham in roasting pan and cook to 140°F internal temperature. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste ham with glaze every 10 minutes, reserving some of the glaze.

Let ham rest 30 minutes before serving. Brush with reserved glaze, slice, and serve.

Mix the first four ingredients in a bowl; stir well and set glaze aside. Steam or boil the sweet potatoes until crisp-tender. Thread 3 sweet potato cubes, 3 pork cubes, 2 peach quarters, 4 green pepper pieces, and 4 onion pieces alternately onto each of eight 10-inch skewers. Brush kebabs with honey glaze.

Lightly oil the grill. Grill the kebabs over medium-hot coals 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated, basting occasionally with glaze.

Trim fat from beef. Sprinkle beef with salt and peppercorns. In a large, heavy skillet, brown brisket on both sides in hot oil. Remove beef. Add onions to skillet. Cook and stir until tender. Add brisket to skillet; add tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire, and fines herbes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Spoon some of the onion mixture over brisket. Simmer, covered, until brisket is tender (about 3 hours).

Remove brisket from skillet; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from sauce in skillet. Stir in cream, vermouth, and vodka. Bring just to boiling. Remove from heat. Slice brisket; top with olives. Serve with sauce.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef or chuck roast, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions turn clear.

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on high 4–6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Prep the chicken: Remove the insides, rinse with water, and pat dry. Rub the bird with olive oil and then season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place in roasting pan and put the orange and onion quarters inside. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes. Then turn oven down to 350°F for 1 hour more.

While bird is cooking, make the glaze. Melt the butter, mustard, honey, and apricot jam until bubbly; remove from heat and add the orange liqueur. Keep on low heat until ready to use.

When there is 40 minutes left of cook time, pour about half the glaze over the bird and then let it finish cooking. Pull bird out, let rest 10 minutes so juices can recollect. After carving the bird and putting the meat on a platter, drizzle the pieces with the rest of the glaze. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Set the ham with the flat side down in a large roasting pan. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cornstarch, mustard, cinnamon, and Scotch. Brush some of the mixture onto the ham; reserve the rest for basting.

Bake ham, basting every 20 minutes, for 2 hours. Remove from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest 15 minutes before removing the foil and serving.

Combine tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken breasts and refrigerate overnight.

Heat grill and brush rack with oil to prevent chicken from sticking. Remove chicken breasts from marinade; sprinkle well with salt and pepper. Grill 5 minutes until browned. Turn chicken and cook 10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from grill to plate and cover tightly. Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Drain roasted peppers, reserving a small amount of the liquid. Cut the peppers into strips. Combine prosciutto, cream, crushed tomatoes, vodka, roasted peppers with reserved liquid, parsley, garlic powder, sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Stir cheese into the sauce. Add sauce to the rigatoni, stir, and top with peas.

In a large resealable bag, pour in marinade and bourbon. Place New York strips into the bag and turn to coat meat. Refrigerate 4–12 hours.

Remove marinade and steak and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove steak and discard marinade.

Salt and pepper steaks to taste. Then happy grilling!

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange sweet potatoes in a 9x13 baking dish. Combine sugar, butter, bourbon, and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat to a boil. As soon as the sauce comes to a boil, pour it over the sweet potatoes. Bake 30–40 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp (about 8 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Discard all but 2 Tbsp. of the fat in the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened (about 20 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes. Add the ale and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, milk and broth, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10–12 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Set the pot over medium-low heat and add the cheese by the handful, stirring constantly; do not allow the soup to boil. Season with salt and pepper and then serve immediately, garnishing bowls of soup with leftover bacon.

Heat 1 c. of Grand Marnier until small bubbles form around the edge. Pour over the apricots and let steep to plump. Set aside.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add celery, onions, thyme, and sage. Simmer until vegetables are softened but not mushy (about 5 minutes). Set aside.

Saute sausage in a skillet until cooked through, stirring often to break it up into chunks. Drain off any excess oil.

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, apricots with Grand Marnier, onion and celery mixture, sausage, apples, and the remaining ½ c. of Grand Marnier. Toss gently to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To bake stuffing separately, pour into a casserole dish and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes to brown the top. To use the stuffing inside poultry, let the stuffing come to room temperature before stuffing the bird and then roast immediately.

Tear spinach into bite-size pieces and place in large salad bowl. Add egg slices, salt, and pepper.

Mix bacon, bacon drippings, malt vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan and heat until very hot. Heat brandy briefly, add to saucepan, and ignite. Pour flaming dressing over spinach and toss gently but thoroughly. Serve on warm salad plates.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and creamy (3–4 minutes). Beat in amaretto and vanilla. Fold Cool Whip into cream cheese mixture.

Arrange half of the ladyfingers in a dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Sprinkle ladyfingers with half of the coffee. Top with half of the cream cheese mixture, spreading smooth. Sprinkle with half of the cocoa. Arrange the rest of the ladyfingers over cocoa, and layer with remaining coffee, cream cheese mixture, and cocoa.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13 pan with nonstick foil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

Melt butter, bittersweet chocolate, and white chocolate chips in a double-boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in Guinness. The batter will seem a bit thin. Drop semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter (some will sink in).

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25–30 minutes on center rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Note: The Guinness should be at room temperature. This recipe uses a little less than a standard 12-oz. bottle of Guinness Extra Stout beer. Do not include foam in the measurement. Either spoon off the foam or let it rest until the foam subsides.

Place freezer can to ice-cream maker in the freezer according to manufacturer’s instructions, frequently 12–24 hours in advance of making the sorbet.

In a large saucepan, bring water and Guinness to a boil. Stir in sugar and cocoa; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined. Cool slightly; cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Pour chocolate mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 1 hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan. Stir together the brownie mix, ½ c. of the Irish cream liqueur, vegetable oil, and eggs. Spread in the prepared pan. Bake until the top is dry and the edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan (about 30 minutes). Remove from oven to cool completely on a wire rack.

Place the milk, 2 Tbsp. of Irish cream liqueur, and coffee in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until the mixture boils. Set aside to cool completely.

Beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and the cooled Irish cream mixture; beat well. Spread evenly over the cooled brownies. Sprinkle evenly with the toffee bits, if desired.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x13 pan. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar, eggs, flour mixture, and Jack Daniel’s, stirring well after each addition.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with pecans and chocolate chips. Bake 45–50 minutes or until center of the cake is firm and edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Cool cake on a wire rack. Prepare the glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Blend well with a wooden spoon and drizzle on cooled cake.

Note: Cake may be baked in a greased 10-inch tube pan. Increase the baking time to 1 hour. Cool in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Drizzle with the glaze.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, butter, eggs, corn syrup, maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla. Fold in half the pecan halves. Pour filling into pie shell and then arrange the remaining pecan halves on top of the pie. Chill for 30 minutes.

Bake the pie 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350°F. Bake until a knife tip comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream, vanilla, crème de menthe, and food coloring. Turn on the ice-cream maker, pour mixture into freezer can, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Add the chocolate chips or chopped mints during the last 5 minutes of mixing/freezing. Once the mixture is done freezing, pour it into a freezer-safe container and let it harden further in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Combine sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until golden. Do not stir or mixture will become stiff. Remove from heat.

Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk. The mixture will be hot and will bubble vigorously. Cool slightly, and stir in the whiskey and milk.

Note: For a no-alcohol version, substitute 1 Tbsp. imitation rum extract and 3 Tbsp. water for the Irish whiskey.

In a medium saucepan, reduce the wine to about 2½ cups. While still hot, add the remaining ingredients and steep overnight, refrigerated.

Strain the mixture and fill ice pop molds; freeze until solid.

To make the simple syrup:
Combine all 3 ingredients in a nonreactive 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. All the sugar crystals should completely dissolve. Remove from the heat and pour into a medium-size bowl. Let cool completely before using.

If you are short on time, you can cool the syrup over an ice bath. Simple syrup can be stored in the refrigerator, indefinitely, in an airtight container.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pie crust in ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Press crust firmly against side and bottom; flute. Bake 9–11 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

Mix sherbet, yogurt, lemonade concentrate, and vodka until blended. Spoon into the crust and freeze, uncovered, until firm (about 3 hours). Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish each serving of pie with a lemon slice, if desired.